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How To Photograph Street Performers

Every city has them. Street performers are a big part of a city and can often provide great photo opportunities. In some cities, these performers do this as full-time job and actually want people to photograph them. Others may just be trying to spread their name or doing what they love. Whatever the reasons are, you should keep your eyes open for any opportunities to photograph them as you capture some great photos.

Establish the rules

Before you even start to lift your camera to photograph a street performer, you should establish the rules. Firstly, if you are allowed to photograph the person. Obviously if the performer has put signs down asking not to be photographed, respect that and don’t try to sneak a photo. If there are no signs and you see others photographing, then it will probably be OK for you to photographing them as well.

In some places, it is also important to know if the person being photographed expects a fee. For example, in Havana Old Town, the women who wear the colourful outfits are happy to be photographed for a small fee. It is best to establish if this is the case and how much the performer expects. Knowing this before you shoot will save you being charged an extortionate fee after you have taken photos.

Have a think before shooting

One of the tough parts of photographing street performers is avoiding the crowd that will inevitably gather. Sometimes there is no way to avoid the crowd and you have to integrate them into the shoot. At other times you may be able to change your angle to avoid other people in your shot. Or there might be times when you can simply wait for the right moment to capture the performer in an area that is crowd free.

So, before you start shooting, spend a few minutes thinking about the shoot and how best to photograph that performer.

Know your settings

Your camera settings for photographing street performers will vary hugely depending on the scenario and what type of shot you are capturing. For example, a head and shoulder portrait of some will naturally mean you can settle of a slower shutter speed and shallower depth of field. But on the other hand, if for example you are photographing a dancer you will need to have a much faster shutter speed.

If you are unsure about what settings you should select, my advice would be to always overcompensate with your shutter speed and go for something faster than you initially think. I would also recommend selecting burst mode and continuous focus if there is movement involved.

Don’t forget to zoom in

Often when photographing a performer, we are all guilty of only capturing shots of the entire scene showing the performer in their entirety. While you should certainly capture these types of shots, it is also a really good idea to capture some close-up shots showing specific details of the person or even their clothing.

For example, this could be a close-up of a musician’s hands as they play their instrument. Or it could be a piece of jewellery the performer is wearing. These types of shots not only look great, but they also offer much more variety to your portfolio.

Don’t be afraid to talk to them

One of the great things about photographing street performers is that you won’t be disturbing them in the middle of doing something (obviously providing you don’t interrupt them in the middle of when they are performing). This will sometimes allow you to ask them to pose or even move them slightly to a new spot so that you can capture the perfect shot.

But beyond all this, it will also help you build a connection with that person rather than seeming like you are just another tourist with a camera.

A generous gesture

If the performer you are photographing has been happy for you to photograph them without asking any money, be courteous and say thank you and maybe offer to email them a copy of the photo. Or even better give them a small tip. It is a small gesture that says thank you but will also mean a lot to the performer.

Street performers are great subjects to photograph. Not only will you usually find them more than willing to be photographed but sometimes they may even pose or even stand where you want them to, allowing you to direct your shoots to capture the perfect shot. So next time you are out and about, keep your eyes open for street performers that you may be able to photograph. And then use the tips above to help you capture great photos.

How To Capture Awesome Environmental Portraits

Photographing people is one of the most vital types of travel photos to cover off on any given trip. Often these are the types of photos that can really bring a destination to life and offer a unique view of the world. But there are different types of “people photos”. In this short guide, we will discuss the differences between traditional head and shoulder portraits and environmental portraits as well as some tips on how to capture great environmental portraits.

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Portraits or environmental portraits

As mentioned above, there’s a difference between portraits and environmental portraits. Portraits usually consist of head and shoulder shots with the focus being on the person’s eyes. Environmental portraits on the other hand not only focus on the person but also the wider context of what they are doing. In other words, we see their surroundings. So the first element of an environmental portrait is to ensure you capture the wider context of the scene.

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Use a wide-angle lens

Just because you are capturing a wider scene doesn’t mean you should stand across the road and zoom in with a long lens. You will usually find that if you get closer to your subject it will help build that connection that will become apparent in the image. So get close to your subject and use a wide-angle lens to give you a wider angle of view. The other benefit of getting closer is that you will find it less difficult to take a photo without people stepping into your composition.

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Think about your depth of field

Your depth of field (controlled by your aperture) is incredibly important in environmental portraits. In traditional head and shoulder portraits, you can afford to select a wide aperture as you are only really concerned with the person’s face. So as long as you focus correctly on the eyes and they are sharp, the background can be blurred. In fact in these types of portraits, the blur helps the subject stand out against the background and so it is usually preferred.

For an environmental portrait, you do need to also capture some of the surroundings. So you may have to select a slightly smaller aperture to increase your depth of field. This can be tricky in places like markets where you are likely to face low light conditions. Without using artificial lighting, the only solution will be to increase your ISO.

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Know your shutter speed limit

The other important setting when it comes to any type of photography is your shutter speed. For environmental portraits, you may not have the luxury of the person remaining perfectly still (like they would for a head and shoulder portrait). For example, they might be making something or moving their head as they are interacting with someone. This means that your shutter speed will need to be faster than when taking a portrait of someone. How fast will depend on various factors such as your camera’s image stabilization and your own ability to hold a camera steady.

Some people may find that they can hold a camera steady at 1/60th sec whereas someone else has a limit of 1/100th sec before they start seeing blurred photos through camera shake.

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Compose your shot carefully

Environmental portraits can be tricky to compose and it becomes tempting to place your subject in the centre of your composition. While sometimes that might be the best scenario, there are also times when you can place your subject to one side to show more of the scene. This also has the added benefit of allowing photos to be used as double-page spreads in magazines when your subject needs to avoid being in the centre of the page (which is known as the gutter). So try to play around with your composition and take multiple shots with different setups involving your subject. Not only will this ensure you have different crops in case a client needs it, but you can also select the best composition in post-production.

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You can also use other compositional techniques like “leading lines” to compose your shot.

Don’t be shy, but don’t get in the way

As a photographer, it’s important to be confident in your ability and also in managing the shoot. This doesn’t only refer to a professional setup with models and lighting, but also simply photographing a market vendor. Before you approach the person to take photos try to envision the shot in your mind and get your settings correct. Once you begin taking photos, be confident but also always be aware not to get in the way. This is especially important if you are photographing someone who is working, as the last thing you want is for them to miss out on a sale because of you.

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Environmental portraits can be very rewarding and give you some incredible and unique photos. Use the tips above and you will be well on your well to capturing great environmental photos.

Photo credits: Kav Dadfar – All rights reserved. No usage without permission.

6 Tips To Help You Capture Better Environmental Portraits

Environmental portraits can make for great photos. Capturing someone in their own setting can often be a glimpse into their life and also the daily life of a destination. These photos are often unique as unlike photographing a monument, they cannot be repeated. But capturing environmental portraits well can be challenging. Whether it’s the composition or the execution, there is a fine line between getting it right or a photo that simply does not work. But fear not, here are 6 tips to help you capture better environmental portraits.

Do some research

Even though it may seem that environmental portraits are spontaneous if you want to capture good photos you need to do some research. Whether that is about potential locations for good photos or the rules and regulations regarding photography at that location. Or simply what settings you need to use, the better your research is the better your chances of capturing a great photo. You can also use this opportunity to research what sort of photos already exist from the scenario or location you are photographing. Use this to help you think of your own ideas of how to take environmental portraits in that scene.

Get closer

By far the biggest piece of feedback that I give amateur photographers on workshops is for them to get closer. Most people tend to be pretty shy when it comes to photographing people. So they stand back and zoom in. The issue with photographing people in this way is that you can’t build a connection with that person. As a result, the photo can sometimes feel detached and not candid enough. So instead of zooming in, actually move in closer to your subject. Start by just having a chat with them which will make them more relaxed and open to having their photo taken. Even if you don’t speak their language, it’s amazing how much more receptive people are when you say hello, smile and ask to take their photo.

Know your settings

Whilst it is always betting to take your time and be patient when taking photos, sometimes you have to work quickly. Your subject may not want to wait around for a while for you to work out which settings you will need. This will often lead to photographers who are not confident in their camera getting flustered and rushing things. So try to work out your settings before you even approach the person you are photographing. The best way to approach this is to determine your shutter speed first as you don’t want a blurred photo.

Most people will not be able to hold a camera steady enough at speeds slower than 1/60 sec. But to be safe you may want to aim for 1/100 sec. Then work out your aperture. For most environmental portraits you can get away with a fairly shallow depth of field. Something like f/5.6 should work fine (just be careful of your focusing at wider apertures). If there is more of the scene that you need in focus then you may have to go to f/8 or higher. Once you have your shutter speed and your aperture, you can then raise you ISO accordingly to allow you to capture a photo at the desired exposure. If you know all of this before you approach your subject it will make things somewhat easier.

Crop accordingly

Even though in an environmental portrait it is important to see the full picture (i.e. the surroundings of the person you are photographing), you still need to crop your image accordingly. Make sure that you remove distracting elements either when taking the photo or in post-production. Always ask yourself if the image is telling the story that you want to tell. If there are any elements that are not essential to the story, then remove them. Be especially aware of things around the edge of your photo.

Direct your model

Keep in mind that the people you are photographing are not professional models. So usually having a person thrusting a camera in their face will make them nervous. This can result in unnatural smiles or facial expressions. They may not even know how to stand or pose. Try to take the time to direct your model to where and how you want them to stand for you. You can even direct them to use possible accessories or props that they may have. Not only will this add to the story but it will also help to distract them from the camera giving you a more natural shot.

Take multiple shots

You probably won’t have a lot of time to photograph your model, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take multiple shots. Besides the fact that you will have a better chance of capturing a sharp photo, it will also allow you to choose your best composition later. How often have you looked at a set of photos you have taken and thought you liked the first one you tool? Often you will find that one of the later shots ends up being your favourite. But avoid capturing the same photo over and over again. Instead to look for a variety of angles and if possible even different lighting.

A good environmental portrait can tell a story and capture the viewer’s attention. It often transports them into the life of the subject and can tell so much about the person they are seeing. But good environmental photos are challenging and require practice to perfect. Follow the advice above and you will be on your way to capturing great environmental portraits.

Photo credits: Kav Dadfar – All rights reserved. No usage without permission.

6 Ideas To Give Your People Photos More Variety

Photographing people is a wonderful genre of photography. It can often lead to fantastic photos that connect the viewer to a world that they may not ever get to see. But like any form of photography, it is important to ensure that your images of people have variety. Not only will this keep you more interested rather than repeating the same things over and over again, but also ensure that your portfolio is not repetitive. If you are struggling to think of different ways of photographing people, here are 6 ideas to help you get started.

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Head and shoulder portraits

These are the standard people photos that most photographers think about when you talk about people photography. They can range from functional corporate type of headshots to dramatic lighting and interesting faces. The key with any head and shoulder portraits are the eyes. They need to be 100% sharp and in focus. If the eyes are not sharp the whole photo will look soft and won’t work.

For portraits such as these, you will need a shallow depth of field as ideally, you should try to isolate your subject against the background. So by using a shallow depth of field, you can blur the background so that your subject stands out. This should mean that your shutter speed should be fast enough so that you don’t have to worry about camera shake. If you do find that your shutter speed is too slow, raise your ISO slightly.

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Environmental portraits

The next step from the traditional head and shoulder portraits is environmental portraits. For these types of photos, you need to try and capture some of the surrounding areas around your subject. This will give the photo more context about what the person is doing which in turn will give it more context.

Environmental portraits can be a little more tricky at times because you are potentially having to extend your depth of field. In addition to this, you may also sometimes be faced with low light conditions (i.e. if you are photographing a market for example). This might mean that your shutter speed will begin to be too slow for handheld photography. The only way to get around this issue is to raise your ISO so that you can take the picture at the desired depth of field and shutter speed. The key to good environmental photos is the composition. So rather than rushing in, spend a bit of time thinking about it and the story that you want to tell.

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Festivals or religious gatherings

Nothing conveys the spirit of humanity more so than festivals, religious events or gatherings. Some of these gatherings can be the most spectacular and colourful scenarios to photograph. People just lose themselves in the moment and that makes it a wonderful scenario to photograph. But capturing these events can be difficult. Not only is each one different with its own unique set of challenges, but often they are all incredibly busy and full of other photographers. The key is to do your research so that you know exactly where to be and when because you may only get one chance to capture the photo you want.

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A point of interest

It’s easy to always think that the person in your photo has to be central, but sometimes they can simply be a point of interest. For example, if you are capturing a landscape shot, a person can help give a sense of scale or even tell more of a story about a scene. You will, of course, need to compose your shot so that the person works as part of the whole image and doesn’t look like they are placed there deliberately.

The great thing about these sort of scenarios is that as you are photographing outdoors, you shouldn’t have too many issues with your settings. Even when using a greater depth of field you will usually find that you can handhold the camera (unless photographing in low light conditions). But if you find that you need to use slower shutter speeds, than make sure you use a tripod.

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Movement or action

Another great way to capture photographs of people is when they are in action. Anything from sport to dance or even just people going about their everyday life will look fantastic and give variety to your portfolio. But capturing people in action is probably the hardest of all people photography to master. Not only will you have to ensure that you are focusing on a moving subject, but you will also have to ensure that you use a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action (if that is what you want to achieve). These two combinations are often something that amateur photographers struggle with. Really the only way to improve and be able to “nail that shot” is through practice.

Using continuous focus will help you be able to focus easier as the camera can track your subject and keep focusing (as long as you are holding down your focus button). But in terms of shutter speed, it will really come down to how fast the movement of what you are photographing is. For example, someone running will require a faster shutter speed than someone walking. Keep practising and you will get better at photographing movement.

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Moments

One of the great things about photography is that a photo can capture a moment that might otherwise be lost. These unique moments can be incredibly photogenic. It might be someone just looking deep in thought. Or enjoying an amazing view in front of them. It might be someone laughing, crying, being scared or even talking. Sometimes these will be fleeting moments that will disappear and at other times you will have more time. The key to capturing these moments is to be ready but more importantly to keep your eyes open. Because you never know, around every corner might be one of these unique moments.

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Capturing great pictures of people can offer some of the most stunning and unique photographs. Whether it is in a studio, or in far away land photographing the locals, people can bring to life a destination or stories that cannot be told otherwise. For most amateur photographers, once they overcome their fear of shyness, they will end up with a set of images that they can be proud of. The only danger is that your images will look repetitive, but use these 6 ideas and you’ll end up with a diverse collection of people photos.

Photo credits: Kav Dadfar – All rights reserved. No usage without permission.

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