What If You Showed Your Client the Back of Your Camera?
Most photographers are taught never to show clients the back of their camera. "It's unprofessional," they say. "It slows down the shoot." "Let them see the magic in the final gallery."
Here's why I break that rule every single shoot……
It Started as Tension Relief (For Me)
I'll be honest, when I first started doing this, it wasn't some brilliant client service strategy. I saw photographer Brittany Boote doing it and thought I'd try it. At first, it was pure tension relief for me. Sharing a great shot made me feel closer to my client, and we could celebrate something together.
Think about this… you're working with a stranger who might have completely different opinions, political stances, or life experiences. You never know where you're going to find common ground. But when both of you get excited about a beautiful image? That's instant connection.
The "Not Leaving Them in the Dark" Revelation
As I kept using this approach, I realized something important: clients want to know how they're doing. They're standing there, trusting me completely, with no idea if they look amazing or like they're having a dental procedure.
When I show them the back of my camera, something shifts. They stop wondering "Do I look okay?" and start thinking "How can we make this even better?"
It Became Real Teamwork
The game changer came when clients started opening up about what they saw: "I love this, but my chin looks weird," or "My cheeks look puffy here." Instead of me guessing what they might be insecure about, they tell me directly. It’s also a good way to explain why something may feel awkward that they are resisting to do for example “ put your chin down a bit” and they really don’t want to because they think it will emphasize something it wont. You can show them directly…” this is what’s happening…so lets fix it, by bringing the chin down a bit”, It’s always worked really well for me as far as communication and getting my point across.
From there, we watch it come together. It's teamwork. They feel heard, I get direction, and we're both working toward the same goal.
The Confidence Flip
I knew this was more than just a nice gesture when I started showing nervous clients the back of my screen, and it totally flipped the script. Once they saw they were doing well, they felt more confident. They brought more attitude. They started doing little quirks that were totally them.
Some of my favorite client reactions: "I didn't think I could do that!"
Showing the back of my camera became part of the roadmap that gets us to the end result and builds their confidence step by step.
Why I Can Actually Do This Now
Early in my career, I was terrified to show my camera because there were so many things I planned to fix in post-production. My client would see an image without the grass looking perfectly minty green or all the artistic moody touch ups I had planned.
My style has evolved. I now shoot the image I want with flash and lighting, with minimal post-production. What you see in the back of my camera isn't going to be far off from what I deliver. That wasn't always the case, but it's given me the freedom to share the process in real time.
Strategic Sharing (Not Madness)
Do I show them every single shot? That would be madness. But when an image makes me smile? That's the best time to share it.
There are lots of shots that I love that my client doesn't love…especially in professional headshots where they want to look a certain way. But I see so many headshots that when someone does something cool or interesting, I get excited! Sometimes I'll show them these "experimental" shots just to bond or release their anxiety.
"These are photos that never need to see the light of day," I'll tell them, "so let yourself go."
The Bottom Line
My job is to make my client happy. An image that I love will sometimes not be an image my client loves. By showing them the back of my camera, I'm not just taking their photo, I'm including them in creating it.
In a world where we're all a little guarded with strangers, finding that moment of shared excitement over a beautiful image? That's where authenticity shines.
Ready to experience a photo shoot where you're part of the creative process? Let's create something amazing together.
