So You Want To Be A Headshot Photographer – POSITIONING

Are you with me so far?

We need to pay special attention – I will delve into a patch of psychology…

So then, please consider that regardless of how hectic a person’s schedule is, even the most successful among us will nonetheless make time for those who are of value to them.

Yes, they may soon be flying out of town, running down the road for an important meeting, or simply rushing to be home with family. Regardless, it does not mean that they are not passionate about people and are not willing to take a moment out of their day to attend to others.

Though there are exceptions to just about every rule (including this one), it’s a truism that people want to do business with busy people, which they equate to being successful.

As this relates to “positioning“, active people are not likely to sit in lapdog like fashion, over eager to be liked or elicit approval. Why? They’ve got too much on their plate. After all, they’ve got places to go and people to see!

Quickly then, revisiting my notion of considering the client’s audience, I’ve noticed that people tend not to respond well to brick walls. They are viewed as obstacles to overcome. Rarely do we think about interacting with a barrier. Needless to say, the straight-on, imposing positioning of the client’s torso may not only be subconsciously interpreted as deficient and unprosperous but also not user-friendly.

Therefore, though not always the case, again, as a general rule, I tend to turn my client’s body away from the camera center at around 45 degrees. Such is the attitude of positioning my clients for a Headshot portrait. My clients are moving forward and going places, but they also have made time to acknowledge the viewer by turning their heads toward the camera. After all, their audience is essential to them. The successful headshot communicates this fundamental message of accepting the viewer.

Once I’ve entered my camera room with my client, a typical headshot will begin by making non-verbal clues for my subject to sit on a three tiered set of stairs (I never been fond of posing stools), adjacent to my 6′ Larson Soft Box.

On a side note, I also wrap phone books in packaging tape and employ them as height adjusters. My phonebook keeps torsos fairly straight as they sit. This helps to avoid the slouch, which can add years, weight, and a tired-looking client.

If my clients have sat with their feet together on the same step, I kindly instruct them to place one foot either higher or lower than the other. I usually do not tell them which leg to switch or at what step to position it. My goal is simply that they remind their body how to sit in a relaxed fashion, not placed in the classic “toilet bowl” pose.

At this point, clients will relax even more, frequently resting/supporting their body upon their highest leg. Once they do, more natural expressions will soon follow, or at least ones that will be more freely released.

As the conversation between my client and me proceeds, and I ask them to share more about their vocation, they typically begin to settle in even more, and their seating arrangement becomes their own. This is usually a matter of no more than a few minutes. Once relaxed, I’ll begin to slowly walk towards my tripod (which I rarely use), pick up my Canon 5D Mark II, and start creating exposures (I am aware I have not mentioned tweaking my light to their face – this is yet for another blog, Part Three, “Paint with Light”).

Mind you, as I walk to the center of my camera room, the client frequently attempts to turn their body toward me. However, as they do, I gently instruct them to stay comfortable or say something like: “That’s OK, all I need is the attention of your face – your body is great where it is.”

The idea is not necessarily to tell them what to do but to give them permission to stay at ease. You see, for me, having my client’s torsos not only turned away but that they do so of their own accord engenders a more natural, honest reflection of who they are.

Remember, when their bodies are not facing the camera, it also denotes a feeling of motion, activity, and enterprise – success. That is, they’re going places and have things to do (psychology speaking)! However, despite all they appear to have going on in their busy, exciting world, they still have time for their audience and stop for a minute to look in their direction.

They’re, in effect, saying, “I see you. You are important to me.” Thus, and by now, obviously, my clients’ faces are turned back toward the camera (and sometimes not, as in the photographs of David Pack or Bryan Duncan), telling their audience that they matter to them.

Okay, so you might think, “No duh, I do all the time!” Yes, this is probably true. But up until now, did you understand why? Did you consider the psychology behind the aesthetic?

It’s the mindset. It’s like the rudder of a ship. The rudder is such a small device, especially compared to the enormity of the vessel that contains it. Still, the rudder determines the ship’s direction – even more so when it comes to the successful Headshot session.

I know it’s much easier to paint by the numbers simply, but once you understand why you do what you do, it will affect every aspect of your decision process. Not only that, but it will also help you position your clients naturally and effectively and bring out their character. Along the way, you’ll also advance your headshots’ relevance and credibility quotient to new heights.

So then, is this everything there is to know about “positioning”? Not even close. However, this IS a blog, and I’ve already sped past the typical 500-word blog length (by over 1,000 words), which, I am told, is “snooze-inducing.” I hope I kept you awake.