Do the first five minutes of a photoshoot really matter that much? Yes, because they set the tone for everything that follows and determine whether you settle into the camera or spend the entire session fighting it.
The first five minutes of a photoshoot will decide whether the next fifty-five are effortless… or a struggle.
I see it all the time.
Someone walks into the studio, a bit unsure, a bit guarded.
Shoulders slightly raised. Hands not quite knowing where to go.
They might say something like, “I’m not great in front of the camera,” or “I’ll probably need a bit of help.”
And they’re right. But not in the way they think.
Because the first few minutes aren’t about taking great photos. They’re about changing how someone feels in front of the camera.
Get that right, and everything that follows becomes easier. Much easier.
Get it wrong, and you spend the rest of the photoshoot trying to undo tension that never needed to be there in the first place.
Why those first five minutes matter so much
When someone steps in front of a camera, their brain goes into overdrive.
They start thinking about how they look. What to do with their face. Whether they are standing correctly. What to do with their hands. Whether they are “getting it right”.
That internal noise shows up instantly. You see it in the eyes first. Then the jaw tightens. The posture becomes stiff. The expression stops being natural and starts being performed.
If I start shooting properly at that moment, I am capturing tension, not the person.
So I do the opposite.
I slow everything down.
The goal in those first five minutes isn’t to create portfolio-worthy images. It’s to remove pressure.
What actually happens in those first five minutes
We talk.
Not small talk for its own sake. Real conversation. About what they do, why they booked the shoot, and what they need the photos for.
That matters more than people realise.
Because the moment someone starts talking about something they care about, their face changes. Their expression becomes more engaged. Their eyes become more present.
That’s the version of them we want to photograph.
I’ll often pick up the camera early, but I’m not chasing perfect shots. I’m letting them get used to the sound of the shutter. Letting them see that nothing bad happens when the camera is pointed at them.
Then we make small adjustments.
“Drop your shoulders a touch.”
“Shift your weight slightly onto one leg.”
“Turn your chin a fraction.”
Nothing complicated. Nothing overwhelming.
Each small adjustment removes a layer of tension. Each frame gets a little better. Not because they have suddenly learned how to pose, but because they are starting to settle.
The biggest mistake people make
They think they need to arrive ready.
Ready to perform. Ready to pose. Ready to look confident from the first frame.
That pressure is exactly what creates awkward photos.
You don’t need to be “on” when you walk through the door.
You just need to be willing to give it a few minutes.
Confidence on camera isn’t something you switch on instantly. It builds. And those first five minutes are where it starts.
Practical ways to make those first five minutes work for you
If you’re coming in for a shoot, there are a few simple things you can do that make a real difference.
Give yourself time to arrive properly. Don’t rush in flustered from traffic or a last-minute call. Even five minutes to reset before we start changes everything.
When I used to go on LBC Radio as an investment expert on call-in shows (in my previous career), I would always set aside 10-15 minutes before the show started to go for a walk outside. It worked miracles for my stress levels.
Stop trying to hold a fixed expression. The more you try to “look confident”, the more it shows. Let your face move. Let it respond naturally to conversation.
Focus on something real. Talk about your work, your ideas, your plans. The camera is just there to capture it.
Trust the process. Those early frames aren’t the final result. At least they don’t have to be. They’re part of getting you there.
And most importantly, accept that feeling slightly awkward at the start is completely normal. It’s not a sign that the shoot is not going well. It’s just the starting point.
What happens when you get this right
Around the ten to fifteen-minute mark, in my experience, something always shifts.
The shoulders drop. The breathing slows. The expressions become more natural. The person in front of the camera starts to look like themselves again.
That’s when the real work begins.
Angles become more refined. Expressions become more intentional. We can start shaping the images rather than just easing into them.
And that’s why the first five minutes matter so much.
They set the direction for everything that follows.
A better way to think about your photoshoot
Instead of thinking about a photoshoot as something you need to perform in, think of it as something you ease into.
You aren’t being judged. My studio is a no-judgement zone, always. You are being guided.
My job isn’t to expect you to know what to do. It’s to create the conditions where you don’t need to think about it at all.
When that happens, the photos stop feeling forced.
They start to feel like you.
Ready to experience it for yourself?
If you’ve been putting off a photoshoot because you’re worried about how you’ll come across in those first few minutes, you’re not alone.
And it’s exactly what I specialise in.
Book a session, or start with a free 15-minute Zoom call. We’ll talk it through properly, so you know exactly what to expect before you even step in front of the camera.
Those first five minutes might feel uncertain right now.
They don’t stay that way for long.
