I captured more people pictures this weekend. Four adult family members wanted portraits:

• Casual
• Candid
• Personalities revealed

I suggested we meet at McKenzie King Estates in Gatineau Park. We visited the ruins and hiked the Larriault Trail as I eased some personal portraits from them.

“What?! I thought you were taking their portraits not hiking.”

Yes. Portraits. Gentle hiking. Family fun. It’s a good mix.

I find that, in some cases, personal portraits can be best achieved by disguising the portraits as something else. As a fly on the wall, clients forget I am photographing them. Their true selves shine as they did for the portrait, below, of a man and his dog, captured during some fun in the snow.

So during this weekend’s portrait session we walked a little. Brian brought his watercolours. And I was able to capture individual and group personalities far better than in a studio or traditional portrait session.

A recent client commented on this approach: “… the day was filled with emotions that Harry captured beautifully, being a ‘fly on the wall’. When we saw the photos the first time, it was stunning to see how well they told the story… Yep, I had tears in my eyes again!”

H