Three Tips to Improve Your People Photography

When you’re traveling, your first instinct is to take pictures of landscapes and monuments. So yes, do that. But if you want the best memories, I suggest two things. Take shots of the people you’re with, and of interesting people you see on the street. Here are a few ideas on how to make the most of your photo skills to get the best shots possible, and to capture the sweetest recollections of your trip.

1. Get close, but not too close.

You know those selfies you see all the time or the photos you’ve taken of the wife from across the dinner table? What’s the common denominator? Their noses look like they’ve just gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. That’s because of a close-up lens’s natural tendency to exaggerate the closest thing. The way to avoid that? Back up eight feet and use a longer lens, i.e. zoom in, to fill the frame. That’s going to give you a much more natural look. BTW, newer iPhones, such as the 7 Plus and newer, have a portrait photo mode, which does what I’ve just described. Use it if you have it.

Pretty subject, but her nose isn’t really that big.

Same photo, but by stepping back a bit and using portrait mode on the iPhone, the nose is back to normal. You’ll also note that the portrait mode throws the background out of focus, which is good for keeping the attention on your main subject.

2. Put the sun at your back, or at least at your side.

And, you may think this is crazy, but if you’re shooting in bright sun, try using your flash. The flash will fill in those deep shadows under the eyes, nose, and chin that are caused by the harsh sun. Or, even better, put your subject in the shade. The light is much more even and because it’s not so harsh, won’t show every wrinkle and blemish. In both sun and shade, be sure you’re exposing for the main subject and not letting the auto setting on your camera expose for the light background, leave the faces underexposed. If you’re familiar with your camera’s manual settings, now would be a good time to use them. If you’re using your phone, touch the face of your subject on the phone screen to let the phone know that’s what you want to expose for.

We used the flash on this one. It’s not perfect, but you’ll notice the shadows under the eyes and chin are at least softer. Not bad for a phone shot.

3. Don’t be shy.

If you see an interesting person on the street you’d like to shoot, the best way to do that is to ask. And be prepared to tell the person you want to shoot why you want to shoot them. You have to relate to them, not see them as some abstract subject. Many won’t go along, but some will–and you’ll end up with some great portraits. A couple of things: after you’ve shot them, be sure to share your photos with your subjects. First, show them the image on the back of the camera. And second, carry a stack of cheap business cards with just your name and email address. Hand them a card and tell them to email you if they’d like a copy. You’ll find that about 75 percent of them will contact you within a few hours.

And sometimes you break the rules a bit. I negotiated to pay $1 to take the portrait of a street fortune teller in Old Havana. I got plenty close because I wanted to make that cigar look as big as possible. I showed it to her and we both had a laugh. When I offered to send it to her, she laughed. “Do I look like I have email,” she said?

When you are on a road trip, be sure to check with the front desk of your Best Western Hotels & Resorts. The local Best Western staff can provide some great tips on photo locations. Then all you need to do is provide the people to populate your memories.