How do I encourage people to NOT wear sunglasses in their portraits?

We see a lot of people in selfies wearing sunglasses, and... whatever. I am a strong believer in "the eyes are the window to your soul", and when you cover your eyes you're essentially presenting yourself as a blank faceless person. But it's a selfie, so... whatever, it's their gig.

I also see it occasionally, albeit not nearly as often, people doing the same in formal portraits that they're paying for.

Short of a legit medical condition... which happens but is not all that common, let's be honest... how can I tactfully encourage people to not wear their sunglasses during a portrait shoot?

photoguy6405 wrote in post #19274384
We see a lot of people in selfies wearing sunglasses, and... whatever. I am a strong believer in "the eyes are the window to your soul", and when you cover your eyes you're essentially presenting yourself as a blank faceless person. But it's a selfie, so... whatever, it's their gig.

I also see it occasionally, albeit not nearly as often, people doing the same in formal portraits that they're paying for.

Short of a legit medical condition... which happens but is not all that common, let's be honest... how can I tactfully encourage people to not wear their sunglasses during a portrait shoot?

Do it both ways, if they insist that the look cooler with shades. I haven't had anyone resist doing it both ways.

Sometimes it is because people are wearing glasses with transition lenses. They may not be intending to take selfies with "sunglasses" on, but may not have a better option. Some people who always wear glasses just don't "look right" when they take their glasses off.

For me, the solution is to keep an old pair of non-transition type glasses around just for when I take a photo of myself. If you are worried about customers having this problem, you may wish to keep some blank frames around for them to wear. Solves the reflection problem as well.

Are these portrait sessions for you, or for the subject? If it's your gig and you are making your art then be clear about what you want from the model. But if it's for the client to choose, then you can give them what they want, hope to get some of what you want (or suggest they find someone else) to shoot what they want.

photoguy6405 wrote in post #19274384
Short of a legit medical condition... which happens but is not all that common, let's be honest... how can I tactfully encourage people to not wear their sunglasses during a portrait shoot?

If they ant to wear their glass's, let em do it, it's their photos.

If you really feel th eneed to have their eyes seen ask if they have any gradient lens glass's they can wear.

I agree with this. Let them be comfortable. It's what they want. Never try to tell a customer what they want.

Right, if they are having them shot images of themselves, they should choose how they want to be scene. Glasses may be part of the person they are trying to capture.

Now if your paying them, then you have total creative control.

Elsewise.... its their photo.... let it be.

photoguy6405 wrote in post #19274384
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how can I tactfully encourage people to not wear their sunglasses during a portrait shoot?
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In the email or message that you send to people when they book a shoot, when you tell them about what clothes to wear, how long to allot for the shoot, hair & makeup concerns, etc., just have a sentence or two about glasses / sunglasses.


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photoguy6405 wrote in post #19274384
I am a strong believer in "the eyes are the window to your soul", and when you cover your eyes you're essentially presenting yourself as a blank faceless person.

Putting waaaaaaay too much thought into it.

Really, if one is taking a portrait, it is better to have them in shade to begin with. The light is far less harsh, which has several benefits:
1. It means subjects are not wanting to wear sun glasses
2. Without sunglasses one tends to squint, which alters the facial muscles and makes them seem more stressed - which in fact they are!
3. The shadows are far less harsh on the face and upper body, where one tends to show our age more.

I once was asked to shoot a wedding as a favour to friends. The couple held it in mid summer at exactly high noon at an open-air reserve. When I turned up another photographer was also there. They positioned the guests in full sun, resulting in the exact effects I listed above. I moved them to the shade of some trees, which offered a gentle, natural background, but there was still plenty of ambient light and they were much more relaxed and very happy to take their sunnies off!