ideas of her own. On the flip side, her reactions to the images will give you
some insight into her tastes photographically. As discussed in the previous
chapter, it helps to organize your slide show into the six glamour categories
described so you’ll have a common point of reference when talking about
what she likes.
Self-Rating Questionnaire.
One technique I find particularly valuable is a short questionnaire that asks
the subject to rate herself and her appearance. This helps you as the photog-
rapher determine what physical attributes she’s proud of and which ones
she’s a little apprehensive about. Women are usually more critical of them-
selves than other people.
The questionnaire I use is a pretty form asking her what she likes about
her appearance and what she doesn’t. It also asks her what she’d like to im-
prove if she could. You get some pretty frank, sometimes humorous and
often surprising answers, but it tells you what features to focus on and what
you should try to hide in order to create a portrait she’ll love.
When it comes to problem areas, I can almost guarantee your clients will
list one or more of the following: stomach, breasts, hips, upper arms, and
nose. Of course, any one of these could just as easily be assets she’s proud of.
If you can turn any of her perceived negatives into positives, you’ll really im-
press her and probably increase your potential sale as well.
20 MASTER GUIDE FOR GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
A well-organized, thoughtful consultation is
the key to determining how to create an image
that will truly thrill your subject.