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I’ve been trying to capture more authentic, unposed portraits, but I keep running into the same issue where my subjects become visibly tense the moment I raise my camera. I’m wondering if anyone has found specific techniques to help people relax and forget the lens is there during a session, beyond just talking to them.

I tried turning the session into a walk with the camera tucked away most of the time. We moved through daylight and I asked them to guide the pace, not me. When they relaxed and forgot the lens, the frames felt honest.

Sometimes I add a tiny, ordinary prop—coffee cup, scarf, a jacket draped over the chair—and just let them talk or drift into a moment. The camera sits and they edit themselves around it, not around my prompts.

I learned my own presence mattered more than the technique. I stopped staring at the screen and watched their breathing, let moments linger, and kept the pace slow even when I wanted the shot.

Do you think the real problem is the lens or the room vibe?

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