I'm not much of a people person

[Aakajx]

I feel really awkward taking photos of people or asking to..
Even my friend asked me to take photos of her baby and I just feel awkward because 1 I feel they are expecting amazing photos 2 I find it hard when they are looking at me trying to position the baby and then they freak out and start fussing over their baby and picks the baby up and wakes it fully.. When I could easily of got bub to settle.

I love photos of babies, kids and adults I just find it hard working with people because I get frustrated and nervous.. Or I go from asking them to stand in good lighting to them arguing the point that it would be better in bad lighting.

 

[imagemaker46]

I assume that you're not doing this as a business, if you are, then you are in the wrong one. Being comfortable dealing with people is more than half the battle when it comes to pictures. Overcoming your fear of people should be your priority, especially if you're getting frustrated and nervous just trying to take a picture. Is it possible that you're putting too much pressure on yourself and don't want to disappoint anyone?

 

[shefjr]

I agree with Scott. Don't pressure yourself so much! If you don't prepare before a shoot (which I'm sure you do) then take some time to get yourself a pre plan. Think about your positioning, how you are gonna light your subject, etc. Then, be calm and assertive. I find being assertive (confident) will keep people from interjecting their well intended yet uneducated opinions on positioning and such. Fake it till you make it so to speak. And you should be having fun. At least for me that's the whole point, have fun and enjoy what you're doing otherwise, what's the point.

 

[sashbar]

Communication with people requires much more skill than any kind of photography
I suggest finding a very good friend or a relative who you would feel comfortable with and who would agree to become your model for a while.
Master your skills taking his/her portraits.
When you know what you are doing, it is much easier to communicate with people.
Big part of the problem is usually lack of your own confidence in what you are doing.
People sense it very quickly and react accordingly. If you question yourself, others will question you.
When they feel authority and experience, they just do what you ask them to do without questioning.
Well, most of them.
It applies to many things, not just photography.

 

[vintagesnaps]

It would probably be better since you don't do portrait work to refer your friend to a portrait photographer in your area. Of course you're going to feel uncomfortable if they're expecting portraits that you don't yet know how to do.

Probably you'd have more fun just taking pictures at family events, holidays, etc. Then if you get a few nice photos of their child you could offer them to your friend.

Particularly with babies, my background has been 20+ years as an early intervention specialist (with birth to 3) and I'm seeing baby photos with posing that isn't always appropriate for the child's age. If you do take some pictures, it might be better to have the parents do the positioning or holding the baby and have them do so the way they always do, don't try some of the posing that's found online.

I agree with others that it takes learning how to work with people if you want to be able to direct them while taking their pictures etc. If you feel pressured to take photos for people you might need to explain to them that it's nice to be asked, but there are specific skills involved in doing portraits and weddings that you don't have (yet anyway).

Why not just go take pictures of whatever you like? Take photos of things that interest you so you enjoy it. Just because you have a camera doesn't mean you have to be the one taking someone's pictures for them!

 

[Vautrin]

When I started taking photographs I NEVER shot people. It was always urban scenes (like buildings) or nature.

I went so far as to find ways to get rid of people from photos I took in cities and make streets look eerily empty, so much so people would start asking questions (super dark ND filter + small aperture + very long exposure)

But after years of this, I mostly shoot people now.

Your interests as a photographer will change over time. It's OK. Just pick something to shoot now that you're comfortable with and interests you.

 

[Derrel]

Particularly with babies, my background has been 20+ years as an early intervention specialist (with birth to 3) and I'm seeing baby photos with posing that isn't always appropriate for the child's age.

Yes, there are LOADS of people photographing infants these days, and posing them in dangerous ways, and making excuses about it. It's really become epidemic, with "the froggy pose" especially, but also babies with zero trunk control stuck into chairs, and babies placed in baskets and buckets in a way that their head and chin are forced strongly downward, compressing their airway. And, typically, whenever somebody dares mention these unsafe poses, that is typically met with a stern rebuff that, "The mother was there." Yeah...that doesn't mean much.

I used to work at multiple studios doing family photography and EVERY ONE of them had extremely strict rules that babies were to be posed ONLY in age-appropriate poses, and with safe posing devices. That means NO slick, 12- to 15-inch high rocking chairs on six month olds! A BABY that cannot even "pull up" is not safe in a slick-bottomed, wooden chair where his feet do not even touch the floor, even if his mother is there. And so on and so on.

Babies need to be protected from people who do not understand just how UN-developed they are. They are not puppies. They are fragile, helpless infants, and need to be protected from things that are seen on Facebook, shot by people who really have no idea of what a "compressed airway" is, or what brain damage actually means, or what a skull fracture, or what a spinal cord injury, actually entails, and how easily an unsafe pose and an effort to get "just the perfect expression" can endanger an infant, even with the bests of intentions on the part of the parent or parents and or photographer.

 

[Forkie]

If you're starting out it is normal to be nervous when photographing people. It's all about having confidence in what you're doing and what you're saying, which takes time and practice. Don't be afraid to f**k up and when you get a good-ish shot, show it to your subject and tell them you're getting there.

Instead of waiting for someone to ask you to take a photo, look around the room. Find somewhere where you like the light and think about how to position someone in that light. Then ask someone to come into the light and say "I just want to try something" - then if it works, you'll look like you know what you're doing and your subject will be suitably impressed. If it fails, f**k it, you were only trying something anyway. Decide why it's not working - is the light not good after all? Or do you need them to change their position. Tell them to move this way a bit, that way a bit, tilt their head this way, that way. Joke about it; "Ah! This is your best side!", "Ha ha ha, you cheeky devil etc., etc.", there's your smile, click, done. You can get a few shots off of that joke. You can even get some more shots of their "bad" side and keep them smiling ("Actually, I preferred your bad side!"). If you get your settings wrong, so what? They know even less about what you're doing than you do. Stop, check your exposure meter, adjust, click another one.

Keep doing it. With different people. Your confidence will build, but it won't happen overnight. You will get some crap shots, but you will get some good ones too and those are the ones which will build your confidence.

You absolutely MUST take your time. Stop, ignore everyone else and tell them what YOU want them to do. Don't get into the habit of letting your subject dictate your photo - otherwise you're just clicking at random, hoping for the one. Stand up, puff your chest out and blurt it out clearly and with authority, "Dave, come stand over here a minute and I'll make you look pretty" - "It might take a while, though!", another smile, click, etc., etc...

For what it's worth, I'd probably leave the baby pictures until your confidence has built up and you are comfortable photographing people you can directly talk to and communicate with.