Off-camera lighting blog The Strobist recently published an article on photographying a reluctant subject. Author David Hobby makes an excellent point:

Someone who does not like to be photographed tends to see the camera as a bit of an enemy, and that can easily transfer to the photographer. It’s something you should be aware of, and you can work proactively to let the subject know that you are on the same side.

A subject who is nervous or feels intimidated in front of the lens presents a problem for portrait photographers — you want to capture their true personality, not the fact that they are apprehensive at the moment. The Strobist article contains plenty of advice for easing your subject’s nerves and connecting with them in order to get the shot.

Photo by David Hobby.