In today’s society, social media apps like Instagram and Twitter, rule our lives. With photo apps like these come photographers who like to show off their work to the world, as they should. Many people have jumped into the portrait photography world because they love creating beautiful photos and love to meet new people. Most of these photos are of females and as a male photographer it is extremely important to be as professional as possible. Even when shooting with friends you want the friend you are shooting to stay as comfortable as possible. This makes it more fun and can make your photos better just because of her facial expressions.
Not all photographers have the right intentions though. There have been several cases in the past where a photographer has set up shoots to work with females and when they get there they act very unprofessional and are hitting on the women. There is a time and place to try and take a friendship to the next level but while working and creating your photos is not one of them.
Sierra Williamson, a model I have worked with, has had more than one uncomfortable experiences while working with male photographers. She set up a shoot with a local photographer and while they were working, he was making inappropriate comments about her physical features. Williamson felt very uncomfortable and had to end the shoot early and did not work with him again.
Being unprofessional is bad in any job field but especially in photography where your reputation is based off of the content you create with the model. Any problems you have with the models can haunt you for a long time. If a model feels uncomfortable with you, there is strong chance she will tell other models about her bad experience.
Photography is so incredible because you are trying to create a story with every photo. This is a team effort between you and the model you are working with. One thing I have learned in doing portrait photography is having an understanding of what you want to convey in your photo before you go out and do the shoot. This requires talking to the models and seeing how we want their hair and makeup to be done. Also, it is important to decide what you want them wear in order to fit the location you are shooting at.
Portrait photography is so fun and I love meeting new people in the process. I always remain as professional as possible and can not wait to see just how much my work progresses in the future.
