People Photography – Tips To Take Great Portraits And Candid Photos

People photography is what cameras were made for. I know that there are photographers out there who only shoot landscapes but most folks love to photograph people. Here are a few simple tips to make better photos. First some categories:

1.  Kids – Usually, there’s no problem documenting any child, anywhere and anytime. Even if they are shy, wait a few minutes and the shy child will be begging you to take another picture. Kids have the, “watch me,” gene. Watch me do this, watch me do that. So, capturing them is hardly ever a problem. Just have a tiny bit of patience and they will come around.

2.  Teenagers – Again with a little patience and smarts you can wear down the most petulant teen. Talk to them and tell them what you are trying to do. Sometimes they are just looking for a sympathetic ear and then you can snap away. So, be smart, wait and listen and you will probably be rewarded.

3.  Adults – These folks still have the, “watch me gene,” going strong. It might be disguised so you need to give them a good reason for the shoot. Like, “It’s for the birthday boy,” etc. Then they probably grumble a bit and then you can’t stop them.

4.  Adults – Shy. This is a bad category for photographers. This consists of adult women who will hunt you down and rip your SD card right out of your camera if you dare to take even one photo of them. This category also consists of those with a sixth sense right before you trip the shutter they will turn or hide their face. You cannot win with this group. Offer money, threaten them or even offer PhotoShop work, nothing will sway their will. Move on!

5.  Adults – Protestors. This is a group of people that you can work to move into the goood category. They can be outsmarted by waiting them out just like small children, they will forget about you and start acting normally. Don’t believe me? Check out any reality show on television. They forget about the cameras and start doing crazy, real-life wacky things. Use this to your advantage and you will start getting great images.

Now a few tips:

1.  Look for soft and complimentary lighting. Nothing makes a person madder than an unflattering photo. Ambient lighting or Open shade makes the best portrait lights. Look under an overhang or in front of a window.

2.  Try to use a shallow depth of field. On a DSLR use the smallest number on your lens possible (2.8 – 4.5). This will cause your viewers eyes to stay on your subject and not the background.

3.  Focus on the nearest eye. Yes it does matter. We are subconsciously looking at the eyes of a person (the window of the soul). So, focus on the nearest one to your lens and you will grab and keep the attention of your viewer.

4.  Lastly, concentrate on your background. Aunt Mabel will not look kindly on a tree branch sprouting from the back of her head like a moose’s antler. After composing your fantastic portrait, look around the border of your viewfinder/LCD before tripping the shutter. Your portraits will be cleaner and less cluttered by just being aware of the entire frame and not just the subject.

Educate yourself and your people photography will be taken to the next level.