How do I get to know my clients as a photographer?
Who stands in front of my camera matters deeply to me. It probably matters to other photographers too, but for me, getting to know each person properly is essential if I am to do my work the way I want to. “Properly,” of course, is a vague term; it means different things to different people. I have mentioned elsewhere that I was once a PhD researcher, and perhaps it is that researcher and ethnographer in me that needs a certain depth of understanding in order to work.
I always put the person first. Technology, effects, creativity, and aesthetics are all there to support the story of the person I photograph. Before a session, I like to have at least two face-to-face conversations. Between them, I ask my clients to complete an extensive background questionnaire and send me supporting materials: reference images, texts, playlists or whatever feels relevant. Once I have received those materials, I begin building a mind map for The Session, which we then review together in our second meeting.
The questionnaire is unconventional, and so are my instructions for preparing for The Session. Rather than focusing on outward details, I place greater emphasis on safety, emotions, and the client’s role in the process. I hope my clients will tell me about themselves honestly, as they are. To do my work well, I need to understand what moves them, what limits them, and what they want to bring forward. You cannot reach the core of these things simply by asking, “How do you want to be seen?”
But this process is not only for my benefit. As my clients share things about themselves, I also share about myself and the way I work. It is not just about me getting to know them; we get to know each other. A key part of that is discussing boundaries, consent, and safety. I also make it clear that all materials shared with me, as well as the questionnaire responses, will be destroyed as soon as I deliver the finished gallery. And I never share anything about the persons I photograph, privately or on social media, without their permission. Their trust in my ethics and respect is essential to their sense of safety during The Session.
So how do I get to know the people I photograph? In much the same way we get to know anyone: by taking a genuine interest in who they are. What are they like? What do they care about? What are they passionate about? I have always been interested in people and in the phenomena that shape them, and I am naturally curious about new things. That curiosity is deeply present in my work as a photographer. I am interested in the people I photograph and in the relationships that surround them. I want to understand their boundaries, respect them, and support them in the right way. Perhaps that is the little ethnographer, or anthropologist, in me.
Tinksu