| If you are photographing people for a living you have | | | | Meanwhile, the subject is getting more and more |
| to find a way to break down any barriers between | | | | uptight, doesn't know what they are supposed to be |
| you and your subject - and you have to do this is | | | | doing or where to look, and generally feels very |
| less than a minute! | | | | self-conscious. |
| I have found that one of the best ways to relax | | | | In my e-manual "Better Editorial and PR Photography" |
| someone is to talk to them about their work. Ask | | | | find out a little about your subject before you start |
| them a couple of open-ended questions like "How | | | | the shoot. Web sites often contain biog details of |
| long have you been with the company?", "What did | | | | top people and over the years I have photographed |
| you do before?", "What do you do in this role?" and | | | | people who have been a submarine captain, an ace |
| "What is the best part of the job?" | | | | fighter pilot and a dedicated ocean-going yachtsman |
| I'll let you into a secret now. Nine times out of ten I | | | | in previous lives. |
| don't even listen to the answers! All I am doing is | | | | Just knowing this is enough to start up a |
| getting the subject to concentrate on themselves | | | | conversation and it usually impresses the hell out of |
| and give me the opportunity to get the camera out, | | | | the sitter that you have made the effort. |
| look at suitable backdrops or locations and to thing | | | | In all, it can be an ice-breaker and help give you the |
| about lighting. | | | | shots you want. |
| Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the things I | | | | Remember, people say they hate having their |
| have noticed with novice photographers is that they | | | | photographs taken. I think they mean, I hated having |
| clam up. They are so engrossed in what they are | | | | my photograph taken LAST TIME. |
| doing that they don't talk to their subject. | | | | |