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take better travel photos Foreign travel can bring us to unusual sites, exotic rituals, inspirational vistas and beautifully different faces. While snapshots of places can create vivid reminders of our visit, portraits can candid shots of faces can tell a complete story. Shooting pictures of people can be tricky, and several factors come into play when you focus on human subjects. First, there are places where taking someone’s photograph is considered impolite, if not downright forbidden. Understanding and respecting local customs should be your number one priority before you begin to shoot.
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Seek out markets, parks, festivals and busy streets for the widest selection of interesting faces. Here you’ll be able to work inconspicuously, shooting candid photos of people as they go about their everyday activities. For these settings, use a moderately long telephoto lens (80 – 200 mm zoom works great) to remain at a distance and capture real life without being noticed. If you’re comfortable asking people if you can take pictures of them, strike up a conversation and explain that you’re just taking pictures for fun. You can then ask your subjects to go about their business as usual as you take candid shots of them. Portraits can also be a wonderful way to get to know people and get them involved in your photography hobby. Remember, the people are the subject – so keep the background simple or out of focus so the faces “pop.” By using a large aperture and controlling the depth of field, you can create artistic blurs in the background. Softer lighting also helps focus on the subject, so try posing portraits in gentle shadows and indirect light. A big smile isn’t a requirement for a portrait either; allow people to be themselves by giving them something to play with in their hands, by talking to them as you shoot or by placing a few people in the shot and encouraging them to interact. Vary your framing, but try to keep it as tight as possible so when the photo is viewed, the subject’s eyes are the center of attention. If you shoot portraits, always offer to provide a copy of the finished picture to the subject – and make a friend for life!
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