amonline Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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It's really more so about communication and comfort... comfort in public, with each other, and with me. I always start my sessions very nonchalant by getting them to just talk about how they met and tell me funny stories. I don't even bring the gear out for at least 20-30 minutes. My goal is to just get them to accept me as a friend first. During this part of the meetup, I always ask a few standard questions towards the end like, what were their fav pics on my site, etc. I watch the guy's reaction, and make him give me an answer as well. This really gives me some huge clues to their personality as a couple.
Once I see the guy is loosened up (usually the last one), then we start walking, talking & shooting. I play it off like I'm just getting my gear setup and stuff, when I'm really already in the session. (I'm way past the needing to set gear up phase lol) Those images are some of the best because they don't think so much about it. This is how I really capture the true "them" in a very normal way.
Since I live in a tourist town, we just walk around and I analyze how they are interacting. Once I see how they are with each other, it guides me where to go and what to do to let them be themselves in the best surroundings. We have private spots if they seem shy, and we have wide open spots if they love the attention. Almost every time, they let me know what shots they want to duplicate from my port. I always incorporate it into the walk, and that's the images I show them to push the shoot to the next level.
It pains me to see photographers that are so rigid with their clients. I see that a lot where I am because we all come downtown to shoot... and it's a SMALL town. There are at least a half dozen of us shooting just on weekdays in a five-block square radius. Those photogs treating their clients like robots make me want to kick fluffy bunnies.
Believe it or not, making the session seem far more like time spent between friends is the best route. Those are always the sessions that come out the best.
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