What techniques can you use to understand your clients' vision for their photography project?

Understanding your clients' vision for their photography project is more nuanced than relying solely on a brief. Clients may not always articulate their desires clearly. My approach resembles a recipe: it comprises elements of maieutics, empathy, deep listening, and observation of subtle cues. Maieutics, akin to the Socratic method, involves skillful questioning to help clients discover their vision. Empathy fosters trust and enables alignment of creative visions. Deep listening involves understanding nuances beyond words. Observing minor requests provides valuable clues about clients' preferences. By blending these techniques, you cultivate a profound understanding of your clients' vision.

Each photography project is different even when doing portraits and headshots. No matter what you will be photographing it is important to take time to understand the client’s needs, their vision and how they will use the photos. Asking questions and having a conversation are important. If you are photographing a person, getting to know them can help them be more comfortable and relaxed which generally leads to better photos. Even if you think you have everything down, it is a good idea to ask questions during the shoot and continue to conversation. This also helps to mitigate issues or missing shots.

A proper brief is key to any project. You have to learn what questions you need to ask to get the information you need to setup the project. Before anything is even put in writing and signed for. You also need to teach client how to brief you. Have instructions ready for them to follow about information required so you can properly understand the direction they want to head in. As the project moves forward, consult with clients to know you are both on the same page and on the way to hit the targets. That’s why the brief is of great importance.

Au delà du brief et du Moodboard sur lequel j'insisterai pour qu'il reste le plus ouvert possible, je propose quelques fois à mon client de travailler avec des mots clés. Quoiqu'il en soit, et pour cette dernière approche, je privilégie toujours dans un premier temps le soin de notre interaction. L'essence même d'un projet bien abouti se trouve avant tout dans la mise en confiance et la compréhension du client.

Look at what they have, look at what they want then determine if what you have to work with will emulate what they desire. You just can’t turn a 5’.3” 300lb no neck bowling ball into a 6” fashion model with great lines. You have to be realistic…

For my portrait photography business, I always let my clients create a moodboard - it helps massively! Most people are not sure what they want. By asking them the right questions and encouraging them to make a moodboard of images and words using Pinterest, my clients can visualise how they want their photoshoot to feel like. With their own Moodboard they feel confident and show up differently! It works like magic, every time!

Mood boards should always be as abstract as possible. You never want to put a certain image in front of a client. They’ll get focuses and fixed on an image that may not work for the project at the end. They will (un)consciously be guiding you towards a picture they saw and liked for maybe no apparent reason. At that point you just lost the power to creat proper vision for the job as the imaging expert. So it’s important to know how to guide and take the the client along and through the creative process.

All the obvious stuff already mentioned but when it comes to moodboard I like to sit down with my client and create a moodboard together. I use Pinterest a lot for this bit other sources too, including my own images. It really helps pin down a clear understanding of what the client wants.

In my experience, managing clients’ expectations is also an important component of the process. They need to understand what their vision will entail (realistic timeframes, for example). It is also great to discuss can their vision can be materialised and provide them with options and practical solutions. Also, asking for specifics ( vision is quite a broad concept) will help you avoid any disappointments. So clarify whatever you can, listen and explain that their time investment is indispensable at this stage.

Consider conducting pre-shoot consultations to delve deeper into their preferences and expectations. Use visual references and case studies to clarify concepts. Implementing surveys or questionnaires before the meeting can also provide valuable insights into their vision, helping tailor your approach more effectively.

Believe in yourself. Remember that a client would not have chosen you if they didn’t believe in your abilities to make their vision come to life.