If the eyes are windows to the soul, then a face must be the front door. I’m always honored when people invite me in, to photograph their faces for social media profiles, portfolios, or to commemorate personal milestones. But it’s daunting too, in today’s selfie culture, to be asked to capture a personality’s best side with an image that’s better than an iPhone snap. I’ve been working on it....
And while I’m light years from Annie Leibovitz, I’ve learned one key to capturing effective portraits is to make the shoot an interaction, not a pose-fest. When you find a way to engage people, they relax (a little) … and their true colors light up their faces. Not that it’s easy. I’ve taken many pictures of people's very best fake smiles before finally capturing one that's real. And a relaxed posture helps, but people often need help with what to do with their hands, where to look, and whether to "squinch" or not to "squinch" (that could be a whole 'nother blog!) I’ve also been humbled by harsh shadows and found out the hard way that some camera angles really don’t flatter anyone (regardless of their strength of chin!) My number one tip for success? Have faith. Chances are good, if you've done your best, there will be at least a couple good shots in the mix….
What else? Diffused natural light is kind, and so are the people who take a chance on me. Here are some of my favorite faces.
