As a photographer you encounter many different personalities when dealing with clients. For example high school seniors. Some parents want good senior portraits of their child and some just don’t want to go to a photographer and we believe it’s because they have had previous experiences with other photographers that did not pan out well for them leaving a bad taste in their mouth. If you are in the business of taking portraits professionally you must have the personality and know-how as to deal with a client that doesn’t want to be in your studio. If your client shows up and you see that they did not bring a change of clothes then for sure Mom had to drag their child kicking and screaming. We will notice right away if they don’t want to be here.
So, what do you do? You put away the camera for the meantime and you have everyone involved have a seat on the couch or a chair. You ask questions like, what kind of music do you like? That’s a great ice breaker. You ask who their favorite artist is and then go to itunes and crank up the sound with their favorite artist playing in the background. You have just cut the ice with your client. You then talk about other things that you may have in common. Pretty soon they have relaxed and like being in your studio. They think you’re a cool photographer that has things in common. Is it time to ask if they are ready for their portrait session? You bet! They are primed and ready to go. You start posing them, fixing and adjusting their hair, making sure all jewelry is straight and you are on your way.
Then this usually happens. You ask your client.”Did you bring any other clothes”? The answer is usually a somber, “No!”. Oh how upset they get thinking they were going to have a miserable time and all the while you spent the time it took to get them relaxed and comfortable. Mom typically says that they will come back and take more photos at a later time. If you are a patient and understanding photographer you will be successful keeping your customers happy and satisfied.