I had a lot of fun while taking portraits. A lot of times portraits can become boring because it is essentially taking photos of a person but I think that is where the challenge lies and makes it so fun, it forces you to be creative, think of ways to click photographs, of accessories to use.
Self portraits – I think was a very difficult one for me. I am not very comfortable being n front of the camera unless I personally prepare myself, so I had to think of creative and better ways to click photos where I was in some way part of the photograph but at the same time it was – a part of me, reflects me but at the same time be fun.
Friends portraits – Portraits are fun but when it comes to friends it gets a little awkward sometimes – just because I am not sure how to direct them or what to say, and a lot of them are also a little conscious about being in front of the camera. Most of the time I try talking to them, making them laugh but after reading I tried the advice, which was to tell them that if you did not like it I will delete it.
Strangers: So I did not take photos of strangers per say on the road or anywhere outside. But I went to a photography club – photo walk where I did not know most of them. I think it was easier for me to click photos for them – maybe because both of them were used to being in front of the camera and knew how to pose around or move around.
In the end, I think something I realized is that people need to be made comfortable in front of the camera, maybe by talking or by reassuring them that if they do not like photos then as a photographer I would delete the photo, making them comfortable is the most important thing of all. ALso depending from person to person – ones who have learned and are used to being in front of the camera it is comfortable for them to pose and work with them because they know there good sides and are comfortable so pictures come out naturally. While people who are not comforatbele it is more difficult and I personally have to take quite a few pictures to make them comfortable.
