How do I capture these intimate shots?

The short version:
The Flow and mood of the session guides the poses and the way I shoot. Trust and Rapport are the most important factors for consistently getting into a good flow, and they are built slowly over time, before and during each shoot.  

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Once the mood is set and rapport is established, the subject’s own body language and eyes will be more expressive and authentic than any pose could be. The particular gear you use doesn’t matter very much, but it may affect your style.
 

The long version:

THE FLOW

I prefer working in a relatively freeform and improvisational way with these sessions, with my mood and the subject’s mood guiding the session. This is similar to a ‘flow state,’ in which an artist is totally present in the creative act, with creative ideas or inspiration arise spontaneously.
In this case, both photographer and subject are in the flow state, similar to how musicians may be able to improvise freely while naturally working in sync.  Getting to a flow state requires trust and rapport, as well as a suitable mood. It takes a while to get into the flow though, for me it usually takes about an hour of working with the subject before the flow really takes off, and that’s when the most soulful photos usually happen.

The mood guides the shoot itself, and will shape what the photo session will look like.  For instance, I usually play music during sessions, and carefully choose artists and albums that fit the mood for the session. Likewise in the conversation, if the subject is someone I know well and we want to do a somber mood, we may talk about a recent relationship that didn’t work out. Alternatively, if a subject is new and uncertain in front of the camera, I’ll steer the conversation to more funny or light-hearted topics to help them build confidence. 

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TRUST & RAPPORT

To reach a flow state you need to establish trust and rapport with the subject.

Trust is the knowledge that you are a competent photographer and will respect them, both in your behavior during the shoot and after.  Trust that the photos will be good. Trust that you will be unselfish and take photos that they love and can share publicly.  Some trust can be built in advance by only sharing your best-finished work that show your subjects in their best light, and having worked with many subjects who are happy to recommend you.

Rapport happens when you and your subject are both totally at ease, comfortable and confident in each other’s presence and with the camera.  This takes time to build, even if we’ve worked together before. This is why I require every client for these types of sessions to get on the phone with me and hold a pre-shoot meeting before their session. 

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It may be variously funny or serious, and we may talk about personal relationships or cheeseburgers, but the goal is to develop a mutual understanding in general.  During the entire session, I’ll also take little breaks to show my subject photos as we go along, pausing to point out photos that are particularly good. This gives the subject confidence in their posing and my work, and in turn gives me the confidence to keep going and be more creative. This becomes a virtuous cycle, with each bump in confidence leading to better, more natural photos.  After a few hours, even a shy subject with no experience in front of the camera will find it easy and natural.

Of course, certain things can break the flow and rapport.  Being not present in the moment instantly communicates that one person isn’t valuing the other’s time and attention.  

 

POSING

The specific poses don’t matter nearly as much as the eyes and body language that arises spontaneously when there’s rapport.
 

When we are in the flow state, I’m often quiet or give only moderate direction such as “Chin up; turn your face that way but keep your eyes on me; arch your back a bit— okay” etc).  Of course, if a subject is new or prefers more direction, I’ll give more guidance, such as with colorful descriptions (“You know how a cat moves, kind of slinky and stretching as she goes? Move like that”) or by demonstrating a pose myself. Once I get some photos that I think are good I’ll show them to the subject to make them more confident in their posing..

Once your payment is received to secure your session date, a separate email will be sent requesting you to sign the Studio Contract. You will also receive our Studio Prep Shoot Guide, an invite to schedule your pre-shoot meeting, and our full Goddess Collection and Product Guide.