Improve photographer-model communication for better photos
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I’ve always liked horses. They’re such magnificent creatures. A few years ago, I took horseback riding lessons and learned the basics. As a beginner riding around the arena, I would inevitably hold the reins with too much slack. The horses would sense the slack and toss their heads forward and yank the reins, sometimes straight out of my hands.
I asked the trainers why the horses would do that, and their responses varied. One trainer told me the horses could sense my lack of experience and it was their way of rebelling against me riding them. Another trainer told me that the horses just wanted to see if I was paying attention and if I knew what I was doing.
Whether the horses were just being mischievous or actually trying to qualify me as a rider, I was clearly doing something wrong.
I wasn’t maintaining a “constant dialogue” with the horses.
The Importance of Verbal Communication
Fast forward a few years from that riding experience (but 1.5 years ago from today): I rented a studio from a gentleman who was a veteran photographer. When I finished shooting my first set with the model, this veteran photographer approached me and suggested I needed to give my model more feedback. He demonstrated by shooting a few frames and directing the model verbally on her posing. I watched, but it didn’t translate into an improvement on my part. The problem was I wasn’t experienced enough to know what I wanted. That, in turn, made it impossible to direct the model, hence the utter lack of verbal communication. Hell, if it weren’t for the beeping from the lights recycling, the studio might have been silent.
Models aren’t mind readers. Even Giselle needs to know if she’s giving the photographer the right poses or looks. But the communication doesn’t have to be in the form of verbal direction on posing. For example, if I were shooting Giselle, I’m sure the only words coming out of my mouth would be, “OMG! OMG! OMG!” but at least she would know that she was doing something right.
The point is, the verbal communication is like the tension in the reins between the horse and the rider. Without tension in the reins, the horse doesn’t know if we’re going left or right or just going straight. Similarly, without verbal communication, the model doesn’t know if she’s hitting her poses or if she’s totally posing down the wrong path. I banter incessantly when I shoot because, through that constant barrage of words, there’s real-time feedback about what I’m seeing. The hope is that those words translate into directional changes in the posing to achieve a greater yield of usable images.
You can learn more about this and other techniques at one of my group workshops.
LUCIMA
Charles Lucima is a photographer/retoucher based in Los Angeles specializing in fashion, editorial, and beauty. His clients include designers, apparel brands, and modeling agencies around the world. http://www.lucima.com/
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October 17, 2011 at 1:15 pm, Joseph Rodriguez said:
Great read!. When I work with talent the first thing I do is have a sit down with the client and the talent. It helps me understand what I am up against. When working with a professional model it’s easier but also at times you have the attitude but working with new talent you have be patience to get them comfortable.
I like Graham of Rainham’s use of photos to show what he wants but that sometimes is not always possible if you have a shoot that is different from the poses.
In the end the photographer is the director and if you are quiet you will not be successful you have to be confident and vocal even if at times the talent does not like it because you are the one that responsible for creating the image and delivering the final.
I know photographers that are so much more talented than me but wonder why they don’t get work. The reason: “They don’t know how to communicate”
October 17, 2011 at 3:00 am, Finalyons said:
I’m just starting out as a model and having some truble with my posing if anyone has any advice that would help that wound be grate
October 15, 2011 at 4:38 pm, Nicole said:
Great Article.
October 14, 2011 at 1:40 pm, 256studio said:
I completely agree with this article. I work with new photographer and professional ones. I tell them all the time to express what they want to the model and she will perform to there requirements for the shoot.
That way I don’t have to be the middle man and pose the model for them..
October 14, 2011 at 1:37 am, Jamieg192 said:
i dont think he really wanted to say that models are like horses (at least i hope he didnt) but more that anything you are doing you need to be able to take control properly and firmly and give better direction.
October 13, 2011 at 8:40 pm, Farley said:
Great article and something I always have to remind myself of!
October 13, 2011 at 7:42 pm, Guest said:
I really don’t like the comparison between riding a horse and working with a model. As a model this honestly set me on edge right away. It made me wonder immediately if you were going to start clicking and kicking and if the model was supposed to scramble on all fours. A comparison that related to interaction with people might have been better. A lot of models, especially beginners with bad experiences can already feel like broken and prancing ponies to begin with, I don’t really think they want to know that a photographer might actually compare them to that.
October 13, 2011 at 4:25 pm, Graham_of_Rainham said:
A couple of weeks ago I was working with one of the UKs top models and it was so easy. I gave her a set of pictures as examples of the images I wanted to produce and she picked the ones she liked and felt she could present herself to her best in.
I set the lights, she presented the pose and all that was needed was minor adjustments of each to get exactly what we wanted.
Good communications is vital and the old adage of a picture and a 1000 words comes to mind…
October 13, 2011 at 6:36 pm, Leo Jr said:
Great idea of bringing other photos to use as an example, I think I’ll try that on my next shoot
October 13, 2011 at 4:07 pm, Jamie Harrison said:
Good subject, although the analogy’s a little weird :). Like others have siad, experienced models move from pose to pose. I try to slow them down – often the pose will be good but needs tweaking – a slight tilt of the head or eye direction for example. But I babble all the way through the shoot to give them encouragement, even when it’s bad. Newbies especially need encouragement to build confidence and eventually they’ll feel more comfortable and you’ll get a decent shot. Even more they’ll enjoy the experience and so associate those positive feelings with the pictures, so will like the end result even more.
Like some others have said, I often demonstrate the poses too – and make a joke of it. Always good for a laugh.
October 13, 2011 at 2:25 pm, Eddnunes said:
I agree, being silent is a bad thing. If the model is on point, just give positive feedback, if the pose is wrong adjust it verbally and with jestures. Be positive and the rest will come.
October 13, 2011 at 4:13 am, Darryl Glover said:
I primarily work with newbies and they need direction and I give it. When I do work with experienced models I’ve noticed they all have a similar habit – they move a little and strike a pose until they hear the click of the camera and then they move to their next pose until they hear the click of the camera and so on and so on. This makes for an extremely efficient shoot. I have started mentioning this to models I have worked with on more than one occasion to help improve their efficiency when shooting with me and other photographers as well. I still find the occasional verbal encouragement is helpful in creating a bond between model and photographer, which is key in producing high quality captures.
October 13, 2011 at 3:37 am, 6308 said:
Actually, models have told me the only feedback they really pay attention to is the sound of the camera. If you’re taking pictures, all is good. If you’re not, you had better be talking, because something’s going wrong.
October 12, 2011 at 11:04 pm, Curious Canuck said:
What an analogy you found. lol. But if we have to compare with horses…”When you have thoroughbreds, let them run.”
October 12, 2011 at 6:02 pm, Karen Page said:
THANK YOU! I’m experienced enough to be able to snap from pose to pose- and I can guess based on what we’re shooting, the lighting, and where the photographer is shooting from- what poses might work out well. But only the photographer knows all those tiny little tweaks that will make a composition perfect in their frame. Your lens makes a big difference too so often I’m off even when I’m guessing.
We need to be told when to stop working a particular look or pose when it’s not working, etc.
October 12, 2011 at 5:20 pm, Corey Anna James Straits said:
Other then comparing the models to horses, sound advice. 😉
October 12, 2011 at 3:59 pm, BillyParagon said:
I love this article thank you so much for sharing! I’m facing this issue right now. I had been told before that I am morbidly silent when I shoot. I realized that it’s because I’m thinking inwardly instead of projecting my thoughts and ideas verbally. It’s very reassuring to read about someone with such talented work having the same issue at one point. Thanks again for sharing this has made me more confident!
October 12, 2011 at 2:26 pm, Tiffany Katz said:
Thank you very much for sharing this. I know I don’t communicate as much as I should, especially with newer models. There’s sometimes that awkward silence when I feel like I or the model have a mental block on what to do next. This is why I always try to have a magazine or my laptop handy for ideas; I like to have music playing whenever possible. However, when these things aren’t available the dialogue is even that much more important.
October 11, 2011 at 10:01 pm, Deaftoneimaging said:
establishing a rhythm can be done in many ways I agree.
LOl understand some horses think they are studs when they are runts, and some need confidence boost in order to blossom. Some just want to take you on a ride. Just be ready, but don’t always yank on the reins… you very well may miss out on what makes that ride/horse special.
October 11, 2011 at 8:15 pm, Fotopfw said:
Your analogy with horse riding is perfect. It is a matter of feel that determines the measure of control and indeed: constant attention. Great text to read, thanks!
October 11, 2011 at 6:18 pm, Julie Kasperson said:
Thank you for these tips. I struggle sometimes with this, depending on the experience of the model, and how open they are to suggestions. Communication is important for good images.
October 11, 2011 at 6:13 pm, Runamockroger said:
Great analogy for improving communication. What trips me up is trying to explain what I want. I’ll say do “x” and they do “Y” not understanding & then I’m stopping to show what I want. It sometimes causes me discord & I think the models see and sense my communication struggle & it makes them uncomfortable as well. Progress, not perfection!
October 11, 2011 at 8:12 pm, Fotopfw said:
Mostly I succeed better in showing the model the pose, than telling them what to do. Always good for a laugh too, when I (57 years old) act out poses for a 20 year old female model…. and that laugh kills the tension!
October 12, 2011 at 12:34 pm, Phil said:
I do the same thing – act out the pose – and the models always get a giggle out of seeing an out of shape mid 40’s man doing glamour poses!!! God…if anyone had photos of THAT, they could blackmail me! lol
October 13, 2011 at 5:02 pm, Faith Enfire said:
so when would like to shoot, Phil….
no this is good information and I get the analogy
October 11, 2011 at 5:07 pm, Reggie said:
I like to talk steadily through the shooting also, and I try to let the model know what I’m doing from moment to moment, whether framing, working on the exposure and/or focus.