Logan5 wrote:
What do you like?

Oops, didn't notice this was in the model forum, sorry!

Logan5 wrote:
Please do chime in.

I am a talkative photographer, using conversation to help to set me at ease, hope to help everyone have fun as coworkers while we create art together.

Came to a conclusion recently.  Unless we are doing a happy laughing shoot, the model must invest a lot of effort into facial expression of emotion, changing up eyes, lips, carefully controlling subtle facial muscles most of us don't know exist.  Here's the thing: from the perspective of conversation about world politics, recent travels or what-have-you, I would imagine the model can only engage to about the same level as I do when I visit the dentist, hands in my mouth, where the dentist has a pretty much one-sided conversation with me trying to answer "ah wah woh woh wah". 

So tell me, is polite banter a good thing in a shoot?  I think it depends on what the shoot is about. A photo of an ankle bracelet with the foot on a rock over a babbling Brook can easily be done with conversation about the world we live in.  Portraits with a new model require polite jokes and digging to get everyone to open up and feel comfortable.  With a pro, some nice upbeat soft background music is all that's needed to quickly bang through working the shot.  In, out, done.

What do you like?  Background music?  Polite conversation?  Talking about the task-at-hand?  A reverse preview monitor and silence except for click click click so you can constantly see how the photos look?  Stopping every 30 seconds or minute to see the in-camera preview and talk quickly about what's working, what to try next?  One-sided dentist banter?

Andy

I love this question.

But I think the answer would depend on the personality of the person you were asking.

Models aren't shy creatures. Ask each model at the shoot what they prefer. They'll tell you.

A blanket rule here is unlikely; different things will work for different people. Just ask. It's not an offensive question (actually, it's very considerate) and I personally would appreciate being asked beforehand.

I'll often tell photographers I prefer music or silence if they talk too much during a shoot (although if it's a paid shoot, i'll just work through it - their money, their shoot after all)

I don't mind someone talking before, during set up or after a shoot but during is very distracting because I'm concentrating on the mood, the expression, the pose, where the light is, where the photographer is etc. I don't then want to have to then have to think about maintaining conversation as well. Others might be different though

Logan5 wrote:
Please do chime in

I direct and encourage verbally which often leads to small talk. .