Communication is one of the most important skills for a photographer
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Many budding portrait photographers become so focused on the technique that they forget the most important thing about portrait photography: your subject.
“It’s not that equipment and technology are not important, they are absolutely important. But even with the best technology in the world, if your subject doesn’t look natural, it’s still hard to get a good portrait shot.” Whether expressing feelings or communicating, body language is always the most direct way to convey feelings. It can make up for most communication deficiencies.
1. How to observe whether the subject is nervous?
Even if they are looking forward to being photographed, most (less experienced) people will still feel nervous, which will directly affect the photo. When we see people playing with their belongings, rubbing their hands or shaking their legs, or even licking their lips, it means they are nervous. At this point, the photographer should find a way to help them relax.
2, more demonstration, less command
Inexperienced subjects are nervous simply because they don’t know what to do. When you’re in front of the camera and you tell them to “act naturally,” they’re still missing the point, and no matter what they try, they’ll end up in unnatural poses.
during a shoot where the photographer asked her to laugh, and when she did, the photographer said, “No, that’s not true! Please relax your hands and smile.”How can she relax and laugh? This only made her more stressed out, and the resulting picture was predictably stiff.
Therefore, telling the other person what to do is actually not helpful to the nervous person. But if you do it yourself, it’s easy for others to copy it. Not only will it help the subject relax, but it will get the effect you want quickly, and it will work perfectly well with children. Just like a normal imitation game, they will get to know you in no time.
3. Learn to stay in control
From the moment you meet your subject, it’s important that you show confidence and that the other person trusts you (even if you’re also nervous).
Because there’s a lot of stuff to think about: camera Settings, composition, lighting, backgrounds, etc., but on the other hand, if you’re the subject, the photographer is silently adjusting the equipment, pressing the shutter, and you don’t think he knows what to do, then anyone else would feel overwhelmed and stressed.
The subject needs to know that you are in charge, that you know exactly what you want to take, and that everything will go smoothly. So even if you’re putting on a show, you should still communicate with your subjects, talk to them, talk about your plans. Don’t worry about them ignoring you. Sometimes, the other person is also curious about the photographer’s equipment but afraid to ask. Chatting is a good way to help them relax.
Suggestions:
When taking a portrait, the photographer can try to find the best Angle for the subject and guide them into the right pose by telling them, “That was a good move,” “Hands look better this way,” etc. Sometimes some actions, actually do it is very unnatural, but the shooting effect will be very good, then you can also take a picture, according to the shooting effect after correcting the action, also can give myself to see the effect, so that they will know what kind of action and expression is better, what kind of posture can not be put.
Because many people don’t have experience in front of the camera and don’t necessarily do their homework before taking a picture, photographers should also look at various tutorials on poses so that when it comes time to shoot a portrait, they can be comfortable with it.
