Today, we’re talking about how to get good photos of bad subjects. When I say bad subjects, I don’t mean they’re bad people. What I mean is, they’re just not great on camera.
“Regardless of how bad someone thinks they are on camera, it’s our job as photographers to make something great. And if not great, to make something usable.”
IN THIS EPISODE
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Are most subjects good on camera?
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Why you should communicate and give direction to your subjects.
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The power of preset ideas and having a visual representation on set.
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Starting safe instead of ending safe.
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Making micro adjustments.
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Paying attention to body language.
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Knowing when to stop.
Connect with James
Website: jamespatrick.com
Instagram: @jpatrickphoto
Share this podcast with a friend and remember to leave a 5-star review!
For more, visit jamespatrick.com
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Together, we're going to dive into real stories, real strategies, and the real work that can lead to the real results. This is the Beyond the Image Podcast. What is going on and thank you so much for tuning in to our latest episode of the Beyond the Image Podcast. I want to talk about bad subjects and more specifically how to get good photos of bad subjects. When I say bad subjects, I do not mean they're bad people, but that's not necessarily what I mean. What I mean is, they're just not great on camera. Believe it or not, most of my subjects are not professional models. In fact, most of my subjects, most of the people that I'm hired to photograph, that I'm hired to take photos of that end up in magazines or end up in ad campaigns or end up on billboards or commercial features or brochures or websites, etc. A lot of them hate being on camera, kind of like me, and they're nervous. They're hesitant. They're uncomfortable in their body. They're unsure of what they're being asked to do. They don't really understand the poses that they're doing, how that looks, and that discomfort is clearly visible in the imagery. Regardless of how uncomfortable they are, how much they hate being on camera, how little it is that they actually want to be there, here we are having to make some photos together. I wanted to share with you some insights I've learned on how to overcome this because regardless of how bad someone thinks they are on camera, it's our job as photographers to make something great or if not great, to at least make something usable because we can't have excuses in this. We can't really go back to a photo editor or an art director or creative director and say, "You know, they just were bad on camera, so I wasn't able to get a good photo." That doesn't go over too terribly well. Here are some tips and techniques to approach this. The number one is to actually talk to your subject. This is probably the most common issue that I see photographers make is that they are either hesitant to or they're afraid to actually communicate with the subjects on camera. This goes beyond giving direction, which you need to do. You need to give direction. You're the only one seeing the vision. You're the only one looking at the back of the camera. You're the only one seeing how this is coming together, so yes, give direction. But beyond that, it means building trust, building rapport, and often that happens before a single frame is ever taken. You're the professional, so you demonstrate that by creating an atmosphere that that subject feels comfortable and that is by talking to them, by communicating with them. Number two is to have preset ideas. I go into photo shoots with a few established ideas of what I'd like to create. Now if you're the type, and I am this type where if I'm on a big production or if there's a lot of moving pieces or if things are moving really quickly, I'm going to forget all those great ideas that I had. My mind's just going to go blank and it's like, "I don't know what to have them do." To help with this, what we do is we prep either digital mood boards and we use Pinterest for this. We use Canva for this, or we'll actually print out inspiration samples and we'll tape them up in the studio or tape them up to a board and we'll be able to show the subject. This is what we're trying to go for. Can you emulate this mood or can you try this pose right here? Having that visual representation really helps communicate your goals that you're trying to achieve with the photo shoot. Number three is to start safe. I always, whenever I'm doing a photo shoot, I always start with my safest ideas first. The ones that I know, they might not be the most edgy or risk taking or exciting images, but they are commercially viable. They will work. The reason I do those first is because sometimes those might be the only shots I end up getting. Maybe the person doesn't want to take any more photos. Maybe the person gets called away. Maybe the person doesn't have as much time as you thought they would have. Maybe the person doesn't like your creative ideas and doesn't want to do them. I start with the safe images because for whatever reason, if the shoot gets cut or my big ideas don't work, which, hey, sometimes that happens, I got the safe shots. I got something that's commercially viable that's going to work when it goes to print or when it goes to press or when it goes to be placed in the ad. Also starting safe, it's a nice runway ramp that helps build up someone's comfort level on camera before you try some of your more creative or out-of-the-box or adventurous ideas. Number four is micro adjustments. When I'm posing someone, I don't have them do major movements in between poses unless we're completely resetting something, I have them move inches, half of an inch. Little movements, maybe I start with their face turn to the left and then I might say chin down, just your chin down, just half an inch. Okay, now raise your eyes up just a little bit. Open that right shoulder just slightly. Good, good. Now lift the chin up just another half inch for me. I'm moving in micro doses because two, it slows their movement down because when people get nervous, they tend to move really in big, fast movements. They tend to make very big changes when you ask them to do something. But if you slow it down and you get them to move in little increments, it creates a much calmer atmosphere and it keeps the control in your hands as a creative. They start to follow your direction even more. Number five is reading body language. I'm very careful to pay attention to any cues that my subject could be given off, like they could be enjoying themselves or they could seem frustrated. They could be annoyed with the process and this may dictate how fast I'm shooting. It may mean I might wrap the shoot sooner or maybe this is an opportunity, if I'm getting some hesitation from them, to bring them around back of the camera and show them what we're creating so they get to see some of the impact of what we're ultimately trying to do. Number six is I do a lot of prep work before that way the shoot runs quicker. I spend a lot of time in prep trying to keep the subject's time on set as minimal as possible. Now remember, they could very much be disliking this. I don't like having my picture taken. I hear that all the time or I might break your camera and hear that one a lot too. So why keep that person on set a moment longer than you need to? We plan in advance so we can work quickly on set. And that leads us into number seven, which is no one to stop. I've had shoots that lasted all day and I wish we had more time or more sunlight or more energy because we couldn't stop clicking part in the pun. I've also had sessions that lasted only a few frames. I've had shoots that lasted two photos and we didn't take a single photo more than we needed. You have nothing to gain by pushing a client or pushing a subject further than they want to go. Ultimately, you're the photographer. This is your vision and no client is really going to be that interested in hearing that the subject didn't work well for you. Working with your subjects is an integral part of being a portrait photographer. So hopefully, these tips helped you when it comes to preparing yourself and your team and your production for your upcoming portrait shoot. As always, appreciate your five star reviews on the Apple Podcast app for subscribing on YouTube. If you found this helpful, please share this with a friend. Thank you so much for tuning in. We'll talk to you on the next episode. Take care. Thank you so much for tuning in to the Beyond the Image podcast. As always, we appreciate your reviews and for sharing this podcast with a friend. To learn more or to connect with me personally, please visit JamesPatrick.com. Need a little help? O'Reilly Auto Parts can help. Need advice? We've got advice. No matter what you need, we have thousands of professional parts people doing their part to make sure you have it. Exceptional customer service. Just one part that makes O'Reilly stand apart, the professional parts people. O'Reilly Auto Parts *DAMN* [BLANK_AUDIO]
