RELATIONSHIP
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Vavoom Pinup Photography Chicago
You must make LOVE to the camera and kiss it and caress....lol...I'm kidding! Of course, the proper lighting and camera settings are important too, BUT I feel like the subject, which happens to be a human being in this case, has to feel COMFORTABLE with you in order for the pictures to come out good. So, you need to build a good RELATIONSHIP. You need to make them feel cool and confident, so their TRUE self comes out. In the picture above, it took me a while before I could get THIS comfortable with the camera, and then......it happened. (A little too comfortable if you ask me ;)
Anyway, how many times has someone put a camera in front of your face and you were like this...
Ten years later and you're still........
Now in High School and STILL......
Kinda funny huh? But the truth is, it happens to almost ALL of us. We weren't ready, and even if we felt like we were, we were ACTUALLY anxious or nervous about the whole thing. Capturing nervousness is totally fine if THAT is the look you are going for. For example, a nervous bride before her wedding? Totally OK to look anxious, and for GOOD reason...
I feel ya girl...it is the REST of your life! YIKES! For the most part though, you want the subject to feel relaxed and comfortable for their portraits. You want to catch their TRUE personality, therefore, make them feel good...got it? Ok, good. I feel like I am rambling on and on about the same thing here. Get to the assignment already MARIA!
So in the homework assignment this week, we are paired up with two different classmates. One classmate takes your photos for one hour, and then you take your other classmates photos for one hour. It's NOT a back and forth partnership however, remember this is two DIFFERENT classmates. After that, we have to choose three photos to print out, and bring to class for discussion. First, the one we think is MOST like the subject's personality. Second, the one that is LEAST like the person's personality. Lastly, the subject's FAVORITE. I got paired up with two lovely ladies, Jennifer and Aubrey. I have to photo-shoot Jennifer, and Aubrey has to photo-shoot me. I think the teacher here wants us all to become FRIENDS....just like the....
GOLDEN GIRLS!!! Awwwwww....Don't you just love them? They were my favorite back in the day. Sorry off the subject...lets start!
I first start planning with Aubrey on where we were going to meet to take my photos. Most of the classmates were planning on meeting at the school since it's familiar and convenient to everyone. Me, on the other hand, have something different in mind. Since Aubrey lives all the way in Schamburg and has to drive to the city anyway, why don't we meet at my place and shoot there. It's totally more CHILL than the school. I told her we can have some wine, smoke some hookah, and do our homework in a relaxed environment. (A relaxed environment for ME hint hint.) Aubrey is totally cool with the whole thing and says, "Let's do it!"
On a side note: Don't YOU wish your homework involved smoking hookah and drinking wine??? I bet ;) Another reason I happen to LOVE photography. :)
So Thursday comes and Audrey comes over. By the way, isn't she gorgeous?
Aubrey
I order us some Chinese food from Chinatown and we sit, eat, and relax for a while. We start talking, and we find out all types of things about each other. We talk about why we are both taking photography, what our hobbies are, what we do for a living, all kinds of stuff. By the end of our meal, we are totally cool with each other. I am ready, she is ready, and we just start shooting. Throughout the entire photo-shoot, Aubrey is talking to me, making me feel comfortable. She often conducts me on how to stand or sit. She also compliments me, which helps out alot. (Always compliment your subject, it raises their self-confidence, and they become more comfortable in front of the camera) Aubrey is also showing me the photos that she's been taking throughout the photo-shoot, which also ENCOURAGES me to keep on shooting and come up with different ones.
So you see, it's easy! (For the most part ;) In portrait photography you must remember the fours C's...
CONDUCT, CONVERSATE, COMPLIMENT and NEVER CONCEAL. Show them the pictures! Get them excited:)
Here are the photos!
Aubrey says that I am a VERY JOYOUS person and this one shows exactly that.
This one she says is kind of sad, which is not normally like me. This is why she picked it. I think that we all get into those moods sometimes, and she happened to catch me in one. I happen to really like the "melancholy" feel of this picture. To me, it's telling a story of a girl with a broken heart that is writing a song, or thinking about a sad moment in her life. That's the beauty behind photography. There's a story behind each photo, and everyone has their own.
In the last one, it's just me being my normal HOOKAH HEAD. I think it's cute and funny and this is why I picked it as my favorite.
So up next, it's my turn to photo-shoot Jennifer! It was a little hard planning around both of our schedules because they are both so complicated. Finally, we decided....MY PLACE AGAIN!!! Yayyyyyy...for me! lol AND Jennifer, I mean. In all honesty, I live like ten minutes away from her. Ok people? Besides, according to her, my place has way more light than her. Ok? Ok, good. I don't want you guys to think that I am monopolizing this studio space here. It sure does look like it though.
So Jennifer comes over around lunch time, and I bring out the Vietnamese chicken wraps and tabbouleh salad that I bought from Trader Joes. I think a little lunch and chat will "melt the ice." We start chatting, and I find out that Jennifer is a chef! She loves cooking food, eating food, and taking PHOTOS of food! THIS is why she got into photography, so she can become a food photographer! How fascinating is that?! So I say, lets skip the nonsense, and shoot Jennifer right now while she is EATING her food! If this doesn't capture her true personality, I don't know what will.........;)
My favorite one of Jennifer is the one of her chowing down the food above, AND also this one:
I found out that Jennifer is a very FUNNY gal. She loves cracking jokes and making people laugh. I think this picture captures her comical side.
The one I think looks least like Jennifer is the one below. I feel like she is forcing a smile and not being natural. Although, some may like the photo because she's making fun of herself in a way. She may be imitating someone who is saying "CHEEEEEEEEESE," How often have we heard that word in photography? ;) Either way, like I said before, there is a story behind EVERY photo.
Lastly, the one Jennifer thinks looks most like herself is this one. She says that she always has that "lost" and "confused" look on her face. She's so cute either way!
I first start planning with Aubrey on where we were going to meet to take my photos. Most of the classmates were planning on meeting at the school since it's familiar and convenient to everyone. Me, on the other hand, have something different in mind. Since Aubrey lives all the way in Schamburg and has to drive to the city anyway, why don't we meet at my place and shoot there. It's totally more CHILL than the school. I told her we can have some wine, smoke some hookah, and do our homework in a relaxed environment. (A relaxed environment for ME hint hint.) Aubrey is totally cool with the whole thing and says, "Let's do it!"
On a side note: Don't YOU wish your homework involved smoking hookah and drinking wine??? I bet ;) Another reason I happen to LOVE photography. :)
So Thursday comes and Audrey comes over. By the way, isn't she gorgeous?
I order us some Chinese food from Chinatown and we sit, eat, and relax for a while. We start talking, and we find out all types of things about each other. We talk about why we are both taking photography, what our hobbies are, what we do for a living, all kinds of stuff. By the end of our meal, we are totally cool with each other. I am ready, she is ready, and we just start shooting. Throughout the entire photo-shoot, Aubrey is talking to me, making me feel comfortable. She often conducts me on how to stand or sit. She also compliments me, which helps out alot. (Always compliment your subject, it raises their self-confidence, and they become more comfortable in front of the camera) Aubrey is also showing me the photos that she's been taking throughout the photo-shoot, which also ENCOURAGES me to keep on shooting and come up with different ones.
So you see, it's easy! (For the most part ;) In portrait photography you must remember the fours C's...
CONDUCT, CONVERSATE, COMPLIMENT and NEVER CONCEAL. Show them the pictures! Get them excited:)
Here are the photos!
Aubrey says that I am a VERY JOYOUS person and this one shows exactly that.
This one she says is kind of sad, which is not normally like me. This is why she picked it. I think that we all get into those moods sometimes, and she happened to catch me in one. I happen to really like the "melancholy" feel of this picture. To me, it's telling a story of a girl with a broken heart that is writing a song, or thinking about a sad moment in her life. That's the beauty behind photography. There's a story behind each photo, and everyone has their own.
In the last one, it's just me being my normal HOOKAH HEAD. I think it's cute and funny and this is why I picked it as my favorite.
So up next, it's my turn to photo-shoot Jennifer! It was a little hard planning around both of our schedules because they are both so complicated. Finally, we decided....MY PLACE AGAIN!!! Yayyyyyy...for me! lol AND Jennifer, I mean. In all honesty, I live like ten minutes away from her. Ok people? Besides, according to her, my place has way more light than her. Ok? Ok, good. I don't want you guys to think that I am monopolizing this studio space here. It sure does look like it though.
So Jennifer comes over around lunch time, and I bring out the Vietnamese chicken wraps and tabbouleh salad that I bought from Trader Joes. I think a little lunch and chat will "melt the ice." We start chatting, and I find out that Jennifer is a chef! She loves cooking food, eating food, and taking PHOTOS of food! THIS is why she got into photography, so she can become a food photographer! How fascinating is that?! So I say, lets skip the nonsense, and shoot Jennifer right now while she is EATING her food! If this doesn't capture her true personality, I don't know what will.........;)
My favorite one of Jennifer is the one of her chowing down the food above, AND also this one:
I found out that Jennifer is a very FUNNY gal. She loves cracking jokes and making people laugh. I think this picture captures her comical side.
The one I think looks least like Jennifer is the one below. I feel like she is forcing a smile and not being natural. Although, some may like the photo because she's making fun of herself in a way. She may be imitating someone who is saying "CHEEEEEEEEESE," How often have we heard that word in photography? ;) Either way, like I said before, there is a story behind EVERY photo.
Lastly, the one Jennifer thinks looks most like herself is this one. She says that she always has that "lost" and "confused" look on her face. She's so cute either way!
We are done! So what did we learn about portraits? I think the easiest thing is to remember the four C's: Conduct, Conversate, Compliment and never Conceal.
So go out there and take portraits of your friends and family! Let them be themselves, make them LAUGH, make them feel BEAUTIFUL. You will discover how much joy and happiness it can bring to someone to see their own portraits. They will be amazed at how well you captured their unique, beautiful, and true self. Good luck!
Until next time! xoxoxo
Maria
