During one of Gavin’s podcasts, he was asked by a listener for tips on how to best capture genuine smiles. Over the years, I have found that some of the best photographs are those that catch pure candid moments.

More on that in a moment, but first – here are some of the methods I use to get nice smiles and candid moments.

Put your camera down!

In fact, leave it in your car! When I arrive on location and first greet a client, I have found that lugging a large camera bag, tripod, light stand, etc. can be overwhelming and intimidating.

Instead, try greeting your client with nothing more than a friendly handshake. This not only lightens the mood, but it shows the client that you are more interested in THEM than your equipment.

Say CHEESE, only if it’s for lunch

Asking your subject to say “cheese” is not only amateurish, it’s the death knell for those of you wanting to capture a natural smile.

Normally, just before I strike the shutter button, I will try to tell the subject, “big smiles, happy faces!” and then I will busy myself with the art of taking pictures.

The less I talk, the better. Normally, the subject is more worried about his/her smile than anyone else and the added pressure of reminding them to smile will only make matters worse.

Lie to your client

Now to the juicy headline! Tell the following white lie: “Just relax, I’m going to take a few test shots.” As soon as the client lets their guard down, fire away.

I can’t tell you how many great candid shots/moments I have captured! I always make a point to share the photos from this “trickery” and, at the same time, reveal my methodology. Every single time, I get a chuckle and solid approval.

Obviously, if someone is genuinely upset, you should immediately discard the photo and apologize; however, most people are thrilled that you captured a genuine moment.

Only kids allowed behind camera!

With today’s digital review screens, photographers might be inclined to show the client photos from the shoot.

I normally shy away from this for several different reasons. First and foremost, I have found that it slows me down.

Normally, I would rather spend the time shooting than managing through dozens of photos. Second, the LCD screen (as we’ve come to know) is a poor indicator of what the final image will look like.

There’s nothing more embarrassing than showing your client an image that is dark. You might have shot it underexposed on purpose, but they don’t know what “bracketing” means, so they just see a mistake!

Third, subjects are their harshest critics and invariably, they will see something they don’t like about themselves. After this, they might tense up even more. However, all that being said, children absolutely love to see themselves!

I have found that showing kids a few of the pictures relaxes them and, as a result, they open up to new and creative ideas.

Feedback is vital

We’ve all heard the phrase, “If you don’t have anything positive to say, don’t say anything at all.” That is very much the case with your clients.

Take the time to stop, look your client in the eye and tell them how well the shoot is going. If it’s not going well, stay quiet.

If you make a concerted effort to provide positive feedback, it will pay off. Remember, your client is a bit nervous…nervous about everything from their appearance to their clothing.

If you reassure them that the photos are turning out great, the client will continually get more and more comfortable.

I know this sounds very elementary to most of you, but you would be surprised how man photographers DO NOT provide comforting feedback.

Hope this helps…

 Todd