How Can I Take Better
Photographs of People?
By Andrew Hudson
Of all the various subjects, people reliably make the best photographs. Nothing
is more fascinating to us than other people. A good 'people' photograph shows character,
emotion and a connection for the viewer. Here are some tips to help you take great shots
of the people in your life.
Subject Placement. The biggest mistake many photographers make is to try to
shoot a person's whole body, head to toe. Don't attempt this, unless clothes are important
(such as a uniform). Instead, focus on the face. The eyes and mouth are the most important
features, so start there and work out until you have just enough to represent the
individual(s). Crop tightly, and don't be afraid to overflow the frame with the person's
face.
Lighting. A standard lighting technique is to position yourself so the sun is
behind you and to one side. This arrangement will shine light on the subject's face, while
the slight angle will produce shadows to illuminate form. A better approach is to put your
subject in a shady area with a shadowed background. Unlike the human eye, photographic
film can't easily handle bright areas and dark shadows, as in direct sunlight, so use the
shade for a narrow tonal range. Overcast days are usually best for portraits. Use the
flash ('fill-flash' or 'daylight flash') to add light to the face and fill in shadows.
Lenses. Use a long lens such as 135mm - the 'people' lens. A wide-angle distorts
the face, although it can be effective for parties. Find a simple, mid-toned background
and use a wide aperture to throw it out of focus. I like to use tree leaves or a wall as a
background and a 200mm lens set to f2.8. Center the eyes in the shot, not the head, to
provide balance in the shot. When photographing children, crouch down so that you're
shooting at their eye-level.
Setting The Scene. Try to set-up your camera ahead of time rather than making
people wait. Help relax your subjects by engaging them in conversation. Get them to laugh
or smile with a joke from the day. Finally, be sure to put yourself in the shot -- thatŐs
what the self-timer is for!
Copyright 1998 Andrew Hudson for PhotoSecrets Publishing. All rights
reserved. If you want to use this article in any way, please e-mail us for permission. This article was
written for Postcards Magazine, a publication for Carlson Leisure Group by Cowles Creative
Publishing.
 Andrew Hudson is
the author of PhotoSecrets, a new series of adventure
guides that takes you on a photographic discovery of the best views in the best places.
They are the first-ever, full-color, full-length, location-specific travel guides for
amateur travel photography.
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