January 3, 2010.............................................................................................................................................."Anatomy Of A Street Portrait"
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Many photographers pass on portraiture, especially street portraiture where the subject is a stranger. Many factors contribute to this aversion, but the underlying issue is often a lack of confidence. It’s a shame because the word is full of very unique people in situations where amazing portraits just fall into your lap if you are willing to seize the opportunity. The spontaneous portrait of this young girl is a perfect example. Understanding how to pull a shot like this off provides an insight that I hope will encourage some of you to consider similar "found" portraits..
I was shooting a Nikon assignment to produce advertising images. I was at the beach during the hour before sunset and looking for something to capitalize on the wonderful late afternoon light. As I walked by a beachside restaurant, I saw an extended family heading in for dinner. This child was being carried by her grandmother and I was instantly mesmerized by her eyes, pale skin, and gorgeous red hair. Before I could even think about a portrait, they were gone, inside to be seated for dinner. I started walking away, dejected that the scenario hadn’t yielded a potentially great image. Then as fate would have it, I saw that the family was being seated outside on a patio to which I had access. Immediately I began to piece together a portrait in my minds eye. Simple backlighting to make her hair glow and overexposure to bring the face value up would be perfect. But how to make it happen? That was the dilemma I was facing.
I decided that before approaching the family I would scout the immediate vicinity and fill in the “where and how” blanks, so if I got the chance I’d be prepared. My luck held and there was a clear area with good light and decent background not 15 feet from the patio where they were seated. Confident that the setting would work and realizing I had about 10 minutes before the light would be gone, I watched for the right moment to approach the family. Timing is everything, right? So I waited until the waiter finished taking their dinner order, knowing that there would be a delay before the food would arrive. My intrusion wouldn’t really be any conflict with the family event. I approached the table, introduced myself and explained why I was interested in photographing their daughter. Knowing that I had a plan for the shot gave me confidence that was evident to the parents, placing them at ease. I asked for just two to three minutes and the mother was delighted to assist me with her daughter. I only took about 15 shots and checking the LCD made it easy to confirm I had what I needed.
Now, don’t make the mistake of thinking, “Well it’s easy for him, he’s a professional shooting for Nikon.” It’s never easy approaching strangers, but the surprise is that most of the associated anxiety is wasted energy. If you respectfully introduce yourself and are genuine about your intent, you’ll often get a positive reaction. You don’t need lofty credentials either. You should have business cards made, referencing your website or a photo business, but you really don’t need to say anything more than, “I’m a stock photographer and make images sometimes used in advertising.” This is plausible and acceptable even if you’ve never sold a shot. You have to start somewhere. Always carry a pocket version of a photo release and get it signed, having explained up front that paperwork will be necessary. This also reinforces your professional credibility. Act with confidence even if you don’t feel confident. Once you get a few good experiences, you’ll find future opportunities easier to work.
Venturing into new territory is how you grow as a person and as a photographer. Not only will your portfolio expand with new subject matter, your overall confidence as a photographer will soar.
Mark
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