| Taking great portraits is as much about people skills | | | | helm of his beloved sail boat, on a beautiful late |
| as it is about technical ability, or using the latest and | | | | afternoon, just as the boat was coming about? What |
| greatest photographic equipment. Sure, refining your | | | | would be said of this portrait years later? "This was |
| technical skills and knowledge may expand the extent | | | | Charlie, doing what he loved most! That was such a |
| of your capabilities, and using superior equipment may | | | | glorious day." The point is, "keep it honest". Fantasy |
| indeed boost your edge. But, unless you can first see | | | | can be cute, but your subject being herself, years |
| through your subject's eyes, and understand her as a | | | | later this will be much more meaningful. The image |
| unique individual, and then build rapport with her so | | | | galleries at [ show good examples of allowing the |
| you can unveil and accentuate her finest qualities, | | | | subject to be herself and then capturing elegant but |
| your portraits will remain mediocre at best. Some | | | | honest portraits of her. |
| lessons learned along my journey as a photographer | | | | 4. Allow your subject's expression to be honest. A |
| may help those who choose to follow. | | | | frown or a grimace that is genuinely felt can be more |
| 1. If using a tripod, compose your portrait and then | | | | interesting than a smile that is forced. I try to never |
| take one step just to the side and forward from the | | | | just pose my subject and then say, "Okay, now |
| camera. Do not look through the viewfinder as you | | | | smile for me." If you want your subject to smile then |
| capture your subject's image. This allows you to | | | | tell a joke, put on a face, or perhaps merely smile at |
| make eye contact initially with your subject, and then | | | | her and she will smile back at you. People generally |
| direct her in mood, expression, position, and the angle | | | | tend to reflect in their face what they see in yours, |
| of gaze you are aiming for. When your subject | | | | but in my experience this is not always so. |
| interacts with your camera, the result can be a cold | | | | Nevertheless, interaction with your subject is the key. |
| or lifeless rendering, but when you engage your | | | | That being said, the next time you have a difficult |
| subject through eye contact, expression, gestures | | | | subject ask him to tell you a joke, to bring out a |
| and words, the result can be a warm and candid | | | | smile, if that's the expression you are after. If you |
| reflection, charged with mood or emotion. | | | | are a professional, you know that smiles sell, but if |
| 2. If you are not using a tripod, you really should | | | | you're an amateur, you are under no pressure to sell, |
| redouble your effort to maintain constant interaction | | | | so make your portraits interesting. Not everything in |
| with your subject. Many photographers tend to keep | | | | the world is to smile about. |
| their eyes in the viewfinder of the camera, but this | | | | 5. Direct your portraits. Take control of the |
| leads to your subject interacting more with the front | | | | composition of your portraits! Do not be afraid to tell |
| glass in your lens than with you. Again, you do not | | | | or show your subject what you want. Sometimes |
| want the sterile and lifeless rendering that most | | | | showing is best. I often find that actually |
| often comes when the camera serves to isolate you | | | | demonstrating a pose I have in mind, works better |
| the photographer from your subject. Interaction with | | | | than trying to direct my subject through words alone. |
| an inanimate object (your camera) can never be a | | | | If you are photographing a group, your life will be |
| substitute for interaction with another human being | | | | easier, if you arrange and pose the adults first. Then, |
| (you), when your goal is to capture the essence of | | | | work your way from oldest (or more mature and |
| your subject, and reflect the attitude and emotion | | | | settled) to youngest of the children. The point to |
| she was feeling at that moment in time. | | | | remember is, as the photographer, you should take |
| 3. Allow your subject to be herself. A little girl | | | | charge of the shot. The success or failure of the |
| dressed up in fairy wings for a special picture is very | | | | portrait will be your responsibility, so take charge. |
| cute, and I suppose there is a place in this world for | | | | Engage your subject to establish and build rapport |
| cute. But, contrast this with the little girl who just | | | | with her, to take your photos to a higher level. Make |
| loves to dance. You put her in her everyday clothes, | | | | your portraits more meaningful by keeping them |
| stand her in front of a plain backdrop, put on her | | | | honest, and natural. We all know a fantasy photo can |
| favorite music and say to her, "can you show me | | | | be cute, and a formally posed portrait can be |
| how to dance to this song?" You should have no | | | | graceful and dignified, if that is your subject's |
| difficulty in capturing timeless expressions there. Now | | | | personality. But, a portrait that is true to the subject |
| imagine a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy whose true | | | | is always more meaningful. Allow your subject to be |
| passion in all of life is sailing. You dress him up in a | | | | herself, and never force an expression. Learn to take |
| tailored suit; formally pose him in front of a low key | | | | charge and direct your portraits and you will move |
| backdrop, seated in a Chippendale chair, and use | | | | far ahead in your journey as a photographer. Practice |
| classic loop lighting. What would be said of this | | | | your people skills with each portrait you take. People |
| portrait years later? "Who was this guy, an | | | | skills are the prerequisite to all else, if you want to |
| executive?" But just suppose, you photographed this | | | | take great portraits. Good day and happy clicking! |
| same guy in his favorite t-shirt and blue jeans, at the | | | | |