Spending some time becoming their friend helps a lot. I add about 20-30 minutes of ice-breaker no-photo time at the beginning of each shoot where we just hang out and talk to really loosen everyone up. After initial small talk about themselves and their day-to-day lives, I steer the conversation in a direction that allows me to see what "type" of people I'm working with when it come to romance. This allows me to help them be themselves and capture the true "them", and not just some sense of some fake posed romantic couple. It's been a very successful strategy and gets me tons of compliments on capturing client's true essence. Yes, this equates to what those above have said. Get them to be themselves. What I do helps with bringing that out.
I will pull the guy aside and tell him that I will give him a cue and then he can tickle her or give her a kiss on the neck or make dumb noises... etc.
Or else have then talk about the first date, weirdest date, how much they hate their inlaws... etc.
As long as they are laughing and having fun it is all good.
Good stuff here. I usually will talk with them and joke around before and during the sessions but it seems like I can't quite get my clients to relax 100%. I feel like I get a 100% natural response when I am like crazy happy and fun with my clients, but it takes a LOT of energy to be on that "plain" of happy intensity, if that makes any sense at all.
I have also noticed that if there is a moment where they are standing there looking at the camera waiting for me to shoot or direct or do something, that I loose the natural expressions and things get worse.
Start off with, "It's not your job to take a good photo. That's mine. That's why you hired me!" That usually sets people at ease. Also, laugh a lot. If they feel awkward, if you genuinely laugh with your couple, they'll laugh too. It breaks the ice.
Jose Villa told everyone at WPPI last year about his ice breaker. The first thing he does is ask his cooupe to stand, eyes closed, holding hands. With their eyes still closed, he tells them to lean in and kiss each other. They always keys eyes, cheeks, noses, necks, hair. It's funny, and has worked on many couples I've worked with this year.
all of the above works ... it kind of depends on the couple. We try a bunch of different things and can normally sort out what will work best in our meetings with them before the shoot. Some couples need food... some warmup time (like drinks), some need an activity, others need nothing and are naturally good at being together and could care less about the camera... it just depends.
Part of the job is being able to analyze and sort through the signals couples give you.
