Silent Messages: Understanding Body Language for Better Imagery and Higher Sales

Dr. Rachel Smook

Dr. Rachel Smook is a licensed psychologist with graduate degrees in clinical psychology from Loyola University and William James College and a postdoctoral fellowship from Harvard University. She has been in the field for her entire adult life and has had a private practice for seventeen years.

She is a co-author of the 2005 edition of Our Bodies, Ourselves, which now has over four million copies in print around the world. She is also the author of a chapter in the Handbook of Private Practice, published by Oxford University Press. Rachel has held leadership and governance roles in several divisions of the American Psychological Association and was a contributing editor for the APA's Psychotherapy Bulletin for several years. Her clinical work addresses a wide range of psychological concerns for adolescents and adults, and she spends much of her clinical time to providing care to doctors, nurses, and other therapists, as they navigate the challenges of frontline medical care.

Rachel’s passion for the human story also has an artistic expression, through her work as a professional photographer. Rachel’s photography is oriented around portraiture and events, and she focuses on deep connection with her clients and their stories to create authentic and emotive imagery.

Rachel's Website

Sunday, Feb 23rd 9:00am

Most of the ways that human beings communicate with each other is nonverbal. In this session, you'll discover how mastering the subtle science of body language can elevate your portrait sessions and help you create emotive images that sell. You'll learn how to:

Decode the nonverbal cues your clients are already expressing to guide them into poses that feel organic and comfortable, resulting in more authentic portraits;
Deepen the artist-client connection by using body language to foster a sense of ease and collaboration during your portrait and sales sessions;
Boost portrait sales using your own subtle body language cues to build emotional connection with your clients, resulting in images they cherish and an atmosphere in which they're eager to invest.

This session will include actionable insights and practical examples to help you align your artistic vision with your client's unspoken signals. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to portrait photography, this workshop will help you use a deeper understanding of body language to create portraits that your clients will love, and to facilitate an environment in which they feel comfortable investing in the memories you've captured.