Hello Christine, You have really hit on it. Portrait work can be very difficult because you have to produce something, not just record something. The latter is more about timing and finding the right situation. The former is first and foremost about attitude.
What happens with portraits is the feeling of the subject really comes through. If the they are feeling a bit shy or timid, it shows. Your job is to somehow bring the inner self out and have the person really show something. It usually means getting them to be very comfortable - talking and maybe laughing if it is to be a happy portrait. Once things are comfortable, you just shoot away without changing the feeling - don't stop and say "now we are going to shoot" - you just shoot as you continue your talking. It has to be a fun, enjoyable thing for both of you to have the most successful portraits. It is also easier, I think, to start with a tighter shot - not so much worry about the background. As the session unfolds, and things are working, then you can introduce more backgrounds and poses. I hope I'm making sense. -- Best regards, Bruce Thursday, June 12, 2008, 8:56:23 PM, you wrote: CA> ----- Original Message ----- CA> From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> CA> To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <pdml@pdml.net> CA> Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2008 8:45 PM CA> Subject: Re: GESO: Anne >> Hi Christine, >> Think about what you want and do it again. >> Paul CA> Well, there's the rub! You know, when you're out on the street or at a CA> public event, you begin to watch, unnoticed by others, human drama in CA> action, and you begin to sense there's a picture coming, & before you know CA> it the camera is to the left of your nose, & you're looking through the view CA> finder & there it is. CA> How different portrait shoots are! There you are, your lovely subject is CA> before, staring at you as if saying, "well, what do you want me to do?" And CA> there you are (or rather, there I was), probably looking perplexed, CA> wondering, how do I make magic here? How do I get the true spirit of this CA> lovely subject to reveal itself? Frankly, I find it all a bit daunting--but CA> to paraphrase the great Eleanor Roosevelt, do what you fear! CA> Thanks for the tips, Paul. CA> Cheers, Christine -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
