Does it Feel Real?
As a photographer, I take portraits. Now we have a job to portray something about our subjects, but through whose eyes? Am I telling a story about this person only through my perceptions, or possibly how the rest of the world sees that person.
Sometimes I feel what often gets lost in translation is the essence of the people that we shoot, and that in the end, the photos just feel forced. I hate it when that happens, but it’s just one of the biggest challenges we face as photographers. Some poses just look like its pretend, and we can see it a mile away.
When I shoot, I always hear it in the back of my head….”Does it feel real?” After seconds of crazy inner dialogue with myself, I make a decision to take it another direction, or even better, decide that I got the shot! Hurrah!
It’s still one of my favorite things to hear after all these years when couples will tell me that the photos I took of them really felt like “them.”
Next time you have your eyes glued to the viewfinder, maybe you can ask yourself the same question and see if it takes your work to another level. Just don’t spend too much time arguing with yourself as your clients are waiting and looking at you like a weirdo. Ha! Let me remind myself that it’s not the easiest thing to do either, but it’s another step in the right direction. Stay positive people!
