When it comes to portrait photography, it’s not uncommon for photographers to focus on the technical aspects of their craft. However, what if the secret ingredient of portraiture isn’t just nailing a technically perfect photo? Portraiture is all about the human subject and shows their realism with every photograph taken. The hidden element can turn an average portrait into a work that is particularly concerned with the relationship between people and subjects.
As we explore this concept, let’s discuss some of the key aspects of the photo session that will promote the greatest opportunity to bring out the emotions, personality, and expression needed to create a distinctive portrait. separate.
Build Rapport before shooting
Experiencing your subject before taking a photo is very important. As a photographer, your job is to get to know your subject, understand their fears, understand what drives them, and how you will leverage these aspects to create the best photos. During this time, you will gain the necessary information that will be a tool to help you navigate the client during the photo session. Also, this should be a time where you’re helping the subject feel comfortable with where you are, what’s going to happen, and how they can feel like themselves while you’re shooting. When you do this, you will create a relationship between the subject and the photographer – essential for bringing out the personality and character of your photos.
Realistic subject orientation and emotions while shooting
Most photographers know that many of the subjects they work with don’t feel comfortable in front of the camera. As humans, we are most likely not aware of our facial expressions or how certain poses will look in front of the camera. Therefore, it is the photographer’s job to constantly orientate the subject in order to achieve the best possible poses, facial expressions and emotions. A valuable tool in navigating your audience is drawing real, real emotions from them. For example, if you’re working with a couple, you can let them whisper jokes to each other while you’re taking multiple frames. This essentially results in facial expressions that are actually authentic to that particular emotion. There’s no better way to bring out realism in your photos. Remember, you are as much a creative director as you are a portrait artist!
Review images and provide regular feedback
Building confidence in your subject is essential to your photography process. This can be easily achieved by providing regular feedback and positive affirmations when things are going well. A powerful tool for building confidence is to show your audience some of the photos you’ve taken and how their actions have led to the positive characteristics of the photo you’re creating. This helps the subject see that they’ve been effective in achieving what you’re trying to create, and they can repeat more of these specific actions throughout the shoot. This creates a safe, comfortable space to make adjustments that will ultimately produce better artwork.
Bring it all together
Portraiture is all about human connection. It’s about helping the subject feel as if the camera isn’t between them and the photographer. Keeping up with the times spurs the flow of creativity which results in better images, a higher level of artistry, and essentially images that are more emotional and human. This can only be done through relationship development, regular and instructive direction, and establishing trust with the target audience. Work on improving the way you orient your audience. Learn to remind them in ways that bring out genuine emotion and expression. When all these factors come together, you will notice that your portrait work will have a dramatic change.
