I’ll be your mirror…

Quite sensibly, many normal people aren’t keen on having their photograph taken. Which, when our literal job is to take photographs of people - and our clients are expecting excellent images - could be awkward.

But, as we’ve said many times before, taking the actual photograph is just a small part of our work. Taking the shot is just pressing a button. Even the technical side - lighting, equipment and the like - is fairly simple, and can all be planned well in advance. Not least because before we walk into any shoot, we know what we need to achieve, how we want the final images to look, and we’ve planned exactly how to get there.

There is always one variable we can’t control, of course. And that’s the subject. Human subjects, bless them, have autonomy and agency. And quite often don’t want us pointing a camera at them. Which is fair enough.

But we still need to get their photograph. And, most importantly, we need it to look good and - and this is the crucial part - for the reticent subject themselves to like it.

Which is what separates us from many other photographers. Photography is not a technology and equipment business, it’s a people business. So our job is to get people relaxed, or as relaxed as possible, for the short time they are with us.

We know how to reassure the worried, relax the shy, and energise the nervous. And, of course, light and pose you to make you look your absolute finest.

A key aspect of this is mirroring. We will show you exactly what to do, but in mirror image so you can copy us. As was said to me at a recent event, “do you realise you smile at the person you’re taking the photograph of when you lift your camera up?” Yes, yes I do; and it’s deliberate!

But it also seems that I bounce around like an idiot as well, as kindly captured by Jack on the video here. Was I aware I was doing this? No. No, I wasn’t. Do I look stupid? Probably… Will I keep doing it? Absolutely. Because if it’s clearer and easier than trying to explain something and gets my point across, why wouldn’t I?

🍉