DIRTY SECRET - I love the can-can!

Yeah, DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING, did you?! But can-can lines and other silliness are actually great stress relievers - and are signs of a healthy shoot!

Allow me to explain - Once upon a time, I thought every shot had to be PERFECT - perfect posture, expression, lighting, etc. Anything less? It went into the "Reject" pile. Unfortunately, that meant some pretty amusing material would get left out.

FOR EXAMPLE

I was cutting shots like these because people were acting "out of character." They had invested in a pro shoot. They had a specific look in mind. They wanted to look like their character, not themselves... right?

Still, I loved these moments. It seemed a shame not to share! My clients DID get the desired images. They ALSO danced like fools, made ridiculous duck faces at each other, and colored pictures like kindergartners. Actually, the more I let people make faces, the more they relaxed. It can be stressful, having all the attention of a camera focused on you. Sometimes you just want to... bust out laughing. Or stick out your tongue.

Do it. Stick out your tongue. Swing your partner. I'm not saying let the entire SHOOT descend into chaos, but this RIDICULOUS grin from "Rick Grimes"...

...Led right into one of my favorite shots.

So feeling silly? I say GO FOR IT. And that's why I'm sharing my silly dirty secret. While these moments aren't serious art, they're part of the shoot too! Photoshoots should be fun - and if spontaneous can-can lines break out, all the better!

Got some stress-relieving secrets? How do you relax? Share in the Comments!