How To Play On Your Strengths as a Photographer

by D'Arcy Benincosa

Do you feel like you have to be highly energetic and hyper-involved photographer to make your couples feel comfortable in front of the camera? Let’s be honest, it’s not for everyone. I personally struggled with this idea of who I needed to be as a photographer, so in this episode we’re taking a look at a fresh perspective on running a successful photography business. Anni Graham is on the podcast to share her experience in relieving that pressure to give a certain experience to her clients and how she played on her strengths to develop a highly-successful business and inspiring masterpiece portfolio that is truly unique to her.

About Anni Graham:

Based in Bend, Oregon and traveling worldwide, Anni Graham is a master photographer shooting intimate weddings and elopements for the adventurous, travel-inclined couple.

Evolve to Stay Inspired

Discovering who you are and what your strengths are as a photographer can happen over time as your life and experiences evolve. These experiences will transform your work and influence what inspires you.

From getting married and realizing that intimate elopements allow more room for you to capture true emotions –– to having a baby and being inspired by documenting their tiny fingers and toes. It all shapes us and can shape our careers too if we let it in.

Are you an introverted photographer? Play on your strengths!

You don’t have to do what other photographers are doing to make it in your photography career. Not everyone is supposed to be a high-energy, hyper-involved photographer.

Introvert? Have no fear! You need to play on your own strengths. Go back to what you fell in love with with photography in order to find your place and unique style and approach.

How to make your clients feel comfortable WITHOUT the high-energy praise:

Make it a collaborative process. Have them send you photos that they’re inspired by so you can get an idea of the types of photos they really love. By getting them involved they have a chance to really dig into what they’re wanting out of their session and what’s realistic for the type of relationship they have.

If they’re feeling especially nervous – suggest an activity rather than posing in front of a pretty backdrop. Whether this is an in-home session of them making breakfast together, going on a hike, or grabbing their favorite pizza, they’re sure to feel more comfortable doing things together rather than posing.

What to do when a client wants a certain romantic, joyful look to be portrayed, but they don’t fit that persona?

A huge part of the collaborative process and the experience with you from start to finish should be you reminding them what the focus of the photos should be. It’s not what they look like, but the moments and season of life that you’re capturing. It’s about capturing their relationship as it is in those moments.

Stop posing and start composing.

Want masterpiece images? Notice what’s in your frame. If a background is busy, the subject isn’t going to pop. Maybe a guest is wearing a red dress, so every time she’s in the frame the eye will be drawn to her – keep that in mind. Be mindful of horizon lines intersecting different places of the body. Maybe you’re in an epic location… how can you infuse the subject and backgrounds together? How can you create depth and layers that draw interest?

Think of the backdrop as the other person in the room. Learning how to compose that story together is the key to captivating photos.

Ask yourself – what makes this a masterpiece?

When you see a photo you love, dissect the layers and study what makes it truly captivating.

How to have Instagram growth when you have no time:

If you’re just as flustered with the algorithm as everyone else, take a note from Anni’s book. Instead of posting for the sake of posting, take the time to carefully and intentionally choose photos and write captions that tell a story and create connection with your audience. This may mean you go multiple days and sometimes a week without posting, but when each of your posts is worthy of an Oscar.