How to get them to smile?

Ok when you are doing a shoot and you are about to take the photo what do you say to the person you photographing to get them to smile / feel comfortable with you. This has been bugging me for a while I feel I just don't make them feel comfortable enough to get nice relaxed happy photos. Also not every time but a lot of the time I say look this way and smile and I hate that but I can't think of anything else to say / do. What do you do??? And how do you differ from kids to adults. I love shooting kids and usually have no problem making them comfortable teenagers / adults are a whole another story though. Thanks, Mary

I think the key is TALKING to them... with senior shoots the more i talk to the kids the more comfortable i become and they become.. same with when i help shoot weddings the more we talk and joke with the BG the more relaxed they become...

I agree, Talking to them and I use humor! always playing around with them because when they are having fun your shoot is more productive. Give it a try, use stories that your subject can relate to. The only way to find out what that is, is by talking to them and asking questions. Have fun it works.

At my last engagement session the couple brought their dogs to shoot a few with them first...well the dogs only listen to a girl voice. So I spoke to the dogs in a girl voice. Later we were doing some pictures with just the couple and they said "you know, we'd smile more if you spoke in a girl voice". I got some good laughs and smiles in the series that followed that moment! Of course, I DID speak in a girl voice to them then! Really its all about talking to and getting to know your clients a bit, build a rapport and the rest will come generally.

say "ready freddy!?!?"

The thing I do is actually converse with them BEFORE starting a photoshoot. That way, we establish each other's personalities and feel comfortable with each other. I make sure to talk BETWEEN shots, as well. I establish a bit of a friendship with them. That way, smiles are natural and the session is just really relaxed. Makes for great shots! That said, I don't really have to say anything to get them to smile.

Flip side, sometimes, I have to tell the client NOT to smile on some shots, if I want the shot to have a more serious tone.

With kids, depending on the age, I say "smile!", "say purple underwear!", or for the really young ones (one and two year olds), I make duck quacking sounds... gets them every time!!!

I'm not a kid and you're not even taking my picture but the "purple underwear" thing still made me laugh! I might steal that one

cevad wrote in post #6224593
I'm not a kid and you're not even taking my picture but the "purple underwear" thing still made me laugh! I might steal that one

I discovered that little gem with my own children. My thought at the time was, "Holy crud... it worked!!!"

I'm the opposite....I can't STAND shooting little kids as they are uncooperative. I won't do it. I am fine with older ones/adults though.

I won't do little kids unless their parents can have some semblance of control over them. I'm not going to strut around in a chicken outfit or make animal sounds to get them to smile, sorry.

OdiN1701 wrote in post #6226930
...I won't do little kids unless their parents can have some semblance of control over them...

These days? Good luck with that. I was shooting a 3-generation family shot. One of the families had a 15-month-old who was just learning how to walk on his own. We were shooting by a pier with deep water on one side. That was the side of the pier he was standing by. 3 more inches, he would have been overboard. The parents looked at the kid... then kept talking, expecting ME to babysit while they chatted. Incredible...

710 Studio wrote in post #6228292
These days? Good luck with that.

Which is why I pretty much don't do small children.

I leave them to others who can have more patience with them than I.

710 Studio wrote in post #6228292
3 more inches, he would have been overboard. The parents looked at the kid... then kept talking, expecting ME to babysit while they chatted. Incredible...

You should have let him fall, would have made a great couple of pictures.

Parents...control...ch​ildren...whats that? Oh wait, I think I saw that one time, but it was pretty fleeting!

This stuff works for older kids:

Pee pee
doo doo
Think about your girlfriend
Think about your friend's girlfriend
Sandwich Bags
frazzle dazzle
woolyboogers
WHOOP WHOOP
HONK HONK
Chubby girls (or pretty much anything regarding the opposite sex)
MONEY


Hey I have to keep my job entertaining somehow

Talking candidly to them and tell corny embarassingly stupid jokes. An honest smile is always better than a forced one.