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| From "Faces and Heels- Inside Independent Wrestling" See more here |
The majority of my work has always been of people and the
majority of those people pictures have been portraits. The range has been quite
large and I’ve shot all kinds of people. I hope the characteristic that is
common to all those people in all those places is that the subjects in my
portraits seem comfortable. They’re relaxed and appear at peace with
themselves. But why? Why do they look like that?
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| From"Pursuit of the Spirit" |
In many ways, photography, in and of itself, is not that
difficult. Learning to properly expose, compose, and print photographs can be
mastered with moderate effort. Unfortunately, skill at those elements doesn’t
guarantee that one’s pictures will be anything that people will want to look
at, much less pay for. All the technological advancements that make photography
“easy” can’t tell you what to point your camera at. It will never be able to
tell you when to press the shutter button. And, in the case of portrait
photography, it can’t tell you how to treat people in order to capture a
successful image.
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| From "European Portraits" see more here |
I think the single most important thing to accomplish when
shooting portraits is remembering to talk to one’s subjects. A successful
portrait is usually one where there is an element of trust developed between
the photographer and the person in front of the camera. The sitter needs to
feel that they won’t be taken advantage of or made to look ridiculous. They need to know that they won’t be
exploited or sensationalized. In some ways, they need to like the photographer. The most direct way to accomplish this, I think
the most honest way, is to have a conversation.
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| Director of the Zippo Museum in Bradford, PA |
I don’t mean to say that this is the only way to make a
great portrait. In fact, there are easy examples of photographers who eschew
this method and go to some lengths to do the opposite, bullying their subjects
into submission as they create their vision
of how someone should look. Annie Liebovitz immediately comes to mind and no
one, least of all this photographer, would suggest she isn’t a great
portraitist. But I think most of us don’t have the force of personality or the
raw photographic talent to make this a realistic working method.
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| From "Day & Night" see more here |
When I shoot someone, it’s important to me that when we’re
done, they feel good about what just happened, not bludgeoned with demands that
made them uncomfortable. It sounds stupid and a little needy, but I want people
to like me. Liking me usually leads
to trusting me and I find that if they do, the results in the portrait will be
stronger.
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| From "Day & Night" see more here |
Talking is the best way to reach this end point, but you
have to remember to not allow the conversation to be your monolog. It’s much
more important to ask questions and get the other person talking. If you’ve had
a chance to do a little research on them, this will be much easier. How did
they start their business? Why did they move to their current home? How has
having children changed how they think of themselves? Ask them to tell you
about how they spend their time on the weekend. Ask them to tell you about
their favorite part of their job.
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| From "Tibet" see more here |
None of those questions have one word answers. They’re all
what documentary filmmakers refer to as open
ended. They all require thought and explanation. They all make follow-up
questions easier because they are relatively complex. The photographer can’t
help but learn about the person they’re about to shoot a portrait of.
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| From "European Portraits" see more here |
I admit that this is a fairly easy process for me. I’ve been
doing it for so long, that I can’t remember whether it was ever difficult for
me. I’m naturally a very curious person. I sincerely want to learn as much as I can about anyone I meet. Photography has
proven to be the perfect tool to indulge my curiosity. Having a camera gives me
permission to ask questions that in other circumstances might be considered too
personal or even rude. It provides me with the perfect excuse to be nosy. It’s
my skills at talking, not
photography, that allow me to go into virtually any environment and come out of
it with decent results.
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| From "Out on Buford Highway" see more here |
I’ve photographed people as widely varied as inmates in
prison, neo-Nazi skinheads, Mormons at sacred sites in upstate New York, CEOs,
janitors, patrons of rural pubs in Wales, workers in ethnic restaurants in
suburban Atlanta, professional dominatrixes, African American rodeo cowboys,
and tattoo artists. The thing common to them all is that I am genuinely interested
in their stories and thoughts. I want to know why they do what they do, how
they feel about their lives, what brings them joy, and what makes them feel sadness.
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| From "Out on Buford Highway" see more here |
The other thing that often happens while talking to a person
you’re about to photograph is more specific and technical than the issue of
trust. While carrying on this conversation, I try to let one part of my brain
stay aware of the visual conditions of the person and the location. I hopefully
will get clues as to how to tell this person’s story. Is there a specific prop
that I should show? Do they cover their mouth when they laugh, thus alerting me
to the fact that they’re self-conscious of their teeth? Should I try to shoot
them looking up at the camera because they have a tendency to show a double
chin? Is there one corner of the room that will make for a more dynamic
composition? While paying attention to our conversation, I’m also letting my
eyes do visual reconnaissance. After all, making a great picture is why I’m
there.
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| From "Disappearing Pub Culture" see more here |
So what can you do if this whole process seems too difficult
and you’re not naturally as gregarious as I am? I have a few suggestions that
might help.
1.
In the beginning, keep your photography as
simple as possible. This might mean shooting with the available light or with a
simple one light set up. Make sure you’re completely familiar with your
equipment. Don’t use that new or borrowed or rented camera with controls that
can confuse you. At first you need to be able to concentrate on your
relationship with your subject and not let the photography get in your way.
2.
Scout your location in advance. This can allow
you to avoid struggling with the situation in front of you and distract you
from the communication with your subject.
3.
Do some research on your subject. This prepares
you with a few questions and will hopefully provide you with information that
you’ll want to learn more about. You don’t need to know everything about them,
just enough to give you the basis for the conversation.
4.
Pre-light the scene so the person doesn’t have
to sit around waiting for you to wrestle with your gear. When I was shooting
regularly for major magazines, I arrived at locations a minimum of two hours
early to figure out where I was going to shoot and how I was going to light.
5.
Don’t forget to ask open-ended questions. “How
do feel about. . .?” “Tell me about. . .” “What was it like when. . .?” “How do
you go about. . .?” Almost everyone responds to someone who expresses a genuine
interest in who they are and what they think. Make sure you’re that person for
anyone who has taken the time to sit in front of you and your camera.
As with most things in photography, you’ll get better as you
shoot more. Everything in this article is intended as starting points, not
rules. With time and with effort, you’ll discover what works for you and how
you can make the best pictures possible. The most important thing to discover
is how to make your pictures- not
mine or anyone else’s. Yours. That’s where the joy comes from.
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| From "Faces and Heels- Inside Independent Wrestling" see more here |
A shorter, edited version of this article was previously published on the blog Light Leaked
