Love what you do, do what you love
"When you look at a person, any person, remember that everyone has a story. Everyone has gone through something that has changed them."
It's true. I can honestly say that if my life had taken one small turn in another direction, at any given point in my life, I might not be sitting here writing this now. We each have a million little instances that have made us into the people we are today. Some of those instances are wonderful, happy moments to look back on, and others not so much.
When I first started my photography business and started meeting regularly with my clients, this quote really took on a new form for me. I've met some clients who enjoy being in front of the camera and have a natural ability to pose themselves. And there are others who quietly voice their apprehension of having their photograph taken. Each session is unique. Each client is unique.
One of my favorite parts about photography is watching people change right in front of me. More often than not, sessions can start a little awkwardly while we get used to the situation. I usually start out with a few practice shots and get warmed up to the lighting and other factors that contribute to the shot. We usually spend the first fifteen minutes getting pictures that probably won't be the best, but it allows my clients to become comfortable enough to loosen up.
And that's when the magic happens. The more I talk to my clients, get to know them, and hear a small part of their story and share some of my own, the more their true self starts to peek out in their pictures. The more I get to know my clients in a session, the better their photos. Why is that? Well, I happen to think it has a lot to do with the quote I mentioned above.
My clients start to learn that I'm a regular person too, with my own story and past. We connect, share, and virtually bring out their best self. And what's even more beautiful is the fact that I can almost pinpoint the moment this happens when I'm looking through their pictures after the photoshoot. Their bodies look more relaxed, their facial expressions more natural, and they genuinely start to look like they are enjoying themselves (even the ones that voiced how self conscious they are in front of cameras).
It's an incredible experience. I feel blessed to get to be a part of my clients lives, if only for a short amount of time. Now that I've had numerous sessions under my belt, I repeat this quote to myself right before I begin a new session. I acknowledge that the people before me have something that has changed them and made them who they are, and it's my job to capture exactly who that person is.