What do you do when you have expensive talent in front of your camera? How do you go about directing them? Can you make them feel comfortable and responsive to your directions? These are some of the questions that go through your mind as you begin a shoot with talent, actors or models, in front of you.
The most important thing to do is be prepared. Have your set pre-lit, so all you have to do is “tweak†the lighting a little once the talent in on set, but most of all, know what you are trying to get from the talent. Make sure you know the direction you need to take them in order to achieve the look that you want your images to have.
Here it gets tricky because you need to understand the nuances of body language. If you want a shy look, you need to understand how the whole body shows shy, not just the face. But how do you learn this?  It is done by watching and learning before the shoot. Watch your children, their friends, your friends, and people on the street. Become a “people peeperâ€, or the words, a “people watcher”, might sound better. You do this by really understanding how the whole body, including the clothing and props, helps determine the look being portrayed.
I love actors. They always bring “body and face†to the shoot. If they are good, they will understand body language and how clothing sometimes really makes the character look real; but also, you need to be able to push them a little more as they get into character. Sometimes shoulders need to be dropped, hands might need to “worry each otherâ€, maybe a hand is brought to the mouth as a woman might do when she is feeling embarrassment or shyness. You learn this by “watching and learning†from the people who cross your paths every day. Watch how old people walk, and watch their posture. Watch how a cocky young man stands and struts. Soccer matches are great places to watch body language in action. Watch the parents especially. They are really quite funny and illustrative in the fine art of body language.
So before the shoot, dissect the shot or shots and get a feel for what each person needs to be doing in order to “create†the feeling of the character needed to make the image “read†and work. Know where you are going and what you want to achieve. Once you have achieved the original goal, then, if time allows, you can improvise a little to see what happens; but you will be far happier if you make sure you have the intended shot “in the can†before you let the talent run wild with improvisation. Only a few very talented people are able to improvise with wonderful results, so tread softly my friends.
Always be complimentary to your talent. Just because you are paying them, doesn’t mean you can treat them badly. Treat them as you would a friend and a colleague. Let them know they are doing well and giving you the looks you want. If they aren’t, say, “That really looks great, but let’s see if we can get a little different emotion by doing such and such,†and then direct them in the right direction. Sometimes when I am directing, I often get on set and show them through my own actions what I am trying to create. The talent often gets a kick out of seeing the photographer go through the same movements that he is trying to get them to do. Telling a story is a process, and a process takes time. In video you can easily take the story from start to finish through moving pictures. In still photography it is tougher on us because we have to tell the story in one image, so the characters, clothing, and propping need to be carefully thought through.
In the shot of the “Family Courtâ€, the little boys untied shoe was the last thing that was needed in order to create the story. The red hair was a given…..for the little boy and the big sister. Little touches like that always help to make the shot work.
Being a “Talent Whisperer†is not hard, but you need to spend some time in preparation. Become a people peeper, and perfect the art of watching and learning as you observe the body language of those around you in daily life.
Continue to learn and have fun creating wonderful stories through your images. Good talent is really invaluable, so treat them well. Keep good records of the talent, including what they are good at and the many looks that they have in their arsenal.
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