I visited a house of my friend who is a photographer. In his living room there was a huge collage photo frame. hanging on a wall; filled with amazingly good portraits he took of his friends. They were taken outside of the studio: on the market, in the office, on the street, in the house…While looking at them I was stunned how well he caught not only the looks of those people, but reflected their personalities. Since I am still a newbie in photography, I asked how he did that. He agreed to share some tips of how to take a good portrait:
1. There should always be some characteristic in a portrait – each photographed person has its own mimics, it’s own expressions which are unique and sometimes last really briefly – it’s not easy to capture “this special moment” in every shot, but keep your eyes open and wait this magical moment to press the shutter.
2. There should be a meaning full story behind the shot. Don’t ask your models to pose – they should be natural, caught in their own life; you may want to interact with them or be invisible voyer, but try to understand the scene and the point of time and the story of a photographed person.
3. Train yourself to choose the right composition while photographing people. It’s not only about the face – sometimes the background and the body language plays as important role in depicting the character. Look for a relevant backround. If it’s disturbing, focus on the person.
4. Avoid using flashes, they not only change the look of the faces, but create less intimate atmosphere. Use natural light – the best during dusk or dawn “the magical hours”.
5. Don’t be afraid to shoot in public. You might feel awkward while photographing strangers without them knowing, but you could go unnoticed. Or simply ask for permission and take pictures of unnamed people while doing their work, waiting, having coffe or just passing by. On many occasions people will feel flattered that you want them to model for you.