Being photographed is a scary thing for most people. Many women are simply afraid that they won’t like the way they look in a photo. Others are concerned about looking silly or not knowing how to pose. One of the things I feel confident about is my ability to make my clients feel truly beautiful. Regardless of how technically proficient you are as a photographer, your clients will not rave about you if you’re missing this important skill. And that’s what we all want, right? Positively raving, happy, beautiful clients? My magic formula for allowing my client to feel her most beautiful goes something like this: educate her before the session, spoil her with professional hair and makeup, give plenty of direction and positive feedback while shooting, and finally – learn how to retouch like a pro! (I’m even including a free video for you guys at the end of this blog post – I’m pulling back the curtain on my exact retouching process!)

Educate + Ask

Put your client at ease by addressing her fears and answering her questions during a pre-session consultation. When a client knows what to expect, she’ll come to her session feeling prepared and calm. This conversation is most effective in person, but the information can also be presented in a phone chat, email, or welcome packet. We talk about everything that will happen leading up to the session, during the session, and after.

I created a form that I go through and fill out as we chat, to make sure that I’ve learned enough about her to make their session customized, and also so that I’ve remembered to give her the info she needs to feel totally prepared. If you’d like to learn more about how to do pre session consultations, you’ll love THIS POST. (I even share my real life consultation check list with you guys!)

Two important questions I ask at a consultation are: “What’s your favorite thing about yourself?” -and- “Is there anything you’re self conscious about?”

I love hearing responses to the first question because about half of the time the client will tell me something about her personality like kindness or sense of humor. The other half of the time I’ll hear a physical feature, like hair or smile. Either way, the information is super valuable in knowing what to highlight as I photograph her.

The second question is also important to me, because we all have a feature that we’re not super jazzed about. Yes, I know we should ideally be so full of self love and acceptance that we embrace any perceived flaws, but if I’m being honest I’m super self conscious of my belly. There, I said it! If you take a picture of me and it shows an unflattering view of my belly, I will burn and/or untag that photo ASAP. I’m often surprised by the answers I get from my girls. For example, they may tell me that they don’t like their nose – when I thought it was positively adorable! But, I’ll make a mental note that this lovely girl will probably not be thrilled with profile shots. Other times, it’s helpful information about scars they would like to show, or scars they would like to hide. Some girls don’t like being so short (don’t shoot down on her) and some girls don’t like being so tall (don’t shoot up at her)!

We’re all different and we all have different opinions of our own bodies. I feel like my girls should be in control of how they show themselves to the world, so it’s important to me to have these conversations.

Hair + makeup

Having professional hair and makeup included with every session has really made all the difference in my results. My clients feel like the best version of themselves before their shoot begins – all without the stress of wrestling with their own hair or agonizing over which shade of eyeshadow to use – it’s all taken care of for them. They just show up with a clean face and leave the salon on top of the world.

As a bonus, having this service makes your job easier when retouching! A good makeup artist will nail flawless skin tones, mask any imperfections, and highlight your client’s best features. The amount of post-processing time you’re saving cannot be overstated!

Choosing a hair and makeup artist that is a good fit for you is really important too! I’ve worked with several super kind and talented artists over the years, and I’ve learned that their skill is only half of the magic – it’s also in the way they make people feel! If your whole vibe is really high energy, you might want someone to match that and get your client pumped up for her shoot. Personally, I love that my stylists take the time to get to know my girls and make them feel special by asking questions and expressing interest and excitement for them. Your stylist is an extension of your brand, so be choosy and don’t be afraid to talk to them about what you’re looking for.

TIP: If you aren’t able to meet your client at the salon when they arrive, it’s a nice touch to leave a card for your client at the salon with a personal note. You could even include a small gift bag with a bottle of water and chapstick, or a branded t-shirt, or whatever fun touches you can think of. In the note, I’ll usually talk about a specific thing I’m looking forward to for their shoot, tell them to relax and enjoy being pampered, and reassure them that we are going to have SO much fun!

Posing Direction + Positive Verbal Feedback

This is a big one! You have to know how to flatter a woman, between posing, angles, expression, mood. There’s a lot that goes into this! Think back to the parts of your client that are not her favorite – it’s your job to hide/minimize these things or flatter the heck out of them! If she hates her feet, don’t shoot them. Get lots of three quarter shots, or tuck her feet under her for a sitting pose. You’ll know this information ahead of time, so you’ll have time to figure out strategies to compliment how they want to be seen.

I have to tell you, I can’t even talk about posing without mentioning the queen of posing (and life), Sue Bryce. If you have yet to learn from this amazing woman, catch a class on Creative Live, join her Facebook group In Bed With Sue, or sign up for any of the value packed products on her website. She will change your business and she just might change your life.

Also remember to showcase what she LOVES about her body or personality. If she loves her sense of humor, don’t be afraid to take a silly shot or simply capture her laugh! (Also, when I’m not feeling particularly funny, I am not above asking my clients to laugh! I know, so lame!! But sometimes the client will produce an adorable giggle on the spot – or the awkwardness of having to force a laugh will make them laugh! So it’s a win-win!)

Silence is your enemy when you’re shooting a client. Without direction, your client has no idea what you expect of her. Secondly, lack of feedback can make a client feel very uncomfortable and self conscious. So talk to her! Give her cues to get into the position you’re going for, or hints to settle into a more flattering angle. Get in her position and physically demonstrate the pose you’d like her to do. If it’s not quite right, give her positive suggestions that do not make her feel like she’s unphotogenic or doing something wrong. For example, say “Awesome! Now stand up tall and draw your elbow back” instead of “your arm looks kind of smushed and awkward, can you move it?” Think about the effect your words will have on your client’s state of mind.

I’ll also show my genuine excitement when I’m loving a shot, telling my client “Oh my gosh you are going to die when you see these!!” or “don’t move – this is so drop dead gorgeous!” Compliment her, tell her what’s working, tell her how beautiful she looks, tell her she’s having the best hair day ever. If you help your client feel truly beautiful during the session, it’ll be obvious in your final images.

Culling + Retouching

It’s just as much about what you don’t show as it is about what you do show. I’m talking about culling here. As you’re looking through the photos to choose which images to show your client, please don’t choose any that aren’t flattering. I don’t care how awesome the light was, or the fact that you absolutely nailed the composition. Those things come second when you’re shooting a client. Choose the images where her real smile is absolutely mesmerizing, the images that put a smile on your face as you’re culling, the images that make you squeal a little with how gorgeous your client is!

Want to know my culling process? I’m a total over-shooter but I’ve got my culling down to a science with Adobe Lightroom! I’m sharing it all with you in a free download that you can snag at the bottom of this post.

Retouching is another big topic with lots and lots of different opinions! I love to see the fresh faced natural images – like the aerie lingerie campaign! Hello, that’s amazing! The girls look so beautiful and it’s so refreshing to see real humans. I’ve leaned toward a more and more natural edit as I evolve, but I’m also not afraid to use photoshop to help enhance an image. When a client has chosen me to create a portrait, they’re expecting that I polish the image in post processing. I would never suggest altering the way someone looks when it comes to their features/bone structure/etc., but I will totally remove every last pimple unless I’m told otherwise! I will also soften harsh shadows, pluck stray hairs, whiten teeth, and do a brightening of the iris. I’ll even use a subtle liquify (GASP!) on occasion to smooth a curve, floof a section of flat hair, or tuck in a little here or there. That’s how I roll.

If you want to see my streamlined retouching process from culling to finished product, let me know below where I can send your free video download!