if your client is nervous when you pick up your camera, they are going to look nervous in their pictures.  and looking nervous in photographs not only makes for an awkward photo, but it creates discomfort for the audience or whomever is viewing the photograph.  creating client comfort in the moments before your session starts, and continuing to encourage comfort throughout the session, will ensure that your images reflect ease and genuine emotion.  clients who are relaxed and confident photograph so much better than clients who are nervous and unsure.

learning how to pose clients takes time and practice.  be sure to read how i learned to pose photography clients to help you get started.

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Creating Client Comfort During Lifestyle Newborn Sessions

Pose Them

clients are most comfortable when you tell them exactly what to do.  when we think of lifestyle newborn sessions, we think of unposed and natural photographs.  but behind these photographs, it is our job as photographers to help place our clients into flattering and photographable positions that will feature them the best within the frame.  by telling your client to just look natural, you are placing a lot of pressure on them because sometimes they don’t know what natural looks like.  i always pose my clients, then step back and allow them to naturally interact within the pose.  from the moment i tell my clients, “don’t worry, i am going to tell you exactly what to do,” i can literally see a sense of relief wash over their face.  especially from the dads.

need some more pose ideas?  check out my 10 tips for photographing a lifestyle newborn session.

Share Visuals

i always carry my iPad with me to help show clients poses that i will be doing with them.  sometimes, i don’t even pull my iPad out of my bag because the clients are already comfortable and confident upon arrival.  but for the clients who need a little more encouragement or who visually need to see what we are trying to achieve, i like to show them example of my photographs and say, “this is the next pose we are going to do.”  seeing a pose can really help create client comfort because they know what is expected of them and they aren’t left guessing.

Encouragement Goes A Long Way

when i take the time to encourage my clients while photographing them, i can literally see their shoulders relax and their smiles become even more natural.  encouraging my clients is as simple as saying, “you are doing perfect!”, “you are so easy to pose!”, “that’s exactly it!”, “oh gosh, this is the photo!”  when i tell my clients this and they can sense my excitement, they are encouraged that they are not only personally doing a great job, but that their photos are going to turn out amazing.  remember, your clients aren’t models.  posing isn’t natural to them, so giving them direction and encouragement is the biggest secret to creating client comfort to achieve natural looking photos.

Be Lighthearted

i am very fun and lighthearted with my clients.  i am part photographer, part comedian.  want to know my real secret to creating client comfort and getting really natural photos?  i joke around with my clients, a lot.  i say silly things and poke fun, i share funny stories and am relatable.  once my clients see that taking photos is going to include laughter and fun, they loosen up immediately and relax.

Have Them Look At One Another

when i tell my clients to look at one another, it’s not to get a photo…it is to create a reaction.  when you tell two people to look at one another, no matter how much they love one another…it is a tad awkward and gets them to laugh.  having them put their foreheads together, while looking at one another, makes them laugh even more because they can only see one eye once they focus on one another.  creating situations that will encourage honest reactions will help create client comfort and encourage your clients to relax.  in turn, you will capture moments that are full of pure honesty and joy.

Just Look At Your Baby

upon arriving at my client’s home, i tell them, “this is going to be the easiest photography session you’ve ever had.  all you have to do is look at your beautiful baby.”  and because i am a lifestyle newborn photographer who focuses on capturing genuine and natural emotion, most of my session includes just that:  looking at the baby.  once parents know they aren’t going to have to stare at my camera for the next two hours, but instead they get to adore their baby throughout our entire time together, they are instantly at ease.  for parents, it is easy to enjoy their baby because they are still taking in everything about their little one.  of course, i give my clients lots of direction, but for the most part, i just let them enjoy their new little one.

Remind Them To Breathe

some clients are at ease right away, but for others it takes a few photos before they become comfortable being in front of the camera.  for those clients who are still a little nervous, i remind them to breathe.  taking a deep breath encourages them relax their face and shoulders.  sometimes having a client focus on breathing helps them take the focus away from being in front of the camera, which can help when creating client comfort.

taking the time and being intentional when creating client comfort will not only make your session more enjoyable for your clients, but your photographs will look that much more honest because you will be working in a relaxed and natural environment.  creating client comfort also makes your clients enjoy their session more because it feels less stressful and more relaxed.  and clients will remember how you make them feel forever!  the next time it is time to update their family photos, they will remember what a great and easy experience they had with you and will be encouraged to hire you again.

be sure to join my exclusive email list to receive my latest photography tips and tutorials.  it’s free!

need some photography tips + inspiration?  check out what posts are trending below!

when i am asked how i got to where i am today as a photographer, my answer is: photography projects.  sure, i have taken some photography courses and working with clients has grown my skill.  but my photography projects have played a huge role in shaping both my photography style and who i am as a photographer.  i believe that every photographer should complete a photography project, and should do at least one photography project each year.  need some ideas of what photography projects to tackle?  i have 5 photography projects that every photographer should complete at least once.

are you struggling with manual mode?  be sure to check out how i finally conquered manual mode.

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5 Photography Projects Every Photographer Should Do

1.  A Day in the Life Project

a day in the life project is where you document what a typical day in your life looks like with your camera.  choose a start time and take a photo every hour for one day, telling a story of how you go about your everyday.  starting with waking up and ending after the sun goes down, photograph your daily routine, laundry and all.  this is a great photography project that will encourage you to photograph a variety of situations in a variety of light scenarios, which is a great challenge for any photographer to take.  this is a great photography project for you to do once a year, showing how your daily routine changes from year to year.

2.  A 365 Photography Project

a 365 photography project includes taking one picture every day for an entire year.  at the end of the year you will have 365 photographs that document one year of photography.  this photography project will encourage you to pick up your camera on a daily basis and document your surroundings.  by picking up your camera every day, you are bound to see your photography improve as the year goes.

do you want to tackle a 365 photography project but are worried you won’t know what to take a photo of each day?  be sure to join me in the bethadilly challenge, where i provide you with a daily photo prompt to inspire your photo each day.

3.  Letters To Your Children

the letters to your children photography project involves taking a photo of your child once a month, and writing a corresponding letter to them.  not only are you documenting your child each month with a portrait, but you are writing a letter for them to cherish forever.  in your letter you can include their current interests, what activities they were involved in that month, and memorable things they did.  don’t have young children?  write letters to your grandchildren!  tell them your hopes and dreams for them, and even share stories about when you were younger.

need a little inspiration?  check out the letters i’ve written to my little one each month.

4.  Project 52

if a 365 photography project seems a little daunting to you, try a project 52.  a project 52 involves taking one photo each week for an entire year.  while you can practice daily with your camera if you would like, you only have to conquer one photo a week and it can be of whatever you would like.

5.  One Lens, 30 Days

trying to master a new lens? try photographing only with one lens for an entire month.  daily practice does everyone a lot of good and like mama said, “practice makes perfect.”  try putting a different lens on your camera for an entire month and photograph a variety of subjects with that one lens.  not only will you learn so much about your gear, but you will learn a lot about yourself as a photographer as you portray your photography style through one lens.  trying a new lens also encourages you to see your surroundings in a new way, whether it is capturing tiny details close up with a macro lens or successfully incorporating your surroundings within the frame with a wide angle lens.

starting and completing a photography project can be very inspiring and beneficial to a photographer.  if you haven’t tried one of these projects, you should try them all at least once.  each project conquers a different skill and requires a different level of difficulty and time management that will help shape you as a photographer.  so pick one, any one, and get started today!

be sure to join my exclusive email list to receive my latest photography tips and tutorials.  it’s free!

need some photography tips + inspiration?  check out what posts are trending below!