One of my favorite spots on the internet is the Humans of New York Instagram feed. And while I like his photography, it’s his interviewing skills that bring out moving stories of honesty and vulnerability that I love the most.
When he was asked how he does it, “To get good answers, you have to ask good questions.” To which I’d modify to say, to get good pictures, you have to ask good questions. If his questions can elicit emotion, one of my goals as a photographer is to have photos that elicit strong emotions.
I think the way to start is to ask better questions. Before I lift up my camera with a client, I’ll want to know what is most important to them at this very moment? What do they want to remember about right now?
So here are some things I plan to ask new clients during the booking process (through my client questionnaire) and why I will ask them.
Question: Have you had a chance to look at my website?
Why do I ask? To make sure we’re a good fit before we even start. My ideal client is one who falls in love with my style and wants that type of imagery for themselves. If they’ve seen my blog and galleries and then contacted me, I know we’re off to the right start.
Question: What type of session are you interested in?
Why do I ask? I offer on-location (or in-home) lifestyle portrait sessions for couples and families. If the client is interested in something else (weddings, highly posed newborn shots, etc.) – then I want to direct them to a different photographer that would better suit their needs.
Question: Tell me why you’re getting your portraits taken now?
Why do I ask? If it’s for holiday cards, that lets me know their end goal. If it’s to celebrate a milestone (1st birthday, 10th birthday, etc.), I like to have that background context. Is it a family reunion? I’ll need to plan for plenty of family combinations. Will they be interested in a photo album? If so, I’ll want to make sure to capture extra details and establishing shots to tell the full story.
Question: What most do you want to remember about this time?
Why do I ask? This question gets to the heart of it. To find out what’s most important to them. To capture that feeling.
Question: Is there anything your family/you as a couple especially enjoy doing together?
Why do I ask? So we can incorporate it into the pictures. Either the activity or some object that’s meaningful to that couple or family.
Question: Do I have your permission to post to social media?
Why? Because a Person’s or a Parent’s privacy preference is always paramount.
Question: What makes your kid laugh / What is your kid interested in these days?
Why? I like to ask kids lots of questions when I’m photographing them – so it’s great to have a jumping off point for our topics of conversations.
Last Question: Anything else you want me to know before our shoot?
Why? This is when I might find out their kid hates getting their picture taken or that Grandmas is also coming to the shoot to help (and to add her in to some pictures), etc. The more info, the better I know their story to tell.
The rest of my questions tend to center around logistics (What part of town do you live in? Do you prefer a natural or urban setting? Do you need suggestions on What to Wear? etc.) And if we don’t get to all of these questions before your session, I’ll ask as we go along during your shoot.
If you want more details on what it’s like to work with me, visit my Session Details and Let’s Work Together pages.