Chapter 3

The Client

M

anyphotographersstartingintheindustrybelievethat
becoming a successful image maker is all about
havingthelatestcamera,lensesandbestequipment.Allof
these are of course very helpful and in some cases
necessary to creating images. However in the field of
portraiturethegreatesttoolhasgottobecommunication.It
bearsrepeatingthatbeforetheclientwalksintothestudio
orarrivesatthelocation,thereshouldbeacertainlevelof
communicationbetweenthephotographerandthesubject,
to ascertain exactly what the client’s needs are.

Theportraitphotographerhastousetheirintuition,instinct
andskilltodrawfromtheclientanexpressionandemotion
intherelativelyshorttimesincemeetingthem.Theclient
hastofeelaconnectiontothephotographerinorder for
themtofeelcomfortabletogivealittleofthemselvesover
totheimage.Themoresuccessful portraitphotographers
willconnectveryeasilywithpeoplefromallwalksoflife
andmanagetofindacommongroundinordertomakethe
client feel relaxed and comfortable as quickly as possible.

Here we will consider how the photographer should
approacheachtypeofshoot,frompregnancyportraitsand
babiesthroughtoadults,fromthesingulartothegroupand