Working on assignments is a wonderful thing!  Besides receiving additional exposure, as well as valuable experience, we humanitarian photographers get to help make a difference in the world.  As most of my more noteworthy projects have been self-assigned (and self-financed) I sometimes forget just how vital a photographer’s flexibility is.

No, I’m not speaking of flexibility in terms of being able to do Jean Claude Van Damme full splits (although that skill would come in handy for getting those low-to-the-ground shots!).  I’m speaking of flexibility in terms of being able to bend and stretch your mind, creative energies and raw determination around the ideas, visions and desires of the person or organization with whom you are working.

It’s a no-brainer to say we have to understand what clients want us to photograph, then go photography it.  It is not a no-brainer as to how much effort and negotiating skill goes into this endeavor.  The expertise and experience of the persons or organization representatives you work with may vary: some of the people we work with will be confused as to what they want; some will be decidedly certain what they want.  So far, my work approach has been relatively the same regardless who I work with; only the amount of effort required may vary.

My experience, to date, has been with clients who know in general what they want, but their expectation may or may not be realistic.  Unrealistic visions are OK!  They are fun, and they show the person wants something amazing!  If things are unrealistic, just stay positive and tactfully explain what is possible within the realm of the medium (in my case, the medium is still-photography, as opposed to video photography).  Capturing a nightclub’s strobe lights blinking on and off may be a nearly impossible task in still-photography, while being quite easy in video photography.

We must be as mentally flexible as a method actor, and put ourselves in the client’s position of wanting, only without acting. We should strive to make their vision our own adopted vision.  In doing so, we give that adopted vision the same passion and determination as our own biologically birthed projects.  When we can show clients our sincere raw passion for their vision, we satisfied them on an entirely new level.  Clients will feel you share their passion for their vision, not merely accept their vision.  You will be giving the client much more than the images they require: you will be giving them an ally and kindred spirit with whom they will desire to work with in the future.  And this will surely put a smile on the client’s face, as well as on yours.