dcw03 10 better portraits

8/6/2019 DCW03 10 Better Portraits

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Taking photographs of couples and groups is more challenging than working with individuals, saysSteve Bavister. But follow our advice and youll get great shots, every time!

COVER FEATURE BETTER PORTRAITS

Better portraits

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ne of the most challenging areas of

portraiture is photographing couples andgroups because theres so much more to

think about and attend to than with individuals.

Each person needs to be posed well, lit clearly and

looking at the camera, plus the group needs to work

compositionally. It can be a tall order, especially with

larger gatherings and when there are children and

babies, who are prone to having a sulk or crying at a

moments notice. But with a little know-how its easy to

get the kind of results youre after.

Unless theres a particular occasion coming up that

you absolutely must photograph, such as a wedding or

christening, the best way to get started is by practising

with groups that are small and manageable, and setting

your sights higher as your experience and ability grow.With two, three or four people, for instance, you dont

have that much more to attend to, but a lot more

options about how you arrange them. So why not ask

some members of your family or a few friends if theyd

mind helping you improve your posing skills? A few

minutes spent trying out different compositions will pay

dividends when you need to do it for real.

If youre stuck for ideas about where to start, you can

find inspiration on the following pages. And if you keep

your eyes for images of groups that really seem to

work, you can build up a mental scrap book of

arrangements and poses that you can draw upon.

Success in posing couples and groups is, to a large

extent, a matter of where you position the heads, asthey will almost always be the focal points in the

picture. It goes without saying that you dont want

anyone obscuring the person behind, or casting a

shadow on them so theres quite a lot to juggle. As a

result you can end up with people scattered across the

frame without any discernible arrangement, and a

picture that looks a complete mess.

Whatever you shoot whether youre photographing

your family or friends; shooting indoors or outside; using

flash or daylight; taking a candid or posed approach

keep in mind the need to produce a composition thats

visually pleasing.

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hile an individual portrait can be interesting,

its family shots of people together that are

often the most appealing photographs,particularly if you can gather together three generations

of child, parent and grandparent.

The most obvious way to pose three people is to have

them standing in a row. But make sure everybody is

touching shoulder-to-shoulder and smiling. This has to be

done well, otherwise it can look a little static and like a

firing squad!

Theres often a variation in the height of people, and

its a good idea to place the tallest person in the middle

of a family portrait, creating a triangle effect. Asking

them to stand behind, so theyre looking through the

shoulders of the other two can enhance this compositionfurther. If the height differential isnt enough, see if you

can find something for the person at the back to stand

on, perhaps a couple of books or magazines. The aim

should be to prevent all of the eyes from being at the

same height, and to create more of a sense of depth by

having some individuals in front of, or behind, the others.

Unless youre taking pictures where theres a lot of

light, enabling you to set a small aperture of f/11 or

f/16, you need to keep everyone roughly the same

distance from the camera, in order to keep them all in

focus. You have more latitude when youre using a wide-

angle lens and the group is farther away, but whenever

you zoom in or get closer you cant afford to have thegroup too deep.

As you go beyond multi-generational pictures, you

end up with bigger groups. With the traditional nuclear

family of four, you can have two people in the front

and two in the back; two sitting and two standing.

If youre one of the four, youll need to support the

camera and use the self-timer to make sure youreincluded in the shot.

Simple, plain backgrounds, such as a white wall

indoors or green foliage outside, have the advantage of

concentrating attention on the subjects, but they can

How to shoot

Family photosW

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Most of the pictures that people take are of theirimmediate family

Here, the focus of the image is on the faces and joined hands of three

different generations of the same family, framed by the tree

This pose makes a refreshing change frombog-standard family portraits! Focusing onthe second person in from the left adds to

the sense of depth in the image
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result in shots that are rather anonymous they could

have been taken anywhere.

You may like to make use of different locations that

are available in the family home: conservatories are

often light and airy; lounges generally have the most

interesting and attractive furniture; and bedrooms with

posters are the most natural locations to photograph

teens and tweenies.

Another option is to stage a shot with the family inthe foreground and the house in the background.

How viable this is will depend on where you live and

the surroundings. A wide-angle lens will allow you to

include as much as possible, perhaps with the family to

one side of the frame. To keep everything sharp from

front to back, youll need a small aperture of f/16, if

light levels allow.

Even when youre photographing people you know

well, theres often a hint of nervousness when you ask

them to pose. If you dont find some way to relax them,

the chances are their worst fears will be realised: they

will be feeling uncomfortable in front of the camera, sothey wont look their best. This is why the best pictures

tend to be natural and unselfconscious.

The same is true when you go out for the day: to the

beach; for a picnic in the park; to town or city; or for a

longer holiday at home or abroad. When youre shooting

portraits outside, care needs to be taken with the

lighting, especially if the suns blazing down. What can

you do? Well, one option is to find a shady area, perhaps

under a tree or canopy, where the pictures can be taken.

Cutting out the toplight means you dont end up with

shadows under the eyes, nose and chin. The result isthat all the light comes in from the front and side,

producing a really attractive effect that works really well

for groups of all sizes.

Another option is to try to find a building or wall in

front of which you can shoot. Because the illumination in

such spots is reflected, its wonderfully soft and gentle,

which is ideal for portraits of all kinds. Once again, you

can improvise a similar effect by screening off an area

alongside your subject. If possible, photograph them

illuminated by the gold glow of a sunset, for the

ultimate family portrait.

Parties are full of photo opportunities.Shots of kids in party hats and tuckinginto jelly and ice cream cant fail!

With really large groups outside, youll need someway of getting their attention. One well-knownprofessional uses a referees whistle!a

Here, a small amount of

direction regarding who

runs where has added

depth and composition to

this informal shot

ACTINGNATURAL2

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Who says you need to see faces? The triangle composition createsdynamism in this image, with the shadows adding to the depth

The subjects in this shots are focusing on the ball, not the

camera, which means theyre fully relaxed

When youre shooting portraits outside, care

needs to be taken with the lighting, especiallyif the suns blazing down

Try this composition for a relaxed, playful shotthat is guaranteed to get your subjects smiling!

Sometimes, the best shots come from breaking the rules. This image

captures the action in a family game of beach football
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any pictures of couples such as husbands and

wives, brothers and sisters and best friends,

show them standing awkwardly side-by-side

in the middle of the frame staring blankly at the camera

as if they were strangers. Theres no interaction, no

intimacy and no interest. Usually you need to get

involved and give some direction. How should you pose

them? Well, there are dozens of effective ways to put

two people together.The options depend, to a large degree, upon the

relationship between them and what kind of people

they are. Lovers and spouses will tend to express

their intimacy in a different way from family members

and friends.

Whatever the relationship, get them close enough so

that their bodies are in contact. This creates a nice, tight

composition. Theres nothing worse than having two

people standing either side of the picture with acres of

background between them. Getting them to turn in

slightly and point their feet towards the camera, rather

than straight ahead, will also improve the results.

A simple way to enhance this basic pose with family

members or close friends is to ask them to tilt their

heads together, so they touch. Then you might suggest

they put their arms around each other, or link them if

that feels appropriate.

Some couples will need no coaxing, and theyll

naturally play up for the camera. If theyre foolingaround and having a good time, all you have to do is

watch carefully whats going on and capture the

mayhem when it reaches its peak taking an almost

candid approach. Others may need encouragement, and

may feel a little awkward for a start. But once theyve

got over their initial resistance they normally relax and

get into it.

Always be on the look out for alternatives to having

people side by side. One person can stand behind the

other and put their arm around their waist, or they

might give each other a piggyback!

Photographing couples when theyre doing thingstogether, even if its just having a chat, is a good way to

capture them without a feeling of self-consciousness.

Having your camera to hand means that you can

capture these fleeting, personal moments naturally,

without the artifice of setting things up. Youll end up

with different kinds of expressions because theyll be

looking at each other rather than the camera.

In situations like this youre more likely to use a

telephoto lens setting, which will enable you to fill

the whole frame. It gives flattering perspective and

helps to separate them from the background.

Lighting couples follows the same principles as

lighting individuals, except you have to be careful that

one person doesnt cast a shadow on the other. Daylight

usually gives better results than flash, and its best to

have the light behind you or to shoot contre-jour. If you

have to use flash, try to stand two to three metres back,

so the flash isnt too harsh.


How to shoot

CouplesM

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groups

You dont have to photograph people in stiff and starchyposes. Letting them get about their life, and then

recording what happens can produce pictures that are

much more natural and realistic. And you can take this

approach further by deliberately introducing a sense of

movement into your photography. Do you want to freeze

the action or blur it? Both can work effectively, depending

on the subject. Setting a fast shutter speed of 1/500sec or

so or using flash will completely freeze the action.

Setting a longer speed from, 1/4sec to 1/30sec (you may

need a tripod), will introduce a controlled amount of blur.

Either way, youll produce something thats more dynamic

and interesting.

ACTION SHOTS2

The most obvious way to produce a feeling of connection is to have thetwo people touching placing heads together is particularly effective

Photographing couples when theyre doing things together can be anideal way to capture an unselfconscious, intimate moment

An ideal portrait captures the personality of the sitters. When shooting aformal shot, keep snapping in between you might just get a result!

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TheWalcotStudio
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he arrival of a baby in the family is one

reason why so many people invest in a

digital camera, and the first few weeks areoften a frenzy of photographic activity, with the camera

being used almost every day. (And youll need to if

youre to keep up with the rate at which they grow up.)

It all starts, of course, at the birth, and those all-

important pictures of mum and dad holding the baby for

the first time pictures that will be treasured forever.

Delivery rooms have fluorescent lights, so youll need to

set your white balance or use flash if light levels are low.

If you want pictures of the baby with many different

members of the family, such as proud grandparents,

and older brothers and sisters, the best shots tend to be

those that are captured spontaneously. Soft lighting isideal for babies, so avoid direct flash whenever possible

and shoot either outdoors on a hazy day or indoors by

the light of large window or patio door.

As well as such spontaneous shots, remember to take

time out to produce some more formal posed shots.

Mum and dad with their hair done, and baby dressed in

its Sunday best, and lighting carefully arranged.

Kids togetherFrom the day theyre born to the day they leave home,

children provide a wealth of photo opportunities and

happy memories. Capturing their formative years on

film is something all parents should pursue it would

be unimaginable not to have hundreds of pictures of

your growing family to look back on in years to come.As ever, you can take a candid or posed approach.

Candids work particularly well with toddlers, who

often rush headlong at you when they see you pick up

the camera, and with teenagers, who can sometimes

be sulky and stroppy as hormones kick in, and reluctant

to pose.

Alternatively, give them something to do, like

watering the garden or washing the car. Offering

younger children a hosepipe is guaranteed to have

photogenic consequences! And nothing beats a pet such

as a rabbit or kitten when it comes to keeping your

children occupied.When shooting candids outdoors youll just have to

take pot luck as far as lighting and backgrounds are

concerned, especially when kids are racing around

from one area to another. But if they seem amenable,

try some posed photos as well. Find a spot where

the lightings attractive and theres nothing fussy or

messy behind.

To help animate children, tell them a few jokes or

ask them to say words like jelly or biscuits, instead

of cheese. When shooting indoors, use daylight

whenever possible rather than flash though you

may need to anchor the camera to a tripod or crank up

your ISO setting if light levels are low.

Children tend to be more uninhibited than adults, so

experiment with different poses to see what works. Trylying on your back looking up at them as they put their

heads together and lean over you. Or get them to lie on

the floor and spell out letters and words with their

bodies as you shoot from above.

T

Babies & kidsTake pictures of your children as they grow up youll have a catalogue of shots to treasure

As with adults, tryplacing your subjects

in front and behindone another to

enhance the feeling

of depth

EXPERT TIP0STEVEBAVISTERSPORTRAITADVICE

DEVIL'S IN THE DETAILYou dont have to include everything

details can sometimes be aseffective. How about photographing

the babys soft, tiny fingers as they

rest gently in grandfathers large,

rough hands?

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When dealing with children, try to makethe experience fun. That way, theyll beup for it when it comes to the next time!

The humble step ladder is your friend. Use it to geta different perspective on groups youll capturethe faces better when theyre all looking up at youa

Leave children to chat and play,and once theyve forgotten yourethere youll be free to snap away

Leave children to chat and play,and once theyve forgotten yourethere youll be free to snap away

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A memorable and beautiful pose that you canreplicate in a well-lit bedroom
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ith the big groups you get at large family

gatherings such as weddings and

anniversaries, avoid lining people up as if

theyre a sports team or a row of soldiers. If space is too

tight for anything more imaginative, at least arrange

everyone into an arc, and get the people on the outside

to turn their body in more towards the camera, with their

front foot slightly forward.With really large groups, if you cant see all of the

faces, try standing on a chair yourself, to get a higher

view or ask everyone to assemble outside and

photograph them from a first f loor window.

The group will need to stand in a position thats right

for the light, which might determine the best time of day

to take your shots. The best conditions are bright but

hazy, in which case you can place them where you want.

If the suns shining, you dont want people looking

directly at it, because theyll all be squinting. And dont

have the sun to the side because everyone will be

casting a shadow on the person next to them. The bestapproach on a bright day is either to shoot into the light

and use exposure compensation or to find a shaded area

where the illumination is softer, perhaps against a wall or

underneath a tree.

Most compact digital cameras feature a wide-angle

lens whose angle of view is adequate for all but the

largest gatherings. A zoom lens is handy outside,

allowing you to be farther away from the group yet still

producing a tight composition.

WeddingsOnce you get known for your prowess with a camera,

you may be asked by a friend or relative to be the official

photographer at their wedding. If that happens, think

carefully before saying I do because you dont get a

second chance with weddings. You may feel happier

saying youll take shots to supplement those of the

official photographer candid, informal pictures of theguests they wont be able to do because theyll be

concentrating more on the couple and the groups.

If they say they cant afford a professional, and theyd

like you to do the best you can, ask yourself whether you

feel you have the skills required. Will you be able to

organise and manage the couple and the groups, at

speed, under the gaze of those present. Some guests

may have wandered off to get a drink, others may start

pulling faces when youre about to fire the shutter. You

have to deal with it all in a calm and collected manner.

If theres no official photographer, you must have shots

of the couple and the various family groups. At the very

least, take several different pictures of the couple on their

own; the grooms parents and his wider family; thebrides parents and her wider family; plus a shot of

everyone together at the end. Many other combinations

are possible, such as all the parents together or all the

cousins. How far you go will be determined to a large

degree by the time you have available people soon get

restless, especially if its cold or wet.

W

How to shoot

Bigger groups If youre shooting a team of some sort, keep in mind whatunites them in this case, football!

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This wedding shot works well the photographer has caught a couple of keypeople looking at the camera, with the others interacting naturally


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How to shoot

Posing guideGet great portraits with our guide to the top poses forcouples, families and bigger groups

Youcanreallymakeportraits

ofsmall groupsparkleif you

investalittle time, energyand

lateralthinking.Here,the

parentsandtheirchildrenare

positionedinaspiral,outfrom

thephotographerwhoislying

onthe floor,shootingup.Itsa

fun, energeticposewiththe

addedbonusofprovoking

naturalsmilesfromyour

subjects as youlie onthefloor.

GROUPS1

Shots of big wedding groupsoften suffer from looking toocontrived, with every face lockedin a rictus grinas the mercilesssunbeats down on them. Whileeveryone wantstosee faces insome photos,dotake theopportunity toutilise any bigprops that are lying around.Here, our prop is the swimmingpool it gives a great reflectionthat really makes the photo and weve encouraged oursubjects to do their own thing.

WEDDINGS4

Familyportraitscanbeimages

that youtreasureforyearsifyou

getthemright.Here,wevegota

standardlineup,whichwouldbe

boringifitwasnot forthe

compositionandthesetting.The

arrangementofthe adultsand

childrengivesusasmooth line

flowingthrough theimagein

contrasttotheflat horizonathird

of theway up. Thesurfadds tothe

funof theimageaswellas

keepingthechildrensmiling

throughout theshoot.

FAMILY SHOTS

5

Theresnothingcomplicatedaboutthisgreatpose, whichmakesit idealforcouplesofallages. Asyoucansee, thewoman istouchingherchintothetopofherhusbandsheadandwrapping herarmsabouthim. Itsapose that looksslightlyunnatural inreal lifebutlooks relaxedandutterlyrealisticinaphotograph.

COUPLES3

A memorable photograph isoftenone that shows an eventfrom an unexpected perspective.Here, the bride is throwing herbouquet. Weve climbed to ahigher vantage point in order tofit in all theaction and as thebride is lookingupatthebouquet, were in theperfectpositionto capture hersmile.The outstretched arms of theguestsare also a strong e

lementin the composition of the shot.

EVENTS6

Whenphotographing children,keeping their attentionfocusedis 90 per cent of the battle. Youcan get around this by keepingthem occupied with a task andshooting a number of non-posedshots until you get the pictureyoure after. It alsomakes for afar more memorable photographthan a standard pose.

CHILDREN2


dcw03 10 better portraits

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