The smiles, the laughter, the longing looks - how do I do it?
Theres no real secret sauce around here, but I would say how I go about achieving the "candid, real you" I so claim to capture - is a thing of skill most photographers will be able to relate themselves to.
Most of my clients were strangers to me before we meet in person for the shoot. So beginning the session off relaxed and "expectation-less" is really important. The first 5 - 10 mins can be a beautiful, awkward mess of getting comfortable in each others company, and with a camera pointed in your face.
So, I play on the connections of who I am photographing; a young couple - focus on each other first, mum and son - perhaps begin with some play or a fun prompt, a pregnant mama and her beau - direction and focus on each other and her bump.
The silly prompts make for the best reactions, also. It can be pretty evident when a prompt is seen as asking something of them that is not natural or the look on their faces I can read as "you've got to be kidding me, were not doing that!". Which generally unfolds into laughter, jokes and fun. Click, click, click. I play on your relationship, I read the room and I often just make fun of myself or a situation thats happened during the shoot.
The enjoyment of your shoot, for you - is a big priority of mine.
