Your Best Photos Of People: How To Make Really Great Images
Action photo of a worker outside a Railway Station in Kolkata, India.
Have you ever wondered about the many ways to photograph people and the kinds of people based photography?
There are so many ways to photograph people that it's sometimes necessary to break up the people photography genre into a series of sub genres and approaches which we can outline as follows:
Candid Portrait
Action Photography / Freezing Action
Creative Blur
Formal Portrait
Environmental Portrait
The Candid Photo | A Definition
I’d describe a candid photo as an image where the subject appears unaware that they’re being photographed.
But, as is so often the case in artistic pursuits, it’s perception rather than fact that matters most.
The photo of the worker watering some plants outside a railway station in Kolkata, India was made without his knowledge.
I almost never make photos of people without permission but, in this case, I saw what was about to happen, raised my camera and made the photo.
Whenever I’m doing any kind of street photography I’m constantly adjusting my camera according to the following criteria.
Light
Exposure
Look (e.g., depth of field)
Feel (i.e., controlling movement)
I have made plenty of so-called candid images where the subject is aware that they’re being photographed. Therefore the notion of candid is somewhat fluid.
“Photos have a truth unto themselves.”
It’s because of this that I’m able to say that what matters most is the final image, not the facts that determine how it was made.
Excitement on the faces of passengers on a fast moving jet boat.
How to Photograph People By Freezing Action
To freeze action in a photo you need to ensure your camera’s shutter speed is fast enough to achieve the desired result.
The faster the subject is moving the faster the shutter speed will need to be.
In the case of the photo of the fast moving jet boat I used a shutter speed of 1/5000 second to freeze the action.
Crowd moving silently through Red Square in Moscow on a balmy evening.
How to Photograph People via Creative Blur
But freezing action through the use of a shutter speed that suspends subjects in time is only one way to explore motion.
Sometimes the most evocative movement based images make use of a very slow shutter speed to explore movement in unexpected and visually dynamic ways.
Take a look at this image of a crowd, moving silently through the spectacular Red Square in Moscow, Russia on a balmy summer evening flanked by the magnificence of St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin.
Incorporating movement into an otherwise static composition was important to the success of this image.
It enabled me to deal with the large crowd of people by rendering them into an almost transient state.
The 20-second exposure time meant that, while still registering in the image, the people became fluid and somewhat ghost like as they moved through the spectacular Red Square during the long exposure.
Rather than blocking the surrounding architecture the crowd now acts as an interesting contrast between the static and more fluid elements within the scene.
The duality between stationary and moving subjects is central to the success of this image.
I have no doubt that the fluidity of the final result has produced a far more evocative result than would have been the case if everything in the image was recorded sharp and clearly defined.
A classic portrait of a young Balinese woman in rural Bali, Indonesia.
How To Photograph A Classic Formal Portrait
Formal portraits require particular attention to detail. Generally the subject is illuminated with pleasing light and most often photographed looking directly into the lens.
That’s exactly the approach I took when I photographed this young lady in rural Bali, Indonesia.
It’s a simple recipe that requires the photographer to take control and tell the subject where to stand and where to look.
As you can see it works which, ultimately, is what matters most.
Lens focal lengths in the telephoto range are often favored for formal portraits for the following reasons:
Tele lenses thin the face.
Tele lenses shortens the nose.
Tele lenses make it easier to separate the subject from their surroundings.
There are many examples of formal portraits including the following:
Head and shoulder as well as half and full length compositions.
Photographs consisting of an individual, a couple or group.
Photos that are made under direction or by working in collaboration with the photographer.
Photos that utilize either natural or artificial light and, on occasions, a combination of the two.
Environmental Portrait of a shopkeeper in his colorful shop in Kolkata, India.
The Environmental Portrait
The environment portrait is made in such a way where the subject appears in an environment to which they seem to belong.
There’s quite a specific recipe for making great Environmental Portraits.
Like anything that’s worthwhile it takes practice to master this recipe but, by doing so, you will have a way by which your photos stand out from the rest of the pack.
I had a lot of fun photographing this man in his tiny, colorful store in the backstreets of Kolkata, India.
I love the vibrant colors and the descriptive nature of the image, which I consider to be a good example of documentary travel photography.
Photography Genres | What's in a Name?
Categorizing a photo as an environmental portrait might be considered irrelevant by some.
However, the term is part of photography's vocabulary and, as such, can help to describe the differences between one kind of photo and the next.
By being able to deconstruct a photo you'll have a better understanding of how it was made. As a result you're that much closer to producing a similar image yourself.
Portrait of a young man looking out towards Half Moon Bay.
Learning By Deconstructing A Photo
This photo was made at the beautiful Half Moon Bay in suburban Melbourne. It's a lovely location, particularly around sunset when the sandstone cliff face is bathed in warm light.
A word of caution to enthusiastic photographers. The terrain is fragile, so please avoid climbing on or walking too close to the cliff face.
Let's all stay safe and help preserve this lovely location for generations to come.
The question is, by using the criteria I’ve outlined in this post, how would you classify the above photo?
Is it a Candid Portrait?
It may well look that way.
However, not only is the young guy aware that he’s being photographed, I also suggested where I’d like him to sit and asked him to turn his head away from the camera.
Is it an Action Photo?
Clearly not.
Is it a Formal Portrait?
Because it’s such a highly directed image some might call it a Formal Portrait.
But our subject’s face is so small in the frame that I’d say the photo is as much about the environment as it is about him.
Is it an Environmental Portrait?
I suppose you could classify the above photo as an environmental portrait. He’s carrying his camera and he does seem quite content in that environment.
But his face is so small in the frame that it’s not all that easy to recognize his identity.
The balance achieved between the subject and the environment in which they’re depicted has to be right and I just don’t believe you can call it a formal portrait when the face appears so small in the frame.
So where does this photo fit in people based photography?
Call it whatever you like. The fact is it appears to have elements of an environmental portrait and a more candid portrait.
This is common, which is why some photos are a little hard to classify.
Personally I’d refer to it as a general people photo. I know I haven’t listed that as a sub category of people photography, but I think it could be defined as such.
About To Travel?
Just in case you’re confused take a look at this black and white image of a young woman in the city of Melbourne.
It’s a good example of an environmental portrait, which just happened to be made at night.
The subject is easily identifiable, because her face is relatively large in the frame.
What’s more I’ve moved the subject off centre so that she doesn’t obscure the environment in which she’s been depicted.
Subject Placement in The Photographic Frame
Under normal circumstances, when asking a subject to turn their head away from the camera, I'd ensure there was more space on the side of the frame into which they're facing.
You can achieve this simply by taking a step to one side which will have the effect of moving your subject away from the centre of the frame.
Incidentally, if you were to place your subject much closer to the edge of the frame to which they’re facing, you'd create an image with much more visual tension.
Think about a photo that talks to the lack of hope a prisoner in a detention centre might feel.
Turning them slightly side on to the camera and ensuring their was little space, in the direction they’re looking, is how you’d achieve that.
Let’s look again at the color image of the young guy in front of the sandstone cliff.
I was happy to place him quite central, at least on the left/right axis, as it adds a slight tension to what is otherwise a straightforward portrait.
I have my own reasons for doing this which, on this rare occasion, I’m not able to discuss here.
What I can say is that portraits are landscapes of a kind and photographs can explore the landscape of the mind, whether it be that of the photographer or of the subject.
Speak to Me of Color and More
Of course composition doesn't end with subject placement. You'll notice a range of contrasts within the scene.
There's the warm orange of the cliff face, placed against the cool blue of the sky, and the contrast between inanimate rock and the human form.
You might also notice other differences and similarities between the cliff and sky.
One is textured and the other smooth. But it's interesting to me that the texture in the rock is referred to, albeit subtly, in the clouds.
As Above So Below
Talk about similarities and differences. This seemingly simple image has it all.
Landscape and human
Sky and rock
Textured (e.g., roughness) and smooth
Air and earth
Above and below
The notion of duality exists in many of my photos. It’s a fascinating theme and one you might want to explore in your own photography.