Photography may seem a hilly task when you have to look for ways to get your clients to smile for photos, but if you understand your craft well, this should be the easiest thing to do. There is a unique beauty that a smile injects to photography that you might want to include in your photos, but if you lack the skills to do it perfectly, you should listen to expert advice.
One of the experts in photography who could help in this case is D. Scott Carruthers, an experienced photographer who has also been helping young photographers to understand the craft. Here are some of the ideas he offers to help you draw unique smiles from your clients.
Pick each other up
If you are working on the photos for a couple, you should inject some creativity like telling them to pick each other up. Obviously this is a fun activity and one that is not predicted, so you are more likely to get a genuine smile.
Piggy back ride
Your second best awesome idea you could use on your clients if they are young and energetic is suggesting the piggy back ride. Like the one above, this is also fun to do and you will effortlessly squeeze out some beautiful smiles that will decorate the photos.
Photo booth
Using the photo booth idea will not only get the needed smiles, but will also bring up awesome poses. You only need to tell your clients to pose as if they are in a photo booth and through counting you could allow them to do several turns so you can take different poses.
Model pose
Suggest the subject to think about a model they love most and tell them to pose like that model. This will bring up a bit of a dramatic moment and in that difficulty and trial they will find themselves smiling, which then presents a perfect opportunity for you to take the photos you need.
Silly dance
Well, getting them to engage physically does not end with the above ideas. Dancing is an activity that comes with great joy and with such a request during a photo shoot you will much likely achieve beautiful smiles that will get you to take glaringly beautiful photos. This is an easy option that could contribute to the theme in the photo.
Jump
Don’t stop there, also instruct your clients to jump up and while in the air your timing should be perfect to take awesome photos of them. You should do this faster than they can notice and make sure to focus on their facial expression, which will obviously show beautiful smiles.
Approach with a smile
It might prove challenging to get someone to smile if you approach with a hard face. Approaching your subjects with a smile on your face helps them to relax and feel confident before you. They will also share in the joy of the moment by putting on smiles, which will help you effortlessly achieve your goal of taking their beautiful photos.
Tell a joke
Joke with your clients and make sure the jokes are aligned to the kind of event they are attending, or basically the theme of the photo shoot. Many people will respond with a smile when a joke they can relate with is told.
Complement
Most important is to complement your clients to boost their confidence. Tell something beautiful about the person and the response of their bodies will be a glaring smile that will help you while shooting the photos. Don’t complicate the process telling them to smile as this might not appear genuine.
About the author:
D Scott Carruthers has a lifelong love of photography and has been taking professional pictures since high school. You can read more from him at carruthersphoto.com