When fledgling models start assembling their portfolios to send out to agencies, they often choose new-face specialist and model coach Christian Behr to jump-start their careers. “I’m used to people who have never done this before and getting them up to speed to be placed with the biggest agencies in the world,” says Behr. “The first thing I do is wipe out anything that used to be an inhibition to get them comfortable and confident. I strip away all the things they were previously worried about.”

This same philosophy translates to taking senior-style portraits of teens, photographed at a time in their lives when they may not even recognize their own natural beauty. “Given a choice, a kid is going to try to look older and sexier,” Behr explains. “However, while I don’t necessarily try to capture them being all smiley and geeky, I do try to show just how beautiful they are at this age.” Behr uses the Tamron 90mm macro lens, as well as the 28-75mm f/2.8 lens to capture this beauty. “When you’re shooting these kinds of images, you really push a lens to its capacity,” he says. “The fact that both of these lenses can open up all the way to f/2.8 is a massive advantage, because you can really throw those backgrounds out of focus and show off the kids in the image.”

Keeping his subjects (and environment) as natural as possible is key to capturing an adolescent’s true essence. “It’s funny, because the girls especially are constantly trying to put on as much makeup as they can because they think it makes them look better,” Behr says. “What they don’t realize is that makeup was created for older women to look young like them. Makeup creates the illusion of a teen’s fresh, clean skin and perfect bone structure — so many of these girls are naturally skinny, so their cheekbones are doing amazing things and there are no dark circles around their eyes. Agents always send models to me because I let them look exactly the way they look. I do maybe a little concealer, mascara, and lip gloss — that simple combination will do everything for a young girl.”

Behr stresses that kids can show their personalities not necessarily through their clothing, but through their accessories. “Accessorize every shot,” he says. “Accessories are what give character to the outfit and tell more about a person than the clothes themselves. Necklaces, bracelets, even items such as vests and jackets reveal more about a person’s character. Kids that age always have a story behind the jewelry they’re wearing, whether it was a gift from Mom or Dad or a present from a best friend. Those quirky little extras lend a special feeling to the shot.”

Keep an eye out for certain elements that can mar an otherwise perfect photo. “One thing to always be mindful of are straps, like those found on a tanktop or cami,” Behr says. “Straps have a tendency to twist up.”

Behr mentions his photo shoot with Jasmine to illustrate the importance of natural beauty complemented by funky accessories. “Jasmine is a superstar out of Omaha, Nebraska,” he says. “I allowed the makeup artist to try to put makeup on her, but shortly before we shot her images, I made her go and take all of the makeup off. Plus, if you pay attention, you’ll notice that the accessories are what really pull that image together — otherwise, it would just be a boring outfit.” Behr made sure Jasmine was just the right distance away from the tree in the background: “If we had pulled her too far away from the tree, it would have looked like the tree was growing out of her head,” he laughs. “Instead, you get that nice texture of the tree — it adds some depth to the image.”

Behr suggests integrating your young subjects into the environment for the most effective portraits in this style. “Try to shoot in open fields and near lakes,” he says, “If there’s a tree there, put the tree to work; if there’s a bridge there, put the bridge to work. If there’s water, let the water become part of the image.”

His image of Abby holding a fiery red autumn leaf is a perfect example of tying in both the environment and the season. “It tells a lot about the time of year,” he says. “And you probably wouldn’t guess it, but it was freezing that day. She kept it looking very warm, though. In situations like that, if it’s cold outside, don’t say it’s cold. Instead, if the kid isn’t wearing a jacket, you don’t wear a jacket. She’ll think, ‘If he can tough it out, I can tough it out.’

Behr also refutes a common posing technique: “When people are trying to shoot models, there’s a tendency to tell them to put their chin down,” he says. “To me, that always has a very negative effect — it makes people look like they’re trying too hard to be sexy. Instead, I say, ‘Bad girls put their chins down; proud girls put their chins up!’”

To minimize facial disproportions (e.g., a larger nose), Behr recommends finding a nice shaded area and starting to photograph one side of the face. “Keep taking shots as the subject turns her face all the way to the other side,” he says. “You’ll end up with 10 images: If the nose is crooked, for example, there will come a point where the nose is neutral and the crookedness ends up working with the rest of the face. Once you’ve found that point, you basically know from which direction you’ll be shooting that subject each time.”

To put young subjects in their best light, make sure they’re not immersed in direct sunlight that’s hitting their faces. “They can be in the sun — as long as it’s at their back,” Behr explains. “When you have someone staring into the sun, their eyes squint like crazy and it can create really harsh shadows. It’s just too difficult for anyone to deal with. When you turn them away from the sun, however, the sun acts as a hairlight and provides a nice glow behind them. Plus they can keep their eyes open.” This was the idea Behr had in mind when he positioned Jule underneath a canopy where a whole bunch of trees had shed their leaves. “I put her in an entirely shaded area,” says Behr. “I wanted to make sure no sun was hitting her face directly.”

You can get creative with interior light, too, if you need to shoot indoors. His image of Emma, for example, has caused more than a few viewers to think he shot it inside a studio with electric flash. “The truth is, I placed a large white piece of foamcore in the doorway of my apartment; I waited for the sun to hit the house across the street and turn it into a huge reflector,” he says. “The sun came in really nicely without having to use direct sunlight.”

Getting teens to relax during a portrait shoot requires attention to detail and patience — especially if it’s your own child you’re photographing. “One of the most important things is to consistently, throughout the shoot, tell them how good they look,” says Behr. “At the same time, if something seems off, address it so they know you’re paying attention to the smallest detail. For instance, if a hair is out of place, suggest it be moved. That way they know you’re not just snapping away and that you’re paying attention.”

Taking the focus off of the shoot itself can also facilitate a more natural image. “It’s been my experience when you put people in a situation and act like you’re doing something like making adjustments in the camera, when they don’t see the camera pointed at them, they do what comes naturally to them,” he says. “The images come out better that way than the ones they pose for. When I took a picture of Kenzie near the shore of a lake, for example, she thought I was just trying to deal with something inside my camera, so I was able to shoot all kinds of images of her just being her.”

Most of all, break from your usual parental role to ensure a successful photo shoot. “You don’t want the kids to see you as Mom and Dad — you want them to see you as the camera,” says Behr. “They can be afraid of trying in front of their parents — that’s why so many professionals don’t want the parents there when the kids are being photographed. Try and break from the ‘parent’ character and assume a different role. If you’re otherwise strict, for example, try to be more relaxed on set. Tell them, ‘These pictures are about you and who you are, not who I want you to be.’ By allowing them to express themselves without criticism in terms of clothing and things like that, you make headway in front of the camera—and maybe even in your relationship!”

For more of Christian Behr’s work, go to www.christianbehr.com.