Why I need time for a portrait photoshoot

If you look at the different services I offer, the minimum time for a portrait shoot is one hour. And there’s a reason for that. I have realised this in the last few months. I have had photoshoots that were supposed to last 30 minutes, but they lasted longer. 40 minutes, 45 minutes. And even then I was not really 100% satisfied at the end. My clients were though, but I thought I could have done better.

I felt a bit under pressure and it stressed me out before and during the shoot, which is not a good basis for a relaxed atmosphere. But I need to be relaxed in order to create a safe space and connect with the person in front of my camera. Also, I’m pretty sure that if I’m a bit stressed, the person in front of my camera will automatically feel it and maybe also get a little bit nervous. So there will always be a certain tension that shouldn’t be there.

But the most important reason for taking my time is that I need to get to know the person I’m portraying. All my photography is about the essence of someone or something. Authenticity, being real. And in order to see the essence, I need to get to know that person.

Trust takes time

When you meet someone for the first time, it’s normal to wait and see what happens. Especially when you meet a photographer, you check out the situation. Of course, it depends on their character, the day, their mood, etc. 

So what I do is I take my time. By talking, listening and observing I try to create an atmosphere where everyone can relax and hopefully trust each other. This is THE key factor for any photo shoot. I need that trust from the person in front of my camera. Trust that they will open up to me as a person, that I will get to know them. Trust that I will see them. Trust that I will capture the essence. Trust that the photos will be as good as they hope. Trust that this photo shoot is a safe space, no matter what happens.

It takes time. I don’t want to rush it because you can’t force someone to trust you. I have to earn it. Sometimes it happens quickly and sometimes it takes a bit longer. And that’s OK.