by Linda Catoe

Created on: June 01, 2009   Last Updated: July 14, 2009

A major key to shooting great, natural looking portraits relies on a specific synergy between photographer and subject. As a photographer, the sooner your subjects relax the better. Engage your subjects from the top of the session, by taking the attention off the task at hand. Momentum plays an essential role here. Small talk is huge. Keep the pace moving and the energy flowing. A general patter of positive reassurance will keep a photo session on track, but keep it real. We can all sense the stereotypical, cooler than thou, hip, high fashion photographer shtick, and oh baby, save it for your fifteen minutes of fame, how about it?

People can also become confused and overwhelmed when photographers give them too many directions at once. Demonstrate what you want. Sit on the stool, turn to a certain angle, and so on. Seeing someone else do the thing that's making your subject uncomfortable or self-conscious, dispels the stranger in a strange land aura, and keeps your session moving. You'll even get a workout.

Humor goes a long way, in getting the natural looking shots you're after. Learn to read your subjects. Some people respond really well to observations about themselves that lead somewhere else. Asking about family can generate some very nice reactions and genuine smiles for natural looking portraits. If you have the luxury of some background info, you might ask about sports or a hobby you know or suspect your subjects might enjoy.

You might fish a little to find a hot button. How about those Tarheels? Those could be fighting words, but at the very least, it's on now and your subject, in more familiar territory, forgets that he'd rather have a root canal than have his picture taken. Clowning around works for some photographers, and not just with the toddler set. If you can make people laugh, even at the expense of your own dignity, well, so be it. Silly is good.

Small children respond well to props, no big news here. When I shoot family portraits with small, restless children, I sometimes let the wiggly ones help me, by asking them to push the light sync tester button so they think they are taking a picture. Kids love it and parents breathe a sigh of relief with the little ones entertained, momentarily.

Set the rhythm and tone of the portrait session, a little Q and A, a shared laugh, and your session stands a sweet chance of being fun and done before anyone gets uncomfortable. In the end, you could say, "Natural looking portraits are caught not taken." Relax; you look great. Love the synergy.

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