Exposed! :: Top Tips for Great Holiday Portraits ::
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Contents
The holidays are upon us and for many photographers the stress of getting the perfect seasonal shot can make legs turn to jelly, cause a bad case of butterflies and give the most steady hand the shakes. I've seen it happen. The more important the photo the more stressed the rookie photographer. Add flash photography to the mix and the stress can hit red alert.
In this edition of Exposed! we offer ideas to keep the jelly legs under control when taking holiday portraits.
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Holiday Portraits |
1. Prepare
Sounds obvious but the better you prepare your equipment, the easier the shoot will be. This includes making a checklist to ensure you have everything - batteries, flash, lenses, memory cards/film, back-up body. It also means reading your equipment manuals and/or learning to make your equipment perform (see point 7).
Preparation also includes research. Find out who you are photographing. What do they represent? How are you going to interpret this? How will you make them smile?
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Know your subject |
2. Visualize the shot
Athletes visualize success before races. You can apply the same idea.
Before starting a session - casual or formal - take time to stop (or slow down) and:
- Take some deep breaths
- Visualize the portraits you are about to produce
- Remind yourself of your strengths
- Smile (Just the act will relax you, I promise)
These steps will help you have a positive experience. You will still be nervous - that's normal - but it'll help.
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Visualize your results before they happen |
3. Ask the subject to tell you a story
New portrait photographers often forget there is a live human being in front of them. Aaaaargghhhhh! Flummoxed by shutter speeds and light levels the new portraitist can completely forget their portraitee. If your portrait subject asks "What should I be doing?" you know you have a problem.
Engage your subject. Find out who they are. Ask them to tell you a story. Get them to sing their favourite Christmas carol! Ask them about their holiday traditions. This will do three things:
- Get them involved and allow you to set up
- Let you learn about who you are photographing
- Make them relax and show their true expressions!
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Telling stories to draw emotions |
4. Take time to observe
This is easy, but difficult! Make sure you take some time to stop, listen, look and breathe.
You will see new things, learn valuable information and catch mistakes before they happen. Some of my best photos were taken when I was forced to stop.
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Slow down... |
5. Use the flash to isolate and add pizzazz
Flash allows you to isolate the subject against a very dark background. Simply set your camera to a shutter speed and aperture that will fully underexpose the room.
Now, turn on your flash and, as long as your camera and flash are designed to communicate, the flash will illuminate the foreground while leaving the distant background dark - isolating your subject in the photo.
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Isolate your subject using flash |
6. ...Or go flash-less
Use a large aperture fixed focal lens with apertures like f1.8, f1.4 or even f1.2 to get great flash-less portraits. The large apertures (small numbers like f1.8) allow more light to reach your sensor or film making ot possible to shoot flash-less in low light conditions.
Photographing without flash allows you to get unguarded emotion because the flash does not announce your presence. Quietly and with subtle finesse you can cover an event incognito or capture secret, surreptitious smiles.
It's no coincidence that many of the finest photojournalists shoot available light portraits by choice. Photographers like Jean Marc Carisse, Steve McCurry, and David Trattles leave their flashes at home but win awards, fame and contracts with this flash- free style of portraiture.
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Shoot flashless! |
Yes, it's true!!! To get proficient and comfortable you need to practice, practice, practice. Get familiar with your equipment and bribe a willing friend to be your subject for an afternoon. Throw caution to the wind. Try new things. Experiment. Be ridiculous. Evaluate your triumphs and understand your mistakes. This will make you a better photographer.
And remember, next holiday season, you can do it all over again. This time, without the wobbles.
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Practice, practice, practice |
Homework
Your assignment is to produce ten perfect portraits this holiday season. Keep these portrait tips in mind, get comfortable with your equipment and have some fun. Mistakes are meant to happen - they can lead to greater things.
After the holidays, line up your finest people photos and study them. What did you like? What are the similarities? What would you change?
Pro Perspective
I have shot many types of portraits using many different techniques - from formal executive portraits using studio lighting to opportunistic flash free portraits.
I do get butterflies - every time. That's normal - and helps keep me on my toes. There's a difference between butterflies and crippling anxiety however. Regardless of the assignment I use the tips, above, to produce smiles with my portraits.
Final Frame
Have a safe, happy and photo-filled holiday season
Take photos. Have fun.
