How to Improve Autonomy In Your Sessions

When people book a photoshoot, they are putting their trust into you, the photographer. A lot of education up until recently for photographers has been heavily influenced by a patriarchal system in the way in which the photographer interacts with their client which has led to some pretty disastrous experiences for models and clients alike. For example, we are taught from the beginning of our photography careers that WE own all the rights to our photos and get to decide if they are shown or not and if a client signs a model release but then afterwards decides they don’t want their images online, then it is in our right as the artist to ignore their request. This has some strong no doesn’t quite mean no vibes and I’m not here for it. But it doesn’t just stop there - pushing clients to pose in ways that go beyond their comfort zone, posting photos without permission, heavily encouraging them to wear something they don’t want to, etc. and I have been guilty of ALL of this at one point or another in my career. However, the more trauma informed I become and the more psychology I understand, providing our clients with a sense of autonomy at every stage of the process is one of the best ways for us to ensure their comfort, provide them with a safe and enjoyable experience, and get images that are not overshadowed by fear or hesitation. Below I’m going to breakdown 3 different ways you can ensure your clients’ autonomy while also ensuring your business boundaries are established and maintained.

1. Expectations

Setting expectations before a client even books is going to be one of the easiest and most comfortable ways for you to help your clients maintain their autonomy and feel empowered about their decisions. If you aren’t doing in person, phone, written or video consultations then you are seriously missing out on making sure you are hearing your clients’ specific concerns and making sure that they are 100% aware of what to expect when they work with you. Letting your client know your process, how you pose people, what you expect from them as a client, what kind of wardrobe/style you shoot, etc. will allow your potential client to feel empowered to book you or not. This way, when you act or do the things you talked about in the consultation it isn’t a surprise and your client will be more comfortable. For example, I let clients know that I will be verbally and physically directing them and sometimes I may touch them, move their hair, the clothing, etc. and making sure that they are okay with this or if there are any concerns I need to be cautious of. I will reiterate all of this AT the session to remind them of what we talked about as well.

2. Have a flexible model release

Model releases are those little forms you get your client/model to sign to give you permission to use their “likeness” in your advertising/marketing/online. Again, this would be something you would discuss in the consultation with your expectations is what your client can expect in terms of how their photos will be used. You want to avoid posting client images until they have signed a written statement saying that they are okay with it and give them the opportunity to choose which images they are okay with you sharing. I know some photographers will say “the photographer gets to choose” but I think giving the client fair a few options will make them feel like they have a say in how and what their images are being used for. In my case, at the end of their post-session questionnaire I have clients sign a thing that says: Are you okay with us using your images on the blog/social media? YES / NO and if YES, in what capacity: POST ALL THE THINGS, NO NIPS PLZ, ANONYMOUS SHOTS ONLY. This way the client will be more likely to not just allow you to post them, but also less likely to request you take them down later on. IF a client comes back and says that they’ve changed their mind, just do the right thing and remove their blog post/insta photo/etc. from your pages.

Now, a lot of people say, “But what if the purpose of the shoot is to do a model call? What if I give them a free shoot and the images and they won’t let me post them?” Chalk it up to experience and never work with them again OR pay for their service. I personally look for people that already post a lot of more scantily clad images on their socials and again, set the expectation up front. The other thing is, if it is more of an erotica/very nudie shoot, be very specific about what you are doing and what is expected from the model and reiterate it multiple times before they come in for the shoot. This gives the model multiple opportunities to pull out BEFORE you’ve done the work.

And for God’s sake, don’t piss and moan about this in photography groups on Facebook.

3. Establish communication for the shoot

Before every session I do a warm up with my clients to include breathing and so I can watch their body language. During this time, I confirm that at any point we can stop the shoot, they can take a break, they can stop a pose, etc. I let them know that this shoot is about them and so if something doesn’t feel good, tell me about it so we can adjust or move on. I reassure them that I will not be offended or hurt if they decide they no longer want to do something they previously agreed to. I let them know that they can say things like “Hold up!” and sometimes we establish a specific word for those that tend to be on the more passive side of communication. Being clear in your communication and giving them words and reminders that they are the ones in control of the session will help them feel more at ease. After all, doing a photoshoot - particularly one with little to no clothing - can be terrifying, so any semblance of autonomy will help them relax a bit and feel in control which in turn, will yield a better experience.

For many of us, we get into this work because we want to build confidence and empower our clients - but if we create an environment that could make them feel unsafe or unsure of themselves then we aren’t doing our jobs. Being confident enough in your work and abilities will help you take a step back and remove your ego from the equation - your client knows their boundaries better than you do and as such, it is imperative you trust them so they can trust you. By reminding your clients of their autonomy throughout their sessions, you not only will give them a better experience, but chances are you will create some magic together because the relationship and trust factor will have been strengthened. It’s time we move away from the tired way of doing things for ourselves at the expense of our clients’ emotional well being and move towards a more collaborative experience. The last thing you want is forced expressions, uncomfortable clients, and people to leave feeling disempowered in their bodies. Photographers are not Gods among people and “What I say, goes” is not an attitude we should be fostering if we truly want to be professionals in the photography industry. Instead, we need to be confident enough in ourselves and our abilities to adapt to the clients we serve and not be mad or upset when they establish their boundaries, just as we establish ours.