Podcast Episode 11 - The 3 Most Powerful Questions to Ask a Client Before You Photograph Them
Welcome to the Photography Breakthrough Podcast. I'm your host, Matthew Jordan Smith. If you are a photographer who's ready to move from hustle and uncertainty into clarity, confidence, and consistent bookings, you are in the right place, my friend.
In today's episode, we're diving into the three most powerful questions to ask a client
Before you photograph them.
Now these questions aren't icebreakers. They're transformation triggering conversations that build connection, clarity, and create photo experiences
That leave your client saying, wow, about the pictures and about you.
Maybe you are wondering, Matthew, why do pre-session questions even matter? Well.
I think it's very important to spend some time asking questions before you ever put a camera in front of anybody's face. Number one,
it is going to make your client feel seen,
make them understand that you care.
And here's the important part. It's going to uncover emotion, stories and intention, not just talking about outfits and poses.
Pre-session questions. Also set expectations
, So your client gets a picture in their head what to expect. This is very powerful if you do it the right way.
Let's go into question number one.
Try asking this. What feeling do you want to walk away with after this shoot is over?
Lemme just break this question down for you so you understand why it matters. It shifts the conversation from logistics to emotion.
And what you're gonna learn from this question is, are they seeking confidence, nostalgia. Feminine strength, professional pose. This question uncovers a lot.
You can use this question during your photo session to create the energy, the light, the posing, the lighting, the feedback.
You shift everything based on their answer. Now are you starting to understand why asking questions before the shoot matters and we're only at question number one?
Number two gets even deeper.
What would you like others to see or feel when they look at your pictures? This is another big one. It taps into narrative. It taps into purpose and the positioning.
This type of question helps you guide the styling, the expression, the context of your photo shoot.
It may also reveal something about your client. Are they celebrating a life milestone, a birthday, a brand identity? A family bond.
For example, a client who's trying to shoot for their brand, wants to show authenticity and approachability. Which will guide the wardrobe, the props, and the shooting mood.
A client who's celebrating a birthday, that's a totally different situation.
They want to show that they're celebrating this, this milestone of turning 50 or whatever, turning 20.
It is all in asking the right questions.
Now number three. This is a very important one, and I just went through this with a client.
What scares you the most about this photo shoot?
Why is this one powerful?
This question unveils fears, nerves they might be having about the photo shoot, if they're nervous about looking awkward, if they're nervous to be in front of the camera or.
Or maybe they have disappointing expectations. You need to know all this before the photo shoot. When you acknowledge and alleviate that fear, you build trust and safety instantly. This is a very important question. They may say something like, I'm worried I'll look stiff.
So you weave in playful prompts, movement, more encouragement.
Fear is a big one. So I wanna share a story with you. The very first time I photographed Samuel L. Jackson, he got in front of the camera. And he told me, I hate taking pictures. Now imagine this, we're talking about the man who's in every movie you've probably ever seen. I know Sam's in in so many movies and you think he would be comfortable being in front of the still camera, but I asked him why, like, no, you are in every single movie ever made.
You are in front of the camera all the time doing movies left and right. How can you hate having your picture taken? And he said to me, well, when I'm doing a movie, I'm playing a character. I have my lines. And you are never looking directly into the camera unless it's a comedy.
I never thought about that before, but he's right. You don't see an actor looking into the camera. They're playing a role. It's like the camera's not there, the still camera is very different. They're looking directly into the camera. So maybe you're wondering what I did.
I said, okay, let's play a game. I know all your movies. I'll say a movie and you turn into that character. It became a game during the shoot, but it was fun for not just me and Sam, but for everybody on the set. As we all start remembering movies, I'm sure right now you are probably thinking about different movies that he's been in.
The images from that shoot, and this is like back in the nineties. They are timelessly beautiful. This is one of the shoots that help me start asking those questions. You find out a lot.
Asking the right questions can calm a nervous client and turn them into someone who , relaxes and ends up laughing about the shoot. And guess what? All the fear, they forget all about it. Just like Samuel Jackson did.
So what do you need to do before your next shoot? Ask these three powerful questions. When you have these answers, weave them into your pre-shoot planning. Use them to structure the session energy. You are in charge of that.
Use them during your conversation in the photo shoot.
This build's trust. They feel seen, deeply seen. And guess what? It helps you build a consistent client.
Now you've just heard three game changing questions
that will immediately elevate your client sessions.
These questions align perfectly with what I teach in photography breakthrough system.
If you are curious to learn more, follow me on Instagram. I post daily.
There you'll learn more and have opportunities to join my email list and find out even more
You'll find me on Instagram under Matthew Jordan Smith.
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Oh, and do me a favor. If you use these three questions, leave me a comment
and let me know how it changed your photo shoot.
All right. Thank you for your time today. I hope you learned a lot. I hope you feel inspired, and I hope you come back next week. If you love this podcast, do me a favor, tell your friends and leave a comment and a five star review. It helps other photographers find this podcast.
Thank you again for your time.
Bye for now.
Before you go, I’ve got a free resource for you , my “10 High-Converting Messaging Lines” guide.
It’s designed to help you attract more of your ideal clients and turn conversations into paid sessions.
Grab your free copy here:
https://www.photographybreakthroughsystem.com/10-high-converting-messaging-lines
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