photography 101 ~making your clients laugh~ aka acting like an idiot

there can't be much worse than finally deciding on a photographer, and then going through a session of awkward silences and hearing the words "say cheese!" (which should never be uttered by a photographer unless it is sheer sarcasm!)

i like to have fun.
always.

not just when i am on the job, but also when i am at home. and out. and just plain always.

because of the fact that i adore shooting with prime lenses (stay tuned for a what's-in-my-bag post coming to a blog post near you!)
this requires getting all up in a person's grill.
it can be a little awk.ward.
so instead of just keeping silent and trying to act like it's normal, you might as well make a joke about it!

sometimes i talk in a weird voice without even meaning to!
oops! instead of just trying to act cool and play it off, why not just say...
um...seriously? did i just make that noise out loud? ha!
it is sure to get a good laugh.

of course there is always the...
hey mom - look at your favorite daughter!
or - ok. pretend you like each other just for the next 15 minutes (sometimes i wonder! ha!)

half the time, i'm pretty sure they are laughing at me, and i really leave thinking..what on earth do these people think of me?!?

but there is something that i just love when i see a full out, real live laugh.
it just makes me happy.
come on. admit it...you are smiling just looking at all of these, aren't you?

ok. so sometimes i make people cry.

but usually just my relatives. ha!

so if you are doing this for a living, or if you are going to just take some shots of your kids.
make jokes.
act like an idiot.
laugh loudly.
laugh at yourself...don't try to come off like you have it all together.
i mean. you have to be prepared. and you have to act confident.
but if you trip over a tree stump, don't try and act like that is the first time it ever happened!
people like to see that you are real!

most of all - make sure you are having fun!
having fun create the perfect setting to capture the best kind of images that you
(and your clients) will love forever!