Men who hate having their photograph taken. I made a massive assumption that was just plain wrong!
Before I began my photography journey here in the Saddleworth Tameside area, I had an assumption that it was always women who hate getting their photographs taken. In reality, I am one of those women who are constantly saying phrases like ‘my hair is a mess’, ‘I’ve not got any make up on’ or ‘I am carrying a few too many pounds!’ However, over the years I have learnt to embrace this as I remember that there is no such thing as perfect, in fact we should positively celebrate who we are and everything we have achieved!
Why some men hate having their photograph taken by a photographer
Ordinarily, I find that the more men I meet, the more I realise that in fact that for some, they really prefer not to be in photos and through my experience, I have worked out why. One if not more of the following usually apply:
- The majority of men have not instigated taking the photo (or the booking in my case)
- Men usually hate having to dress up or be told what to wear
- Sometimes, they are unsure what to do, where to look or whether to smile or not
- They often feel like a spare part as Mum starts playing with the baby/child/children without involving them
And here’s why…
The point is, it’s not that awful. Honestly it’s not. In reality, it sounds worse than it actually is. And here’s why:
1. I give you loads of handy hints and tips beforehand to help you prepare for our time together.
2. There is no rush on the day. Unlike some photographers, there is no time limit on the session. I like to make sure that everyone gets warmed up and used to the camera. So there is no pressure to perform! Moreover, none of us are performing seals!!
3. I’ll give you guidance on the day. In addition I’ll offer you ways to reflect your family in a way that will help. I’ll also listen to you and any suggestions you have.
4. It’s just fun. Honestly you’ll just need to trust me on this. Most of the time you will just be doing what you do. That’s always the focus on my photos, authenticity.
5. It is unusual for blokes to be involved in all of the photos anyway. No offence but at the end of the day it’s usually about the children, or your lovely, better half. So when you are done, you are done. Equally, you can even go and get changed when your bit is finished or even leave the session – I’ve had this happen before it’s fine, honest!
6. At the end of the day, you’ve got to do it anyway and keep the other half happy so you might as well just crack on and enjoy the experience. In addition, I guarantee there will be a good few photos where you reflect “I look quite decent actually!!”
These blokes look mighty fine!
Take a look at these photos of some of the fine gents I have had the pleasure of photographing, they look good heh?
Don’t take my word for it!
If you don’t believe me, take a look at these kind words from a lovely bloke who has been through a cake smash session (with a hangover I might add!) and also an engagement session. Now if the truth be known, I imagine that an engagement session is the absolute hardest photo session for a bloke. The anticipation of knowing what is going to happen I can only imagine is quite tough! Plus, we decided to go for an early morning shoot at 8am on what ended up being a bitterly cold day! And Suzie quite rightly said coats off, what a trooper! Here’s what he had to say. And this is verbatim:
This was Nick’s interpretation:
Before – Urgh! I hate photo shoots, why am I doing this?
During: Cold, too numb to feel anything else, why am I doing this!
After: I’ve warmed up, I’m alright now!
This was Suzie’s interpretation:
Before the shoot I was quite reluctant to be involved in a photo shoot. They are steretypically a girl thing to do and definitely not my thing. however, as we are getting married, and because Suzie is so into pictures, she managed to convince me to take part! Bev made the photo shoot relaxed and fun (although very cold! 8am at the top of a hill in April wearing just a t shirt is not the warmest of times!) However after seeing the photos, it was worth it! It was nice to see the finished photos and Bev even got some good pictures me when I don’t feel like a photogenic person.
Other blog posts you might find useful:
Eight top tips for choosing a photographer
Answered: Your question on where to print out your own photos
If you don’t remind yourself to do this, you might regret it later
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