Raise your hand if you’re the type of person who goes all out when taking your friend’s photos? I’m talking down on the floor, in the splits, just to deliver the perfect picture for them. I’m the friend who’s bent all the way back damn near on an edge of a cliff just to deliver the perfect photo of my friends. I snap a copious amount of shots and angles and ensure that I’m getting the best lighting.
Now there’s nothing worse than asking a friend to take a picture of you and they put absolutely no passion or emotion towards your picture taking. You give 110% and they give a measly 10%. If you’re reading this and you’re the friend who gives 10%... ask yourself- why are you a trash human being? Just joking (no, but seriously, put more effort into your friends’ pictures!)
After this same scenario happened to me , I discovered an (almost) fail-proof method to get great photos!
And before I begin, my friends take incredible photos of me and I'm very thankful for the effort and energy they put in for me. Special shout out to Rachel, Kelly, Ellie, Milena, Justin, My Aunt Vonda, and seriously everyone else who puts up with me.
First, can I let you in on a little secret? There are usually 2 reasons why your friends are taking terrible photos of you.
1. They don’t know how to take your picture
2. They don’t want to take your picture
Yeah, I said it. Sometimes your friends straight up don’t want to take your photo. If that’s the case y’all have to hash that one out. Possibly some underlying, unresolved friendship issues there? Stole their man? Ate their last piece of pizza? Fix it.
Now if the reason is lucky #1- I have a great method for you! I’m coining this the TRY method.
T stands for Take their photo first!
Photo taking is all about incentive. Almost everyone loves getting the perfect shot. As much as my friends claim to hate photos- the minute I start taking their photos they become Naomi Campbell. There’s no better way to incite passion and willingness than to take their photos first!
But here’s the secret...taking their photo will make your photos better! Why? How? Well folks- as the photographer you’re able to see through the lens. You know where the lighting is. You see what angles work. You get to scope out the landscape. So as much as you’re doing this for them, you’re secretly doing it for yourself. Also, your friend/model will see the angles and distances you're taking the photos from and will hopefully reciprocate that effort when it’s your turn!
R stands for Review!
The photos have been snapped and it’s now time to review. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP! Make sure to show your friend/model the photos you took! Show them the glorious angles you took! The bountiful photos you captured! Have a quick conversation with your model about how you took the photos. How were you angling the phone? Where were you standing? Were you facing the light or facing away from it? Ingrain in them the techniques you used to get the perfect shot.
Y stands for Your Turn!
First and foremost, thank your model in advance for the amazing photos they're about to take for you. If the photographer feels confident, the photos will come out far better. It's okay to coach your photographer through how you want our photos taken! Remind them of the shots you took of them for reference of how you want yours. Try your best to be encouraging in your conversations.
If you're not liking the photos so far, try a bit of constructive criticism!
So instead of saying this:
"Why did you crop the background? Please get more of the background!!"
Say this:
"Wow this shot is really nice, do you mind getting more of the background?"
Now the photographer feels comfortable enough to implement those changes and there's no pressure on them to succeed.
The most important element to the "TRY" method is to have fun! Photo taking doesn't have to be so serious. Laugh a little and get loose! I find a lot of people become embarrassed when they take/model in photos. Majority of the time, they are afraid of what strangers around them are thinking or saying.
Listen.
You will probably NEVER see these people again and quite frankly who cares what they think about you! I used to be so self-conscious when taking photos. I've noticed that majority of people aren't talking bad about me or mocking me, they're either admiring my presence or attempting to steal my shot!
You got this!
