How are you telling your portrait subjects not to give the DUCK face?

9 years 7 months ago #403860 by digitalpimp
I had a client today who just didn't get it.  She kept giving this ridiculous duck face.  It was completely different from her normal facial expression.  As soon as the camera came out and she knew it was photo time, her lips and facial expression was night and day over kill duck face on roids!  When I told her bright smile please, she seriously reminded me of SNL! 

Seriously it was like this




OK so how do you tell someone that is normally beautiful, to look normal?  


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9 years 7 months ago - 9 years 7 months ago #403864 by garyrhook
"Please don't do that."

"Don't do that. The camera doesn't love it."

"Seriously, relax. We're not going to posture for the camera, and we're certainly not going to have the duck lips."

I'm honest. I laugh to make light of it, and point out that it's just not attractive.

And it's not attractive for the women, either. :whistle:

Then focus on a shot with no smile. We spend so little of our time smiling, I no longer get this emphasis on smiling. I'm moving away from it.

Your job is to engage your client, to get them comfortable, relaxed, and natural. It's hard. I have decided to give up on "okay, smile" because it just doesn't work. You'll have to learn how to coax out of your subject what you want.

Good luck.


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9 years 7 months ago #403901 by Moossmann
Have her look at her self in a mirror to see what she was doing.  Plus what Gary said.


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9 years 7 months ago #403993 by Cory J
I opened this to see what you were talking about and that is funny stuff! 


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9 years 7 months ago #403996 by Joves
Gary gave you the best advice. This is why I would not be in the portrait business for too long, because I would tell them that it made them look like a Backpage hooker. 


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9 years 7 months ago #404046 by MYoung

Joves wrote: Gary gave you the best advice. This is why I would not be in the portrait business for too long, because I would tell them that it made them look like a Backpage hooker. 



Oh you are so bad!  :rofl:


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9 years 7 months ago #404049 by garyrhook

Joves wrote: Gary gave you the best advice. This is why I would not be in the portrait business for too long, because I would tell them that it made them look like a Backpage hooker. 


Well, no, that would not be very politic. It's okay to think it, but not say it.


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9 years 7 months ago #404061 by Stealthy Ninja
Get her to laugh maybe?
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9 years 7 months ago #404072 by Roblane

Stealthy Ninja wrote: Get her to laugh maybe?



:agree: and have your finger on the shutter to capture that moment she is off guard.  


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9 years 7 months ago #404139 by Leilanee
I literally say "You're duckfacing, stop it" (although the politeness varies based on how well I know them).
And, yeah, the laughing thing.


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9 years 7 months ago #404140 by Leilanee

garyrhook wrote: Then focus on a shot with no smile. We spend so little of our time smiling, I no longer get this emphasis on smiling. I'm moving away from it.


Atta boy.  I've always found going with straight face, or a real laugh, creates more "authenticity" in the photo.  The problem is people who are so used to having their photo taken that they default to the stiff look-straight-at-the-camera-and-smile thing.  That's hard to get around, for me at least.  Saying "Stop smiling, it looks stupid" just makes you look like a grumpy drag.


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9 years 7 months ago #404181 by digitalpimp
You guys and gals are great.  I'm going to try this next time.  Boy, I'm still chuckling with frustration about this last client.  Thank you


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9 years 7 months ago #404203 by Ottis

Leilanee wrote: I literally say "You're duckfacing, stop it" (although the politeness varies based on how well I know them).
And, yeah, the laughing thing.



Pretty much what I would say to the person too


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9 years 7 months ago #404280 by Robert Chen
I'll show them the picture directly after taking it, so that they can see how they look.  

Nikon D300 24-70mm f2.8
70-200mm f2.8
50mm f1.4 & 50mm f1.8
105mm f2.8
2 SB800

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9 years 7 months ago #404284 by garyrhook

Robert Chen wrote: I'll show them the picture directly after taking it, so that they can see how they look.  


Yeah, that's not going to work with people who already think it's attractive.

It really comes down to learning to manage and direct your subject, duck-lips or not.


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