Sweet SixteenSeeing Yourself as Your Photographer Sees You.

From senior portraits to professionals' headshots the two biggest hurdles that I face with my clients are:

• Establishing trust with my subject.
• Building a client's confidence so that s/he feels as good as s/he looks.

1. I like to show clients sneak peeks of their shots on my camera's LCD screen and take quick snaps on my iPhone throughout a session. I also let them know that no edits were made. What you see on the screen doesn't look the same as what you would see in your bathroom or full-length mirror at home. The photographer literally has a different view than you do--we compose shots to capture you at your best postures, facial expressions, and angles as you face the camera.
2. The makeup artist that I work with accentuates a person's best features without making my client unrecognizable. She explains and shows our clients how only subtle enhancements (around the eyes, lips or cheeks) can emphasize the assets they naturally have. I usually shoot this process so clients can see this subtle transformation for themselves.
3. I start with either "warm-ups" or insert "breaks" into our portrait sessions. From making silly faces to exaggerated poses we work together to "loosen up" and get more comfortable with the camera.