Portraiture Tips: Capturing The Moment

Ironically, the concept of "change" is the only constant thing in our world. And out of all the things that change, people must be one of the fastest. Be it changing positions, changing expressions, or changing emotions, it can all happen in a moment. These moments are the bane of every portrait photographer, and so the artist seeks to capture it before something changes again.

1. Understand The Personality

Show "the other side" of your subject.

If you've already met the subject in your photo, then you have an advantage. Maybe you're friends, roommates, etc. The important part is that you know the character of the person you're photographing. Once you understand that character, it's usually a matter of peeking in to see the other side of their personality. Richard Avedon was one of the most famous and sought-after portrait/fashion photographers in the latter half of the 20th century, and had a way of prying open the doors of the soul that revealed some of the true nature of his subjects.

There is a famous photo of Marilyn Monroe that he happened to shoot that showed her melancholic, and looking exasperated. Anyone that knows anything about the woman understands that she had an extroverted presence at all times. Nobody in the media viewed her any differently until Avedon captured that moment. In most cases, the best portraits are the ones that open the eyes of the viewer. But, of course, this can't happen unless you know your subject's typical behavior. Make sure to tell the story through the image.

2. Relax The Subject

Let the subject be themselves.

Make your subject comfortable in front of the camera. Everybody knows that people have camera shyness, so it's your job to put their mind at ease - you'll never get the subject to give you the expression you're looking for if they're too afraid to show it.

You could try beginning with some casual conversation. But don't aim the camera at first. Put the subject into place, and then begin "messing with" the settings on your camera. If you have studio lights, begin "adjusting" them. The longer the subject is in that spot, the more they'll grow used to it and will slowly become comfortable. Again, make sure you keep the conversation going throughout. Another technique I've used is to play some music that they like with a portable radio. You'll be surprised at how quickly they open up when their favorite song plays!

These techniques are generally meant for in-studio portraiture, but the concept of relaxing your subject stands for any kind of portrait you take. Maybe you're a street photographer and are documenting the people of a city. The important thing is that you're respectful and not intimidating. In some areas, it's against the law to take photos like this without permission of the subject. Street photography was so popular in Paris at one time that they banned it altogether. So - be careful how you approach this style, and be respectful.

3. Lock-In The Perfect Exposure

Music photography requires a fast shutter speed.

When it comes to capturing the moment, it's imperative to have spot-on exposure. If you're working with a model, you can be a little more relaxed in between shots if you feel the need to change some of the exposure settings. However, if you're shooting something fast-paced like a riotous political rally or a live concert, you may not have that luxury. Sometimes you must quickly find the right exposure and stick to it. This is why it's important to have a thorough knowledge of how the camera works, and how changing the settings will effect a photo.

To properly present the message or emotion you're trying to convey, your photo must be sharp and clear. Keep a shutter speed of at least 1/125-1/150 in these fast-paced scenarios. Any slower and you run the risk of having motion blur: an effect you may not want in your images. Motion blur is the arch-enemy of many amateur photographers who are looking to shoot crisp, clean photos. Keeping with the introduction, people change fast. You don't want to lose the perfect shot because your shutter speed wasn't fast enough! 

4. Click Click Click!

Turn on the high-speed continuous shooting mode and keep your finger on the shutter button! This is one of the best things you can do to make sure you get the photos you intend to shoot. Also, because you'll have so many more photos, you can end up photographing special moments that you didn't intend to shoot. The only slight downside to this is that all of these photos take up a lot of space on your memory card, so be sure to purchase one with at least 16 GB. That way you'll have more than enough room for your photos.