Subject with camera anxiety

[brewster]

I have a subject who suffers from camera anxiety. She doesn't shy away from the camera, but she gets uptight or tense when her photo is taken. I've seen her impromptu or spontaneous smile and facial expression in social interactions numerous times, and it is quite different from nearly every photo of her (unless she was not aware that her photo was about to be taken).

Have you ever encountered this and if so how did you approach it? Any good primers or discussions about camera anxiety and what to do about it?

 

[CSR Studio]

Get a cable release, set up the camera, beackground and subject. Then start talking, and start taking pictures. It usually works, you may not get as many keepers as usual but I have found if you show them a good one of themselves they usually calm down and you can continue the sitting.

 

[msf]

I second the shutter release.

Another tricky thing is to get a rubber ducky or one of those easter chicken puppet things that makes music when you move the mouth, and surprise them with it. I bought one of these with kids in mind, but it works really well on adults. One of hte last times I used it, the customer wanted a picture with the duck, and bought a print!

 

[Mturulski]

Liquor them up

 

[Village Idiot]

Liquor them up

Vladimir, $7 for a half gallon. :mrgreen:

 

[benlonghair]

Liquor them up

Vladimir, $7 for a half gallon. :mrgreen:

Dubra, imo.

 

[brewster]

Well I've seen photos of her going back a few years, including at social functions where she had some alcohol on board, and she does the same thing. haha

 

[roadkill]

Liquor them up

I gotta agree. Slowly. Hammered sloppy shots will probably not fly to well but a nice little buzz goes a long way