If there’s one question I get asked a lot, it’s this:
“How do you get people to look so natural in your portraits?”
The answer isn’t about camera settings, fancy gear, or magical lighting (though all of that helps). It’s about connection. Energy. Trust.
And most of all — direction that feels more like a conversation than a photoshoot.
If there’s one question I get asked a lot, it’s this:
“How do you get people to look so natural in your portraits?”
The answer isn’t about camera settings, fancy gear, or magical lighting (though all of that helps). It’s about connection. Energy. Trust.
And most of all — direction that feels more like a conversation than a photoshoot.
Step 1: Talk before you shoot
I never just say “stand there and smile.” Instead, I start talking — even before the camera comes out of the bag. I ask about their day, what kind of music they love, or what brought them to the shoot in the first place. The goal is to make it feel less like a session and more like hanging out with a friend who happens to be holding a camera.
Step 2: Create space to move
I almost never ask someone to hold a stiff pose for too long.
I’ll say things like:
“Take a slow breath in and out — that’s the shot.”
“Look off to the side like you just saw something interesting.”
“Walk toward me like you’re meeting someone you love.”
Giving movement-based prompts instead of rigid instructions helps bring out micro-expressions, natural posture, and — most importantly — emotion.
Step 3: Catch the in-between moments
Some of my favorite shots happen right after a laugh, or in that quiet pause before the next direction. That half-second when they think I’m not shooting? I am.
I live for those in-between frames — the imperfect, the unscripted, the real.
Step 4: Let go of perfection
One of the biggest blocks for a natural portrait is overthinking.
And guess what? That applies to both the subject and the photographer.
I remind myself (and them) that portraits aren’t about looking flawless.
They’re about feeling something. A softness in the eyes. A hint of joy. A quiet strength.
Sometimes the hair is messy or the pose is asymmetrical — but if it feels honest, it’s more powerful than anything perfectly staged.
