"I had no idea that a photoshoot could be this fun". As a fashion and portrait photographer in Sydney, this is a comment that I've gotten repeatedly, more times that I could count. A photoshoot is not only about the final images, but also an experience that can vary completely depending on what photographer you choose to work with. Just like any unique experience, one might have some preconceptions about it, but the only way to find out the truth it is to actually go and live it. However, I wanted to take this time to clarify common misconceptions many people seem to have about having your photo taken.
"YOU'LL BE LUCKY IF YOU CAN GET A GOOD PHOTO, I'M VERY UNPHOTOGENIC"
I've had enough experience to know that bad photos are always the result of bad photography and styling, not the subjects fault. Even the most beautiful of models can be made to look bad with the wrong angles and styling. The same way, absolutely anybody can look their best with the right light and with an environment that helps them to relax. That is why at The Garage Photo Studio little does it matter if the client is a professional model or somebody who has never had their photo taken, we leave nothing up to chance. Feel free to follow the link if you wish to learn more about our process for planning a photoshoot.
"I CAN'T BOOK A PHOTOSHOOT; I DON'T KNOW HOW TO POSE"
The reason of holding so many people back from treating themselves to the experience of a photoshoot is that they fear they are going to somehow fail at it. There is such as a thing as being unprepared for making the best out of your booking, but that involves things such as forgetting to bring outfits or to fix your nails. When you book a photoshoot there is absolutely zero expectation of you knowing what to do in front of the camera. It's the photographers job not only to direct you, but to help you relax so that your limbs and expression don't look stiff.
"CAN I GET A DISCOUNT IF YOU SKIP THE EDITING AND JUST GIVE ME THE RAW FILES?"
At least once a month there is a individual client or brand who believes that they can lower the price of their photoshoot by requesting the RAW files. After all, editing is what takes up most of the photographer's time, so shouldn't they be grateful for this favour? Reality couldn't be farther from the truth.
RAW files are far from being the finished product and in the hand of somebody with little ability to run professional editing software such as Photoshop they can be of great harm. That is why to protect both the photographer's reputation and their clients image it is common policy that photographers do not give out unedited photos. If you think about it, requesting them is asking a professional to hand in their work when they are only halfway through.
"YOU CAN JUST FIX THAT IN PHOTOSHOP, RIGHT?"
Besides from bad lighting and a bad expression, everything can technically be Photoshopped. However, you should not want that. Editing is the process that takes photographers the longest and the last thing one should try to be doing is adding more hours to that task. That is why here at the studio we have a policy that if something can be fixed in real life, we must tend to it before moving on with the photoshoot, even if that means taking a few minutes to iron a shirt, fix a hairdo or clean the nails of a client who forgot to take their broken nail polish off. Anything that can make post-production easier will save you money and us a lot of time.
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