Photographing with Confidence and Trancending the Social Barrier

From time to time I’ll receive a commission to capture a portrait of someone at the top their game, someone in the public eye, a CEO, a politician, a famous actor, or author. Someone who, for all intents and purposes, I imagine is going to shine in front the camera. An easy job, right? Not always so.

I often meet these commissions with slight apprehension as, well in truth, I’m not the most confident person. The prospect of photographing someone publicly recognisable, someone in power, the CEO of a successful business, sees me nervously anticipating my propensity to stumble over words, blush furiously and generally act in a ridiculous and flustered manner.

Over the years I’ve noticed that sometimes the sitter, perhaps someone a little less media savvy, can be even more apprehensive than I am (No-one really loves having their photograph taken after all). So there I am, in the presence of an esteemed professional or well respected public figure, sitting in front of me, looking to me for guidance… Mad huh?!

So I’ve set upon a bit of a jumbled routine whereby I try to encourage a little unforced conversation (where time allows), before I even reach for my camera. I’ve found this really helps the sitter, and me, to settle in to the environment. We’ll briefly discuss the intention of the portrait and how we’ll go about producing it. I feel it’s fundamental that the sitter feels involved in how they are about to be portrayed. After all, with the balance of power temporarily laying with me, the photographer, I need to gain their trust.

I’ve had some wonderful conversations by following this practice. I’ve also been asked on a few occasions to, “Just get on with it”! But, I’ll take the rough with the smooth for the times when the sitter appreciates what I’m doing and engages with me. It also usually ends in a better portrait.

I had a wonderful conversation recently with The Right Honourable Lord Brodie QC PC, Chair of the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry. You’d think you couldn’t get much tougher a sitter than a Supreme Court Judge! However, we had a great chat about Brodie Castle (no relation) and it’s fascinating, if slightly bizarre, history (worth looking up). We also talked briefly about art, photography, and our joint appreciation for the wonderful work of the contemporary Scottish photographer, David Eustace.

I left feeling buoyed by the interaction, and ultimately happy with what I had produced. I love these small interactions that in a little way transcend an invisible but omnipresent social barrier. It's a reminder that, good or bad fortune aside, we're all made of the same stuff. Too often we are so caught up in our own objectives that we fail to connect in meaningful ways with the people around us, whoever they are or wherever they are from. As someone wise once said to me, “Being human is a given. But keeping our humanity is a choice.”

If I’m ever capturing your portrait and you notice me babbling away about some nonsense it’s probably because I'm feeling a little nervous. Go with it, be friendly, have a chat and we’ll probably get through it all a little less awkwardly together!

Peace, love and photographs.