I’m Jessica Sterling and I’m a portrait and event photographer based in Los Angeles. Today we’re going to talk about what NOT to say in a photo shoot, and what you should say instead.

Be Sensitive

First off, if someone is a little self conscious about something, you have to be sensitive to that. Saying something like “this is more flattering” or “this is a better angle,” is much better than saying, “oh, don’t do that” or “that doesn’t look good.”

Be Positive

Don’t say “don’t.” (LOL)

“Don’t,” “no,” “bad,” etc. And try not to get a look on your face that says that somebody’s doing something wrong. If you see something that doesn’t look good, say to them, “Hey, this would look better.” “Hey, try this.” “Oh that’s great, try this.” “That’s more flattering.” Stick to words that are more positive. Because if it’s a positive experience, the person will start to work with you. Which is much better than them feeling like the whole world is against them and that they’re looking really dumb in these pictures. They want to look great. So if you keep reinforcing that idea, they’ll help you get there. They’ll actually look better in the photos because they’re more connected and “plugged in” to the whole experience.

Don’t Talk About Yourself

Don’t talk about yourself too much. Maybe a couple of sentences while you’re chit-chatting, but keep it chit-chatty. Don’t get into your life’s drama or things that you hate. Even if you’re having problems with your equipment, just don’t even get into it. It’s not about you. It’s about them, their experience and how they’re doing. This is the client show.

Don’t Talk Trash

Don’t talk trash about people. Think about it: if you say to them, “Oh man, I have this client I was photographing the other day, and they were so annoying…” What is the person who is right in front of you going to think? They’ll think that if they do anything annoying, you’re going to tell somebody something bad about them. You’re not making any friends.

So in short, keep it light. Keep it positive. You want to stay interested and excited to work with that person in front of you. It goes a long way to making things easier in the shoot. If you’re genuinely happy that they’re there, it makes them more happy to be there. Stick with the things that are great!

I hope you liked these tips! We’d love to hear your stories! To keep up with all our content, subscribe to our YouTube channel and keep an eye on our blog. And as always, be sure to get out and capture your own images of life