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