Portrait without a doubt is the most important task of travel photographer. In most cases, Your characters will be entirely devoid of people, which sometimes will not be able to talk to. Probably your meeting with them will be very short, and you will not be able to adjust the lighting, or the shooting location. However, there are some ways through which, you can ensure your portrait photos of good quality. With these techniques will now show one of the most memorable photographs of their collections.
Find local cultural characteristics. Familiarize yourself with the local community views on photography. In some countries people are very afraid of long lenses elsewhere taboo photographing women. Many travel guides have a section on photography, which will help to dispel doubts. If you behave inappropriately, you can spit or even arrest.
Avoid paying for photographs. Nefotografē people who are asking for money for portraits: they are more interested in your wallet than the fact that you would take pictures of them. The establishment of a genuine touch – tell me something about myself, made an effort to learn your character’s name. Before you ask for permission to photograph their dealer, a buy-out of his animal.
Respect people’s wishes. Never exhort photographed people who do not. Photos of people who are confused, something called a mask or face, tend not to be good. Always behave with dignity.
Think about lighting. When shooting portraits, try to use soft, warm early morning or late afternoon light advantage. If the light is very bright, ask friends or passers-by to keep the sun and in photos lens (diffuser) or to illuminate the face of the reflector. As well as other options: use fill-shadow effect (fill-flash) in order to balance the shadows, or moving your subject in the shade.
Compensation when photographing skin. Portraits from short range, your camera’s metering system can be fooled light or dark skin tones. To avoid this, adjust the exposure compensation between +0.5 and +1 white skin and a negative compensation – between -0.5 and -1.5, if the skin is darker.
Contact with the subject of the picture. People who do not Western culture, posing in front of the camera, it is often tense. It may be good, but often look unnatural or too formal. Be a while with the shooting, help them relax. Offer them options for how they might pose, show your photos and ask, maybe they want to give your address so you can send it to them. The better will be your contact with the character, the better photos.
Covert photography. Market street full of people and national holidays gives great opportunities disguised photography. If you start nervously change the camera settings or worry that you just do not notice, miss the best moments and will pay attention to myself.
Pat the area. If your subject area is interesting enough, use a wide-angle. If the focal length is wider than 28mm, try to not be a subject at the very edge, otherwise it will be distorted. If you have space, increase the ISO to prevent camera shake.
Children’s games. Children around the world are the same: they are curious, lively, they make great photographic objects. Descend to their eye level and take a few shots to get used to them photographed. If you can not make it, so they pose with your character long enough to come out good portrait after a lapse aside, and play their shots.
Learn a language. Reliance on sign language is a bad strategy, it is often a “conversation” creates frustration and misunderstandings. Talking to people in their own language opens many more doors, but even some of the key words and phrases without knowing the end helps if you are dealing with a completely alien culture people.