Personality in Portraits

follow link Let’s continue the portrait theme from Monday’s post. A good portrait will not always be a classic, posed, “ready for the Christmas card” image. Sometimes – often – candid images can better capture personality and feeling than anything posed. The hard part is capturing those images without the subject seeing you and growing nervous in front of the camera.

https://templedavid.org/symons/as1j6a28 This is one of my favorite portraits. A candid shot at the Montana High School Rodeo Finals this spring in Bozeman, Montana, the shot is gritty and fun. It was the first dry day in three days and, while we were enjoying the sunshine, the arena was still a veritable mud pit. This young man had a winning ride in the bareback broncs and, to celebrate, promptly took a flying leap into the muddiest spot in the arena. He was all grins as he came to collect his prize, covered in drying mud and hugging his fellow cowboys, spreading both the joy and the mud. This picture catches him in a bit of an introspective moment and I like it for the blend of quietness and rowdiness.

get link Out of respect for my subjects, I always make certain they know I am going to take their photograph. Being a bit shy has made the process of asking complete strangers for their image a hurdle to leap, but now that I have done it, the process is fun and exciting. People are often thrilled and flattered when you ask if you can take their picture. And once you get to know them, some people are pretty damn interesting.

https://emduk.org/jglfremy1 For those interested in reading more about how to approach a stranger and getting over the fear of portraiture, read David du Chemin’s Within the Frame. This book offers a plethora of great advice, applicable to both globe-trotters and those who prefer to stay in their own backyard. David in particular has an excellent chapter on photographing people in a candid portrait setting.

https://someawesomeminecraft.com/2024/05/13/9xfgx4xm17 Tags: Techniques