1. Keep talking | long awkward silences are the WORST during a photo session for both the client and the photographer! Its so easy to become quiet while thinking about the next pose to give to your clients, but doing so might give them the impression that they aren’t doing well during the session. Encourage your clients in between giving poses and tell them how great they are doing! This will make their confidence skyrocket and will result in amazing photos!

2. Show the back of your camera | if you take an awesome shot of your client, show them! Seeing themselves rocking it out during a session will give them the confidence to know that they can do this. Plus, it will help them to relax because they’ll see how beautiful they look in the shots!

3. Avoid saying “umm” | be confident when posing your client. When the photographer is confident while posing, the client is going to know that they are in good hands! They’ll know that this isn’t your first rodeo, and they’ll trust that the poses you’re giving them are working perfectly for them.

4. Make them laugh | I always try to do or say something a little silly during a photo session to lighten the mood — especially if I can sense any nerves. It gives my clients permission to relax and be themselves in front of my camera. If I’ve said something to make them laugh, I’ve put the silliness on me and now they don’t have to worry about “messing up” or “looking funny.”

5. Talk about what to expect beforehand | I send out a detailed information packet to my clients so that they know exactly what to expect from booking to beyond. I talk to them about hair & makeup, outfit choice, location, & why to have their session during golden hour. I tell them about my posing style and the overall flow of what the session will look like beforehand. When our session rolls around, my clients know exactly what to expect — there are no surprises. Knowing all of the facts beforehand definitely helps to ease nerves!

Happy Friday!

XOXO