# My Fear of People Photography



## Sabaki (Jan 4, 2016)

Hi everyone 

So how do I get over my fear of people photography?

Macro, landscape and wildlife are my favourite and most explored genres. I've won a couple of local competitions and although not spectacular, consider myself a fairly competent photographer. 

There's something about people photography though that just sets it apart from other genre. Where one can marvel at a well taken wildlife or landscape image, I feel one can connect to a far greater extent to a good portrait. An expression, an emotion captured I feel transcends just a visual pay off. 

Well, that's my theory anyway. 

I've also got some okay kit to do some portraiture. I reckon with my 6D, 24-70, 70-200 and 600RT-EX, maybe even my 50mm f/1.8ii, I have competent gear for it. 

Except I lose all confidence when faced with the prospect of having a person or persons in front of my lens. I have this illogical fear that I'm going to take the absolute worst photos possible and tend to avoid putting people in front of my lens. I would just hate to be responsible for taking shitty pics of a memorable day. 

Part of the issue is not fully understanding what I can accomplish with a single flash unit, both indoors and out. I also feel shy when having to pose my model, mainly because I think my interaction can be the cause of a model not translating well into my photos. 

Can anybody offer me some advice or experiences on how to overcome this please? I really want to add portraiture to my body of work. 

I'd highly appreciate any help

Thanks everybody


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## kaihp (Jan 4, 2016)

Sabaki said:


> Hi everyone
> 
> So how do I get over my fear of people photography?



Hi Sabaki,

Have you considered taking a night class in portraits? Usually the teacher will walk you through setting things up, lighting etc, then have you both sit as model and also try your hand/eye as the photographer. I guess some even hires in models to sit for you.

That way, you get to try it and practice without so much at stake.

Go for it.


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## Sabaki (Jan 4, 2016)

kaihp said:


> Sabaki said:
> 
> 
> > Hi everyone
> ...



Hi Kaihp 

I never thought of that! A portrait workshop or course...let me go see what's available


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## bluemoon (Jan 4, 2016)

also look up Adam Marelli video on his lecture at BnH.

pierre


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## Don Haines (Jan 4, 2016)

take a class

practice on a friend (or the family pet)


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## dexstrose (Jan 4, 2016)

I've made tons of mistakes in portrait photography. After a few years, I understand what I'm doing wrong and can make quick adjustments. 

I would have to say just do it. Grab a friend and go for it. Along the way, you'll find out what you need to improve on the technical and mental aspects. 

Take a look at other photos. Try to recreate the ones you like. Later on, you'll develope your own style.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jan 4, 2016)

I agree that its a frightening issue to have someone pay for a one time photography session and being afraid of botching it. Make sure you have a backup plan, 2nd body and lens, backup flash, etc. That should reduce the anxiety. A camera with 2 memory cards provides some extra reliability from losing photos.


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## Jeffrey (Jan 4, 2016)

I tried people photography with a coach on a few occasions and simply didn't like it. I prefer landscapes, nature, and macro. Now I rarely if ever shoot people even when traveling on vacation.


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## Orangutan (Jan 4, 2016)

I agree with the above recommendations, and will add a couple other suggestions. Buy a mannequin for technical practice. Also, look for volunteer subjects. Offer them free portraits for their time; HOWEVER, tell them openly that you're just learning portraiture, and will likely make lots of mistakes, so you don't guarantee anything will come out well. Make a point of laughing at your own errors with your volunteer models present to get accustomed to making and correcting your mistakes.


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## jebrady03 (Jan 4, 2016)

look into this: https://www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/

It's a great idea to get you started. I tagged along with someone doing this and it was simply available light photography. A prime lens mounted in Manual with SS and Aperture set with auto ISO. He tended to pick areas in open shade to get the catchlights in the eyes.

The intro was really easy for him as he's photographed almost 1000 strangers. Everyone we met was happy to help but he said he occasionally does get someone who requests he not take their picture. And he moves along. For him, it was less about photography and more about getting out of his shell. It can be whatever it needs to be for you.

A possible introduction for you could be: "Hi, good morning/afternoon. My name is _____ and photography is a hobby of mine. I usually take pictures of ______ but lately I've been wanting to learn portraiture. What's your name? It's really nice to meet you ______. ______, I was wondering if you would do me a favor, part of my learning process is to work with as many people as possible to learn as much as I can about portrait photography. I heard about a project called "100 strangers" where a photographer is supposed to go out, meet 100 people, and ask if he/she can take their picture - the purpose is to grow as a photographer and hopefully produce a nice picture of the subject. Seeing as how we're strangers, I was hoping you'd do me a favor and let me take your picture, but if not, that's completely okay as well."

You could trim that down a bit, of course and make it work for you. Then of course while you're snapping a picture or two "getting your settings right", make some small talk. "So _____, I really enjoy photography, what do you do in your spare time?" Learn about the stranger, engage them, make them feel relaxed. That will make for great shots!

I'd recommend keeping some of your images on your phone to show them you're not some creep. At first, have pictures you've taken of landscapes, etc. Once you get a few portraits, keep those on there. In fact, a blog might be a great idea too. You could even get some business cards printed up with your contact info and a link to your blog and ask the strangers to check it out. ALWAYS email them a full sized jpg upon request.

Here's a link to the guys blog that I followed for a day: http://deinfaces.com/

Bob asked people not to smile, although many still do. He often chooses subjects that have a unique look (hair, a hat, flashy this/that, natural beauty, homeless, etc.).

Hope this helps!


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## Pookie (Jan 4, 2016)

jebrady03 said:


> look into this: https://www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/
> 
> It's a great idea to get you started. I tagged along with someone doing this and it was simply available light photography. A prime lens mounted in Manual with SS and Aperture set with auto ISO. He tended to pick areas in open shade to get the catchlights in the eyes.
> 
> ...



Interested in who you were shooting with as I know many who have participated in the project since 2009? Bob Dein out of Florida? 

I was just going to suggest this group... I was a Admin for 100 Strangers (2009-2012) and wrote the rules for participation. It has helped many with your similar concerns. I have been shooting strangers for over a decade and it is the one past time that I can say has truly helped me connect with my clients on a daily basis. I've probably taken over 6k stranger portraits now and continue to do so. Once you're past the butterflies of approaching people then the real connections occur. It never get "easy" and rejections still hurt but the pay off is priceless. I've even recommended this to a few members here who are now undertaking the project. 

It's also a practice advocated by many highly successful professionals. The best part, there are always subjects to work with. If you get shot down, right around the corner another person is waiting 

Here are some of my fave stranger portraits over the last few years.


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## jebrady03 (Jan 4, 2016)

Bob Dein. Really great guy!


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## Pookie (Jan 4, 2016)

jebrady03 said:


> Bob Dein. Really great guy!



Yep, that's the guy... he was booted from the group last year though unfortunately.


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## Zeidora (Jan 4, 2016)

How about *NOT* doing people? I'm in the very same boat as OP. Happy with macro, landscape, all sorts of technical imaging. Plenty of published images, incl. temp and permanent museum exhibits. But people? No thanks, I find it creepy. I also don't like to be photographed.

Unless there's a reason, I would not bother. Play to your strengths. There are so many ways of challenging yourself, but retain the fun in the activity: z-stacking, focus trapping, HDR, stitching, astro, LF, etc.

It also saves me some cash, as I otherwise would have to get the Otus 85


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## Besisika (Jan 4, 2016)

Zeidora said:


> How about *NOT* doing people? I'm in the very same boat as OP. Happy with macro, landscape, all sorts of technical imaging. Plenty of published images, incl. temp and permanent museum exhibits. But people? No thanks, I find it creepy. I also don't like to be photographed.
> 
> Unless there's a reason, I would not bother. Play to your strengths. There are so many ways of challenging yourself, but retain the fun in the activity: z-stacking, focus trapping, HDR, stitching, astro, LF, etc.
> 
> It also saves me some cash, as I otherwise would have to get the Otus 85


No offense, but sounds like an Ostrich to me.
I understand if you don't like it. The OP wants to do it, just afraid of failure I guess.

You have the gear, you have the attitude to learn, what you need (at least in my mind) is a photo partner.
It is someone in the same situation as you, you shoot him/her, he shoots you and you exchange what you discover. Going to class is a good place to find one. You will understand each other, both as a shooter and as a photog.
My biggest suggestion is, do it step by step and don't jump to the sky right away.
I would start with ambient + outdoor light, then ambient indoor, then indoor with flash, then outdoor with flash.
Same thing, just shoot without posing to start with - just vary different parameters like fullbody, vs head shot, then different vantage point, then different focal length, etc and once you are confident with all that then learn to pose and stage.
Many people start with manual flash with posing the subject because of some fabulous photo they saw on the internet - recipe for failure.


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## unfocused (Jan 4, 2016)

First, a true story.

When I was much younger (in the 1970s) I worked for awhile as a newspaper photographer. I was the "second" photographer and spent much of my time doing the lab work, while the lead photographer spent his days looking for pictures. 

Anyway, we often had people come into the newspaper offices to have a portrait shot for a variety of reasons -- ads, they earned some special recognition, they were the subject of a feature story, etc. The senior photographer was very conscientious and technically-minded. He took great care to set up the lights and took portraits that emphasized the light and modeling of the face. 

Being less experienced, I was more concerned with just making sure the exposure was in the right neighborhood and the person looked decent. So, I usually just set up a single umbrella and shot away, all the while talking to the person to find out their backstory and put them at ease. 

Invariably, the subjects loved the pictures I took. His, not so much. I figured out that while he was technically a better photographer he treated the subjects as little more than objects and never established any rapport with them. People liked my photographs because they had a good time while I was taking them. They didn't care about the technical details and even if the pictures were less than perfect, it didn't matter because they were predisposed to like them, since they liked me.

Nearly 40 years later, I'm still not the greatest technician (although the tools we have today are much, much better and easier to use), but whenever I need to take portraits, I try to concentrate on the person, not on my photography. If people like you and have a good time getting their picture taken, they will look better and be more satisfied with the picture. Only you will notice the technical flaws (and there will always be technical flaws).

This segues into another key point. I think many photographers dislike portraiture because it's not about them and satisfying their own tastes. The subject has to be your partner and for introverts who like to hide behind a camera (isn't that the case with most of us?) it's tough to engage the other person and even tougher to hand over some control and get them actively involved in creating their own portrait. 

Ultimately though, it can be the most rewarding type of photography and certainly the most interesting. Let's face it, we may be incredibly proud of a perfect landscape picture we take, but most people are not going to sit there and admire it with the same enthusiasm that we do. 

I've done just a few high school senior portraits (for friends of the family) and have found it surprisingly rewarding, largely because I have an opportunity to take some insecure kid who is not the most popular or beautiful person in their class and make them look the best they've ever looked. It's great fun to think about Plain Jane Smith handing out her senior pictures and half the boys in the class wondering why they were too blind to ask her to prom.


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## Pookie (Jan 4, 2016)

Sabaki said:


> I've also got some okay kit to do some portraiture. I reckon with my 6D, 24-70, 70-200 and 600RT-EX, maybe even my 50mm f/1.8ii, I have competent gear for it.
> 
> Except I lose all confidence when faced with the prospect of having a person or persons in front of my lens. I have this illogical fear that I'm going to take the absolute worst photos possible and tend to avoid putting people in front of my lens. I would just hate to be responsible for taking S___ty pics of a memorable day.
> 
> Part of the issue is not fully understanding what I can accomplish with a single flash unit, both indoors and out. I also feel shy when having to pose my model, mainly because I think my interaction can be the cause of a model not translating well into my photos.



Rereading your post I thought I might offer a bit more... your kit is superb for portraiture. I often use the 24-70 II or 70-200 II. That 50mm is probably your best bet though as you can control the light/dof easier with the ability to go to 1.8. Other fine choices would be the 85mm (1.8 or 1.2) or maybe a nice 135 for head shots.

I'd drop the flash for early work though as it adds a bit more complexity to the equation. I'd go natural light and reflectors (pricey ones or foam core board) to better understand how to control the situation and the lighting. Then add in a flash when you're confident with ambient light. And when you do use the flash, pull it off axis.

The greatest aspect of stranger shooting though is the primary reason for undertaking a photo project like 100 Strangers... connecting with people. Much of what photographers fear with portraiture is what you've expressed... The "f'ing" up. When you approach people on the street the first thing you encounter is fear of rejection. Then you become less sensitized to that and start to worry about f'ing up the tech details (focus, DOF, composition, checking the settings, etc...) Both of these aspects are usually overcome relatively easily with practice. The next big hurdle is evaluating the environment you have to work with, where the light is coming from, backgrounds, etc...

All of these aspects become second thoughts though, you become proficient and soon your working at a higher level. This is where I find stranger photography to be indispensable... you'll find that the best portraits you get are when you and your subject are completely comfortable. You don't think about the camera or the settings or the lens. With practice comes ease and confidence, and this is where your subjects will appreciate you as a seasoned photographer. You can talk with your subjects, really talk... laugh... offer posing suggestions and get your subject to let their guard down a bit... show you who they really are. 

Stranger photography does all this and if you can succeed in talking a complete stranger into a 2-3 minute portrait session on the street your skills as a portrait photographer will soar. As for royally f'ing up... it's going to happen. So what, they are strangers. Thank them for their time, shake hands and part ways. I give out my business card if they ask but no pressure. The big question is can you recover, learn and move on to the next one. When your shooting strangers that could be minutes away or next week... it's up to you.


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## Omar H (Jan 5, 2016)

You have received really good advice here, if you want to photograph people, then go ahead, take that class and take as many people pics as possible until you're able to gain the confidence you lack today.

On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with keeping to nature and everything else, other than people. If it's a hobby for you, then the last thing you should have is being stressed out by your hobby.

Regards,


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## pwp (Jan 5, 2016)

unfocused said:


> First, a true story.
> 
> When I was much younger (in the 1970s) I worked for awhile as a newspaper photographer. I was the "second" photographer and spent much of my time doing the lab work, while the lead photographer spent his days looking for pictures.
> 
> ...



+1 This post should be bookmarked by photographers starting out. In some respects it mirrors my own experience. There are a million photographers who would leave me eating dirt when it comes to technical abilities, but I've made a very successful career photographing people mainly by looking for or creating that magic human moment, and shooting that. Like Unfocussed I started out on newspapers where you had to come up with people shots that would both make the news pages sing, plus form part of the ticket to my ongoing career which has been decades of fun. 

Photos without people in them seem somehow incomplete to me. Where some photographers may wait for people to walk out of their shot while shooting a scene for example, I wait for them to walk in. 

People ask me the best way to photograph people. I say make it fun for them with good appropriate humour, skilled, genuinely interested (in them) conversation, and to look for the glow and shoot that. Shoot the magic moments that could go on and on or be here-and-gone in a heartbeat. I once shot a CEO level executive who had a long-held consideration that she was un-photogenic. We were flowing along nicely and she was relaxed and enjoying the process. She wept when I showed her the shots which communicated her professionalism, credibility and the human spirit. She went on to tell me that on her wedding day 25 years ago, the photographer was irritated with her and kept saying he was going to be hard-pressed to get a decent shot of her. What a mongrel photographer! So in its subtle way, a successful shoot can be life changing for your subject. 

In a world appallingly and destructively obsessed with body image, a photographer with an eye for the magic of the human spirit can help right the wrong. Look at what the Humans of New York guy has achieved. 

Being a photographer sure beats the hell out of having to work for a living.

-pw


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## Sabaki (Jan 5, 2016)

Everyone, thank you all so very much for the eye opening advise you've shared with me! I always say it but I reckon this may very well be the very best photographic community out there and I feel privileged to be part of it.

I've taken 5 pointers than I'm going to use as my starting point:
1. Accept that I am going to make mistakes
2. Buy a mannequin to figure out light
3. Shoot strangers or easy going family to gain confidence
4. Work out a fun, comfortable dialogue and learn how to set a 'friendly' tone 
5. Attend a portraiture/lighting course in the next 3 months

This is a hump I simply must get over!


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## Sabaki (Jan 5, 2016)

jebrady03 said:


> look into this: https://www.flickr.com/groups/100strangers/
> 
> For him, it was less about photography and more about getting out of his shell. It can be whatever it needs to be for you.



This is the crux of the matter right now, getting out of my shell! Really enjoyed your reply, thank you 



unfocused said:


> The senior photographer was very conscientious and technically-minded. He took great care to set up the lights and took portraits that emphasized the light and modeling of the face.
> 
> Being less experienced, I was more concerned with just making sure the exposure was in the right neighborhood and the person looked decent. So, I usually just set up a single umbrella and shot away, all the while talking to the person to find out their backstory and put them at ease.
> 
> Invariably, the subjects loved the pictures I took. His, not so much. I figured out that while he was technically a better photographer he treated the subjects as little more than objects and never established any rapport with them. People liked my photographs because they had a good time while I was taking them. They didn't care about the technical details and even if the pictures were less than perfect, it didn't matter because they were predisposed to like them, since they liked me.



This is absolutely gold! I'm going to focus on this quite a bit and although I want to do well with the settings etc, I want to be a photographer who can translate a mood in my images.



Pookie said:


> *Much of what photographers fear with portraiture is what you've expressed... The "f'ing" up*. When you approach people on the street the first thing you encounter is fear of rejection. Then you become less sensitized to that and start to worry about f'ing up the tech details (focus, DOF, composition, checking the settings, etc...) Both of these aspects are usually overcome relatively easily with practice. The next big hurdle is evaluating the environment you have to work with, where the light is coming from, backgrounds, etc...
> 
> All of these aspects become second thoughts though, you become proficient and soon your working at a higher level. This is where I find stranger photography to be indispensable... you'll find that the best portraits you get are when you and your subject are completely comfortable. You don't think about the camera or the settings or the lens. With practice comes ease and confidence, and this is where your subjects will appreciate you as a seasoned photographer. You can talk with your subjects, really talk... laugh... offer posing suggestions and get your subject to let their guard down a bit... show you who they really are.
> 
> Stranger photography does all this and if you can succeed in talking a complete stranger into a 2-3 minute portrait session on the street your skills as a portrait photographer will soar.* As for royally f'ing up... it's going to happen*. So what, they are strangers. Thank them for their time, shake hands and part ways. I give out my business card if they ask but no pressure. The big question is can you recover, learn and move on to the next one. When your shooting strangers that could be minutes away or next week... it's up to you.



This speaks directly to me and directly to the crap that passes through my mind when I think about doing people photography. 
I'm going to throw my 24-70 onto my 6D, leave all my other kit at home and venture out to places with loads of people and just try my hand taking their images.

I think this may be the start of something 



pwp said:


> People ask me the best way to photograph people. *I say make it fun for them with good appropriate humour, skilled, genuinely interested (in them) conversation, and to look for the glow and shoot that. Shoot the magic moments that could go on and on or be here-and-gone in a heartbeat*. I once shot a CEO level executive who had a long-held consideration that she was un-photogenic. We were flowing along nicely and she was relaxed and enjoying the process. She wept when I showed her the shots which communicated her professionalism, credibility and the human spirit. She went on to tell me that on her wedding day 25 years ago, the photographer was irritated with her and kept saying he was going to be hard-pressed to get a decent shot of her. What a mongrel photographer! So in its subtle way, a successful shoot can be life changing for your subject.


A local photographer once told me that the best people photographers have the ability to make Mother Theresa feel comfortable while being naked in front of a lens. 

You guys are really incredible! I really appreciate all the knowledge you've sent my way. A million thank yous everyone


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## pj1974 (Jan 5, 2016)

This is a great thread... some real valuable gems of information and experience. I can particularly recommend what unfocused and pw have written / shared.

My experience is different in part, and similar in other parts. I do quite a lot of event photography, though that's not my 'preferred' genre (my passion is in nature: landscape, macro and wildlife).

Won't add much more than to endorse the importance of positive interactions with people. I do and have done a lot of children and camp photography - and where possible, make a point of allowing the children / people at camps or other events / occasions) - to get to know me / be more familiar with me, before I even bring my camera out.

Capturing the 'individual' is so important (much more so than getting a 100% technically perfect photo at the expense of a stressed subject!)

Regards

Paul


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## Sabaki (Jan 5, 2016)

pj1974 said:


> This is a great thread... some real valuable gems of information and experience. I can particularly recommend what unfocused and pw have written / shared.
> 
> My experience is different in part, and similar in other parts. I do quite a lot of event photography, though that's not my 'preferred' genre (my passion is in nature: landscape, macro and wildlife).
> 
> ...



Thanks for the feedback Paul 

How do you find shooting kids as opposed to adults and pro models versus non pros? Do you alter your approach and expectationsat all?

P.S. I'm also a 'Paul' from 1974, second name John!  Nice to meet ya ;D


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## drmikeinpdx (Jan 5, 2016)

Lots of wisdom in this thread! I'm struggling to find something to contribute.... OK, here's some portrait advice that some will disagree with.

Sharpness is not required for most portrait photography. It's fine for portraits of weather-beaten street people, but most subjects (especially paying clients) don't want to look like that.

You don't need the sharpest L lens or a high-megapixel body. You need people skills and lighting skills. 

The best equipment is that with which you are familiar enough to get consistent results without having to devote most of your attention to the camera.


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## distant.star (Jan 6, 2016)

.
You may not like this, but the only thing in this thread worth a damn is what unfocused had to say.

Portrait work is about connecting with people. If you can do that, you can do portraits. If you don't like people or aren't interested in them, give it up before you even try.

Peter Hurley is one of the best guys in the business. He knows it's all about psychology (at least once you've gotten the photographic technical aspects mastered). You're not taking a picture of a face, you're taking a picture of the person inside that head -- the heart and soul of that person. As the photographer, the guy running the camera, you have to make that heart and soul visible -- it's there, but it has to be coaxed out because people are never, ever comfortable in front of the camera!

Spend 40 minutes with this video. Hurley has a lot of training videos, but this interview gets him at his most honest and most insightful...

https://youtu.be/_uW_s0DgoJc


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## pwp (Jan 6, 2016)

distant.star said:


> .
> You may not like this, but the only thing in this thread worth a damn is what unfocused had to say....


Really!? I'm sure everyone will be super quick to agree with you. ???

-pw


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## unfocused (Jan 6, 2016)

pwp said:


> distant.star said:
> 
> 
> > .
> ...



I know someone who might agree with that. (Actually, I think I'll copy that quote and insert it into a bunch of other threads.)


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## RobertG. (Jan 6, 2016)

distant.star said:


> .
> ...
> Portrait work is about connecting with people. ....



The first sentence of your post is pretty offensive. It speaks of your ignorance. Hopefully you are not wasting time reading any post here... The rest of what you said is what others had said before. 

All of the 2nd page of this thread speaks about psychology. How to connect to the people. How to convince them. How to act in front of them. Portrait photography is a service and an experience. It's not about a technical perfect photo but about taking photos of people showing their emotions and their personality. It's not about taking photos of a face or face + body. The person should not smile into "the camera". They should not smile for "the photographer". They should smile for you and with you. You just happen to have a camera in hand. Make a connection, provoke the right emotions and share the same emotions, if necessary. You want to capture confidence and professionalism? Provoke these feelings during your conversation. And while doing so, snap some photos. Of course you need to know the technical aspects, so that you can fully focus on the person.


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## Besisika (Jan 6, 2016)

distant.star said:


> .
> You may not like this, but the only thing in this thread worth a damn is what unfocused had to say.
> 
> Portrait work is about connecting with people. If you can do that, you can do portraits. If you don't like people or aren't interested in them, give it up before you even try.
> ...


Indeed, I don't like it. And you might actually insulted some portrait photographers with that.
Let me see if I can express myself in a term that you could understand.

Someone said once, the worst enemy of great is good.
Indeed, Hurley is a great photographer. Sad thing is that you used his great name to defend yours.
Not sure if that is fair with respect to him, as clearly you are not him.
What he is saying is that expression is what separates the man (like himself) from the boys (like myself).

Many photographers are satisfied in achieving a "perfection" according to his standard on one aspect of photography and use that as his "signature". These are "good" photographers.
Some, will try, or die trying, to achieve perfection on all aspects of photography. These are the masters.

Photography is most and foremost about lighting. Everything else is secondary.
Lighting is the foundation of portrait, no exception. Not sure if you paid attention but Hurley's lighting is actually quite advanced and "expensive".
Without good lighting, your good expression is nothing. By telling that light doesn't matter you insult all people who spent years studying things like open shade, natural reflection, golden hour, etc.. 
In movie making they have to hire one important guy (if not the most important) that they call a DP whose job mainly is about lighting and camera. The expression is up to the actors and the director. Why would they spend that money if the DP is not important? Remember, movie is a set of 24 frames of stills per second.
You want to do portrait, master your lighting first. Then work on composition, depth and dimension, staging if needed, posing and then expression.
Please don't run if don't even know yet how to stand up.

You said that "Portrait work is about connecting with people". That is totally wrong.
Portrait is about bringing the best of your subject. If the subject is shy and closed, why would you misrepresent his story by telling the whole planet that is opened? If he is a sad person, why would you make him a happy one? If you expand your vision a little bit then you would have known that portrait is not always a single photos, it could be a part of a photo story (like wedding), could be environmental, and of course could be a part of a movie.
What you represent on your portrait should represent the truthfulness of the story you are saying starting from lighting all the way to expression, otherwise it would be disconnected from reality and would create a lack of continuity in your story.

Someone posted a photo earlier. That is a good photo, not a great photo. At least in my eyes. Lighting is just horrible. Expression is great though, she was happy with you.


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## Pookie (Jan 6, 2016)

Besisika said:


> Someone posted a photo earlier. That is a good photo, not a great photo. At least in my eyes. Lighting is just horrible. Expression is great though, she was happy with you.



That's why I call these types of images gifts... It's something your subject gives you when your working with a comfortable person. It doesn't have to be a smile either. It is a great moment of time to capture though and a really huge part of the equation.

What I find odd about distant's comments is the lack of context in his observations of this thread. Prob did not read the thread and just bombed with a crappy comment. Had he actually read other's and the OP's comments he would see he was making the same point everyone else has. 

It isn't about the light, or the composition, or the interest of the subject, or personal interaction, or etc... It's about all of that and then some luck or serendipity. That's why anyone can take a good portrait with a little practice. Not everyone can take a great portrait. It really takes work to make it all come together all at once. I've been taking portraits for more than I care to admit and although I feel I do well, I am my worst critic. The point I'm trying to make is this... Portraiture is an easy undertaking that you'll always have to work if you want better than average (for you or your subject).

Part of this that no one here has mentioned but is indispensable... research. When you really delve into what makes the greats great you find every single photographer struggles with these very topics. How to improve, insecurities, perfectionism... regrets. Pick your favorites and read what they have said. I like Friedlander, Frank, Erwitt, Lebowitz, Heisler, this list could go on and on. My personal favorite though is Avedon. Neurotic, ego-maniac, brilliant master. Watch Richard Avedon: Darkness and Light and you'll see a brief glimpse into a portrait photographers inner mind and his stellar work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1f3egvLwVE


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## Sabaki (Jan 9, 2016)

Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who took the time to impart their wisdom on me as it encouraged me to go out and shoot people!

I went with a group of fellow enthusiasts who came along with camera gear, a makeup box and some props and we took some pics for about 2 hours.

Most of my experience this morning was putting the theory I spent hours researching into practice. Balancing ambient and flash, interacting with the model, composition etc

I made plenty of mistakes, only came away with maybe 4 decent images but it was very much about taking that first, giant leap towards comfort shooting people!

P.S. I now need to go out and purchase a few pieces of kit, namely a light stand and eventually a large aperture prime.

P.P.S. An interesting learn was that utilizing the flip down diffuser on my 600 RT-EX actually fixes the zoom to 14mm! Took me an hour and a half to figure that out ;D

Anyways, for those who offered me advise and those in a similar frame of mind as me, I thought I'd give you guys some progress


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## kaihp (Jan 9, 2016)

Sabaki said:


> Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who took the time to impart their wisdom on me as it encouraged me to go out and shoot people!
> ...
> Anyways, for those who offered me advise and those in a similar frame of mind as me, I thought I'd give you guys some progress



Good to hear your feedback Sabaki! 
Learning is improving.


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## vlad (Jan 13, 2016)

Some great advice here already, I just wanted to add one thing that helped me in building rapport. In fact, when I was practicing with my now-wife, she pointed this out.

As you're getting started, especially when throwing in new variables like strobes, it's likely you will get a lot of "misses". Whatever you do, resist the urge to cringe, mutter, or otherwise display your frustration during the shoot. This is a recipe for disaster, as your subjects will begin to feel more self-conscious, believing that they are at least partially responsible for the "bad" shots.

Even if your flash is misfiring every time, you tweaked your settings so much you forgot what you were trying to do, and you're losing the light - don't lose face. Continue with positive reinforcement, try to capture the emotion even if the shot isn't coming out the way you want, and if things are really dire, just say you want to try something different and switch it up.


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## slclick (Feb 21, 2016)

Zeidora said:


> How about *NOT* doing people? I'm in the very same boat as OP. Happy with macro, landscape, all sorts of technical imaging. Plenty of published images, incl. temp and permanent museum exhibits. But people? No thanks, I find it creepy. I also don't like to be photographed.
> 
> Unless there's a reason, I would not bother. Play to your strengths. There are so many ways of challenging yourself, but retain the fun in the activity: z-stacking, focus trapping, HDR, stitching, astro, LF, etc.
> 
> It also saves me some cash, as I otherwise would have to get the Otus 85



Play to your strengths is excellent advice. I might add, go out on a few limbs to test the waters and see if they are right for you, never hurts and you might find a new niche, if not, you still have what you have. Digital over film makes trying new things very easy at least financially.


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