Photographing People Experts...Help!

Okay so I'm a total newbie when it comes to photography..but Im catching on quickly! My best friend is a senior this year and has asked me to take her senior pictures...now I have like 4 months to prepare and gain the skills in order to do this...I know its a tight schedule and everything but I'm asking for tips about shooting outside and better settings!
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kaila-marie

My suggestion is stop with the desparation "Help!" threads, and just go out for a few weeks and take some images and then show them here and ask,,"What could I have done differen/t, or I like this one, and this is why, what do you think?"
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Brad Ross

+1 on showing what you are capable of now.

Also, look for portrait posts from regulars here - Jfinite is a good one to learn from and is always helpful with tips - he also has done some home made flash boxes cheaply for good lighting.

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I'm technically not a 'qualified professional photographer', but I play one online.....

I don't have the E-620, but maybe I can help. So, if I mess up because I have a different camera...sorry...but at least I'm trying.

Which lens are you planning to use? Is it the Zuiko 14-42mm kit lens? You might want to turn the dial on top of the camera to "A" for aperture. Set the aperture F-stop to something like F7.1...autofocus by half pushing down the button...then take some pictures. Get someone to volunteer for you to practice taking these photos. Look at each one in the LCD. Change the EV value to darken or brighten the photos to your liking. Adjust the aperture (which will also change the shutter speed) to other settings and see what they look like. A lot of this doesn't really have to be science...just see what they would look like. Really, it will take some time, but the more you practice, the better you will be. It should be fun. Make mistakes and learn from them...that's the fastest way to learn.

I don't mean to chase you off this site, but since more people here seem obsessed with gear instead of photography.. you may want to look at a few other sites for these kind of discussions.

Would strongly recommend picturesocial.com . It is like "MySpace" for photographers and has several good photography based forums.

That said.. google "senior photography" and see what comes up. 10's of thousands of shots for inspiration... and a good basis for more questions.

Happy shooting!

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Visualize Whirled Peas.

Wirenl and Digirame your help is much appreciated!

kaila-marie

i agree look at Jason's (jfinte) threads,, He has lighting down quite nice, he always seems willing to go give constructive advice to other portrait photographers,,
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Brad Ross

After you learn the basics of the camera, then that's where the fun begins with using the composition, lighting, and background choices etc. I take lots of people pictures, mostly outdoor candids in the Portland, Oregon area. Lately I like to find events or activities and mix in with the people. If you are upfront with taking the pictures with them, most don't mind and you can get some of the best photos. I have people ask me to take photos of them sometimes too.

I'm mostly over at the Olympus Talk Forum...there we discuss more about general photography rather than just gear. A lot of us have been at that forum for years. If you would like...share your photos there too...we'd be glad to help.

Here's a recent one taken on a cloudy day along our waterfront with the settings that I used. We've had such rainy and cloudy weather...hard to get any sunny pictures lately.

Olympus E-510, Zuiko 70-300mm lens, ISO800, F9, 1/320, 89mm FL

Here are several suggestions -- I've been doing wedding and portrait photography for about 22 yrs.

First of all, study some senior posing on line. Study images that appeal to you and ask yourself what it is that catches your attention. Think about where you might be photographing this senior and try to visualize places where certain poses might look good -- there are also some good books/dvd's on senior sessions.

Learn how to use fill flash properly -- you do not need to become an instant lighting expert (which won't happen anyway). Good fill flash is simply matching your flash output to the ambient (existing) light so that facial shadows are not overly strong (raccoon eyes, etc.). The secret to good fill flash is to create a portrait that doesn't look like flash was used.

While creative lighting is a very good thing, it is not as important as good subject expression and relaxed natural looking poses. That is why people often choose non-professional photos of their loved ones as their favorites -- they love good expression.

You do need to experiment and ask for critique and input -- that can be pretty hard to do, but will definitely improve your skills.

I hope all goes well and hope you have a fun time with this project.

God Bless,
Greg
http://www.imagismphotos.com
http://www.mccroskery.zenfolio.com
http://www.pbase.com/daddyo

Kaila Marie said:

Okay so I'm a total newbie when it comes to photography..but Im catching on quickly! My best friend is a senior this year and has asked me to take her senior pictures...now I have like 4 months to prepare and gain the skills in order to do this...I know its a tight schedule and everything but I'm asking for tips about shooting outside and better settings!

Click to expand...

External flash on a bracket so you can keep it directly over the lens whether shooting horizontally or vertically. No need to use a difussor outdoors. Program mode with forced flash on. Check your menu and set a lower threshhold the camera uses in flash mode so the camera will go down to 1/60 second or so to better combine ambient and flash lighting together, and watch your backgrounds and stray sunlight that can ruin faces.

• take more than one shot when doing it. Sometimes someone may blink their eyes and that gets captured. You can also capture a slightly different expression.

• don't be afraid to talk to your subject a bit. Ask them something about their life they would be willing to share that is interesting to them and you.

• if you are using live view, you can take your eyes off the camera and face them, look at them from time to time while framing in live view. Can make for a relaxed subject.

• Practice with someone a lot.

--
Raist3d (Photographer & Tools/Systems/Gui Games Developer)
Andreas Feininger (1906-1999) 'Photographers — idiots, of which there are
so many — say, “Oh, if only I had a Nikon or a Leica, I could make great
photographs.” That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard in my life. It’s
nothing but a matter of seeing, and thinking, and interest. That’s what
makes a good photograph.'

I have a E620 and as others have said:

Learn to Fill Flash (external flash gun is recommended like FL36 or Metz 48, this would result in less headaches for you)

Learn to change camera settings quickly depending on the situation or if you are constantly changing places. For me I usually practice on outdoor / casual game events and indoor parties. The experience of working under pressure is still very rewarding.

Learn to live and work around with the limits of your camera. With the E620 my gripe is about the Focus speed and noise at and over ISO1600 (indoors). I am now using a 14-54MK2 and had better results but 14-42 is still a great, lightweight lens for outdoors.

Good luck!

Auto setting, flash enabled. You'll probably get the same , if not better results from $100.00 point and shoot.
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Thanks to the internet you can learn a lot in 4 months. Google is your friend.

Remember that good portraits are about people, not about technique. Use and handle your camera enough that you don't have to think too much about the camera while your shooting.

That said, teach yourself to be aware of light.

http://www.strobist.com is a great site for learning -- not just for learning basic lighting, but learning how professionals approach photographing people. For the technical basics work your way through the Lighting 101 section. For real-world applications check the On Assignment section and look back through the blog posts for links to photographers.

Mostly shoot as much as you can, critique yourself mercilessly, and most of all -- have fun with it.

Gato

--

Silver Mirage Gallery:
http://www.silvermirage.com

Digirame said:

After you learn the basics of the camera, then that's where the fun begins with using the composition, lighting, and background choices etc. I take lots of people pictures, mostly outdoor candids in the Portland, Oregon area. Lately I like to find events or activities and mix in with the people. If you are upfront with taking the pictures with them, most don't mind and you can get some of the best photos. I have people ask me to take photos of them sometimes too.

I'm mostly over at the Olympus Talk Forum...there we discuss more about general photography rather than just gear. A lot of us have been at that forum for years. If you would like...share your photos there too...we'd be glad to help.

Here's a recent one taken on a cloudy day along our waterfront with the settings that I used. We've had such rainy and cloudy weather...hard to get any sunny pictures lately.

Olympus E-510, Zuiko 70-300mm lens, ISO800, F9, 1/320, 89mm FL

Click to expand...

Would have been much better with a narrower depth of field. Background is far too distracting because of the fact you used an f9 aperture. The cup on the bench is really annoying.

Digirame said:

I don't have the E-620, but maybe I can help. So, if I mess up because I have a different camera...sorry...but at least I'm trying.

Which lens are you planning to use? Is it the Zuiko 14-42mm kit lens? You might want to turn the dial on top of the camera to "A" for aperture. Set the aperture F-stop to something like F7.1...autofocus by half pushing down the button...then take some pictures. Get someone to volunteer for you to practice taking these photos. Look at each one in the LCD. Change the EV value to darken or brighten the photos to your liking. Adjust the aperture (which will also change the shutter speed) to other settings and see what they look like. A lot of this doesn't really have to be science...just see what they would look like. Really, it will take some time, but the more you practice, the better you will be. It should be fun. Make mistakes and learn from them...that's the fastest way to learn.

Click to expand...

Totally the wrong aperture to be starting with for senior photography. You want a shallower depth of field by opening the aperture up.

Hi Kaila, one of the best things you can do is to bring another friend along to assist you. I'm gathering that you are around the same age as the senior, so you probably have many of the same friends. In addition to helping carry stuff, grabbing things, holding lights/reflectors, your assistant is there to bounce ideas off of, converse with the subject, watch out for cars/bikes/animals/whatever. They can also look for out of place clothing, hair, scout locations while you shoot, etc. That leaves you more time to concentrate on aperture, shutter and ISO.

You have plenty of time to develop some skills and strategies for the shoot. I can only imagine it being very beautiful in Tennessee in March-April, so an outside shoot will be great. Here's a few tips:

• Invest $45 in a 42" 5 in 1 reflector and learn how to use it. Plenty of info online about using reflectors.
• Choose the right time of day to shoot. If it's a bright, sunny day, you want to avoid the middle of the day, as you'll have harsh sun/shadows to deal with and the sun will be directly overhead, which is usually not flattering. Best to shoot in the few hours before sunset, or possibly very early after morning light.
• Tell your senior to wear clothes that THEY feel pretty/handsome, comfortable, and stylish in. Don't try to force them into a particular look (suit/tie, etc.). If your subject is not comfortable in their clothing, it will show in the pictures. It will also show more of their own personality. Tell them to avoid overly patterned clothing, including stripes. Solid colors work best. Black and white can work to a lesser degree, but they make photography more difficult, as white tends to get blown out easily and black soaks up all the light.
• You have plenty of time to scout a nice location with several spots to shoot in. Parks and nature preserves are usually a good place to start.

Most importantly, relax and have fun!

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http://www.pbase.com/jfinite

Sorry, about the cups and I had the wrong lens for the photo. It was just a recent sample that I took in cloudy weather. Since then I've corrected the problem by getting another camera to be used with another lens. Here's another candid photo that I took on brighter days...do you have any to share? Any advice you can offer for the OP?

Olympus E-510, Zuiko 70-300mm lens, ISO400, F11, 1/640, 215mm FL

Thanks guys! For those of you who sent pictures...thanks! Its really helpful and plus I just bought a few books on light/aperture/photographing seniors\people. Im super excited!

kaila-marie

It wasn't my intent to show this as a sample of "senior photography", whatever you may define that to be. It was just a sample people picture...one of my street photos. It's hard to know exactly what she is trying to achieve, so I just showed an example. I liked the expression of the young lady with the hula hoop. I think it's those different expressions, that she might want to try and capture. Sometimes I like to have a shallow depth of field...sometimes not. Often that's a personal preference.

Maybe you can show the OP examples of your "senior photography". It might help her better take pictures. Thank you for your comments.