Hi MWAC. Unless you have ever taken 500 (High School Seniors) portraits I don't think you understand what the photographer is trying to accomplish. We make our money by getting a good expresion on there face, and to see that there hair isn't sticking out etc. No, we never did any "as you call it" inappropriate shots. There was always a female in my camera room at all times. Her job was to see that the subject's hair and clothing was taken care of. My job as the photopragher was posing, lighting, and taking there picture. As the owner of the studio, I wanted them to have the very best senior picture possible. If you have the mother sitting in the camera room watching it is very uncomfortable for the seniors, and there eyes are always wondering over to there mother, or the mother is saying something that distract them.

I hope you understand what I am trying to explain. I have been doing photography for over 35 years, and 90 persent of that was portraits.

My 2 biggest pet peeves about portrait photography:
1. Children with dirty faces
2. Relatives showing up, (by surprise) yeah right!

I do on location portrait sessions with families, and I can't tell you how many times I have arrived at a persons home and the family is "ready" for the portraits to start, with children with food or dirt on their little faces.
Really?? Do you really think I am going to do this with dirty looking children!
And the parents don't seem to mind.
So now, I always have some baby wipes with me and ask the parents to clean them up a bit.
I ask nicely of course, and the parents usually always say, "oh, I didn't realize it was there"!
No? How can you not notice chocolate all around a childs mouth??!!

And #2, I am at a family's house to do a session, and about 5 minutes into it here arrives the wives sister, husband, and 2 children. Surprise!
The sister says, "oh, I didn't realize you guys were having this done today"!
Yeah, right!
So of course then, it's "do you think you can get my niece and nephews pics with our kids?".
Then, their family too, and before you know it, I am doing a photo session of 2 different families for the price of one!

And being the nice person that I am, and can't say no, I do it!

Thank goodness this doesn't happen too often, (the food on the face does though).

What are some of your pet peeves?
Am I the only one these things happen to?

:?

Hmm, that seems like a good idea. Thanks Bob.
I do have them sign a contract, but I do not have that subject addressed in it. It may be time to add that.

I understand that this type of thing with extra people showing up usually only happens once in a while.
But I can also tell which ones are accidental and which were planned ahead of time.
It just annoys me.

What Hal said!

PLUS, another pet peeve...the way parents teach their children to smile those HUGE fake smiles!

Those aren't smiles. It's gas - or worse.

What Hal said!

PLUS, another pet peeve...the way parents teach their children to smile those HUGE fake smiles!