Making the leap from candids to posed portraits of friends and family can be stressful, even for top photographers. When posing people, uncertainties abound: How should you light your model? Which lens is right? How do you draw out great facial expressions? Follow these five tips from photographer Patrick James Miller to help get you started.

1. Full-length shot: Avoid the boxy look

Posed, full-body portraits are among the hardest people pictures to nail. With face, body, and limbs to coordinate, they can present a complex set of visual elements to harmonize.

Begin with the right camera position. “For these full-body shots, I started with my camera at about Amy’s chest level,” says New York–based editorial shooter Patrick James Miller. “I work in a straightforward style, and a level, chest-high camera introduces little or no distortion.”

He adds, “Sometimes, though, I will lower the camera slightly and aim up, to make a proud, powerful statement about the subject. Other times, I lift and tilt the camera down for a more intimate, sometimes flattering look.”

Another tip: Work the planes. To add dynamic tension, experiment with aiming your subject’s face, shoulders, and hips in different directions. Place the left shoulder slightly forward and the hip slightly back, for example.

It’s also important to show space between the arms and body. Bending an elbow can help highlight the subject’s waist, while flexed elbows, wrists, and knees tend to add energy.

Asking your subject to put the weight on the back leg frees up the front leg to become an expressive element. In the larger shot here, Miller had Spector shift her weight onto her left foot, so her right leg could cross her body, giving the legs an active triangular composition. “Shifting weight allows for the subject to look less flat-footed and is a great way to add shape to the pose,” the photographer says.

Tilt and cock the head. This can suggest personality and intimacy, but don’t go too far. And watch the hands. Can’t get them to look right? Hide them as Miller did.

Finally, try adding a prop. “Having something for your subjects to lean against, like a chair, can relax them,” says Miller.

Hot Tip: When directing your subject, request that changes made in the placement of body, limbs, and head be very minor. Slight placement differences can affect a pose in big ways. Instead of simply asking that a subject “look left,” for example, ask for a very small turn to the left.

2. Gear choices: Begin with the lens

Why are wide-angle lenses anathema to portrait shooters? These two pictures tell the story. Miller made the left shot with a classic 85mm portrait lens and the right one with a standard-range zoom at 35mm. The results are like night and day. Here’s why: To fill the frame with a portrait subject using a wide-angle lens, you must move in very close. In the photo taken at 35mm, the camera was about 3 feet from our model, while for the 85mm shot, the camera was about twice as far back. The closer your camera is to the subject, the more exaggerated the parts of the face closest to the lens become. At 35mm, the nose appears much larger than the eyes because it’s significantly closer to the camera. At 85mm, the relative distance between the eyes and the nose is visually insignificant, and we see much less apparent distortion.

The correct lens isn’t the only useful piece of equipment for posed portraits. Miller mounts his camera on a sturdy support, and he brings a laptop along for shooting tethered. The former prevents camera shake, and the latter lets him share images in real-time with his portrait sitters. This collaboration gives subjects a sense of confidence and control.

Hot Tip: If all you have is a wide-angle lens, limit your posed portraits to full-body shots; don’t attempt half-lengths or tight headshots. Also, stick to environmental portraits and step back to include a lot of colorful background in your compositions. The farther back, the better!

3. Outdoor lighting: Seek shade

Taking your posed portraits outdoors can improve the variety, mood, and character of your backgrounds—certainly more easily than what you can achieve indoors. However, shooting outdoors often introduces its own problems, the most serious being unflattering light. As seen in the right-hand picture above, direct sunlight creates dark, contrasty shadows in Spector’s eye sockets and under the nose and chin. The solution is simple, though. Have your subject step into shade to even out the sun’s bright highlights and dark shadows for more flattering portrait lighting.

What if you find the perfect outdoor backdrop, but the setting has no shade? Do as Miller did and create your own. For the left-hand picture, his assistant held a 2×3-foot diffusion panel above Amy Spector. This created an oasis of soft, very effective light for a much more flattering shot.

Another way to improve portraits made in direct sunlight? Place a reflector immediately below your subject’s face and angle it up to bounce sunlight back up into the eye sockets and under the chin and nose. The face will be more evenly lit—and also brighter than what’s possible in shade. This added brightness can afford you faster shutter speeds or smaller apertures, either of which can render the unlit areas of the background darker, causing your subject to stand out more emphatically.

Hot Tip: On a partly cloudy day, your best bet is to wait for a thinly overcast sky. The light under such conditions can be bright enough for handheld exposures, as well as soft, even, and highly flattering.

4. Indoor lighting: Flash vs. softbox

Because of its convenience and low cost, on-camera flash exerts a strong allure for novice portraitists. Resist it! Your results could resemble the right-hand image above. Compared with the picture on the left, which was lit with a studio strobe and softbox, the direct-flash portrait appears flat and harshly lit, with shiny bright highlights and a distracting shadow behind the subject. The portrait lit by softbox is more flattering, with greater dimension and shaping across the face and softer highlights in the complexion. It avoids the contrasty facial sheen of direct-flash portraits.

Note that by placing his main light off-axis, away from the lens, Miller was able to aim the softbox down onto the model’s face. “I like to have my key and backlight kind of high, shooting down, because it’s directional and natural, kind of like the sun,” says Miller. This strategy also created the shadow across her neck that serves to set off and “present” the face in a flattering manner.

Conversely, the on-camera flash illuminates the neck and face equally, giving the former an unwelcome prominence. Raising his light also buried the shadow cast behind Spector. As a result, she seems to exist in her own timeless world, one without the confining walls suggested by the on-camera-flash shadows.

Hot Tip: If you must light with an on-camera flash, try bouncing its output off a nearby white wall or ceiling, turning either into a giant reflector—without aiming the flash directly at your subject.

5. Expressions: Make them count

The closer you zoom in on a portrait subject, the more weight the person’s facial expression carries. At first, it may seem difficult for novice portraitists to coax relaxed and expressive looks from their subjects. But with practice, it gets easier.

Miller says he starts by putting his subjects at ease. “Before a shoot, I do some homework,” he says. “I try to find out if there’s anything the subject and I have in common. Something we could talk about. I may also show a subject an example of the kind of portrait I want to take. If they like the example, it can build trust. Also, subjects who are parents love to talk about their kids. It can really open them up.”

The good news? The difference between a deadpan, lifeless expression (right) and one that suggests a rich, lively intelligence and vibrant inner life can be achieved through very minor tweaks to the face and head. A slightly lifted eyebrow (left) or a tipped or tilted head can be enough.

“I’m always on the lookout for unexpected moments,” says Miller. “The seconds right after a person laughs, for example, often produce unguarded and natural expressions that can be very charming.”

Hot Tip: When he zooms in to focus on a person’s facial expressions, Miller will often place a black flag beside his subject, opposite to the main light. As in this shot, it darkens the shadowed side of the face, which accentuates its shape and adds a sense of depth and dimension to the image.

The post Five tips for more flattering portrait photography appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Sydney Sweeney, Lizzo, Conan Gray, Machine Gun Kelly, and Megan Fox all pose for the camera. There’s a candid familiarity that exudes from each frame, as if they were caught in the moment by a friend. And that’s what makes photographer Orion Bustamante’s images a novelty. The 23-year-old New Yorker is delighting the Internet with his casual celebrity snaps on his Instagram account, Shot by Orion, which features grainy film photos and retro Polaroids.

“I want to capture people’s favorite musicians or artists in a light that they’ve never seen before,” Bustamante tells PopPhoto. “Something that completely captures them off guard and to have [those images be people’s favorites].” 

Related: Oh, snap! Meet the Polaroid street photographer using an old-school Speed Graphic

A pandemic surprise 

The height of a global pandemic isn’t exactly when you’d expect a photography side project to take off, but that was indeed the case. Bustamante originally created his Instagram account, Shot by Orion, as a repository for the film photos he was amassing while covering events around New York City. 

“It was very much a photo dump account where I just posted film. I wanted it to be a film account,” he explains. “I started that Instagram account from scratch, zero followers, probably at the end of 2019. I filled up two rolls [of film] and then I started posting them.”

A big break came right after Vice i-D ran an article about his work—at the time, Bustamante estimated he had around 200 followers. The publication quickly added thousands, but he was running into a conundrum. Suddenly, eyes were on him. But, due to the pandemic, he had no fresh images to share.  

“I was so confused about what had happened because they didn’t tell me that the article came out,” he recalls. “After that it was just crazy. I wanted to keep that momentum building, but because [of] lockdown I was running out of film posts. There were no more events to go to, to photograph anyone.”

That’s when he started doing FaceTime photoshoots. At first, it began as a way to interact with followers—but soon, Bustamante had celebrities on board. The series, Stars Shot from Home, saw him photograph the likes of Jason Genao and Sierra McCormick, along with other former Disney and Nickelodeon stars. Eventually, the virtual sessions turned into real-life photoshoots in Los Angeles. 

Not a paparazzo 

Amidst the star power, Bustamante maintains, adamantly, that he is not a paparazzo, which he equates with an invasion of privacy. Every image he shares has been taken with the explicit permission of the subject. 

“It has always been my approach,” he explains. “I feel it just makes for a more interesting photo. [The Internet is] oversaturated with photos of somebody walking down the street. It’s more enticing when they’re your subject and also when you’re in there. It’s like you were there, capturing that fleeting moment, bringing it to life, and eternalizing it.”

So how does one engage with the celebrity? It turns out Bustamante’s approach is simple but often overlooked. 

“You’re meeting them on a professional level; you have to separate yourself from that in a sense. Most times when I work with people, I don’t even mention their work or that I’m a fan of them. I just find different common ground that we relate to and stuff like that. I feel that’s really helped too because you don’t create this awkward power thing, where they’re above you.”

But aside from the dynamics, it’s also just common courtesy. Though his snapshots feel like he’s photographing a long-time friend, usually the case is more so that they’ve just met. When asked how he gets strangers to warm up to the idea, it all comes down to acknowledging that the person is, above everything, human.

“Sometimes I feel people when they see a celebrity, they jump a few steps. They don’t even greet them. They don’t even say, ‘hi how are you, how’s your day going,’ or ‘nice to meet you,’ anymore. [The celebrity is] suddenly not even a person, they’re just an object. It would rub me the wrong way. Casual conversation leads to, ‘would you mind if I take a photo of you?’”

On his favorite celebrity to photograph 

Bustamante has made the rounds at major events—this year, he even went to Coachella and Fashion Week. When asked about his favorite subject, the answer was twofold, what he called the obvious and the unobvious. 

“The obvious answer [would] probably be [Timothée Chalamet]. He’s just a really great guy and everybody loves him; he is so talented. He’s somebody I [often] see at events. I don’t even have to ask him anymore about the project. He’s taken such an interest in it that he’ll be like, ‘oh where’s the Polaroid? Let’s do it right now, let’s go.’ He’s so excited about it; he wants to be a part of it. He wants to take photos, he enjoys them. So that’s really cool.”

Bustamante’s “unobvious” answer would apply to Chalamet as well. “I just love people who are willing to peel back, not take themselves so seriously, and really create something dope.”

Peeling back the veneer of fame

There is a certain air of superficiality that comes with celebrity status. When asked if it was true, Bustamante’s answer was thoughtful. 

“I feel it’s a valid thing to think because you only see so much of people,” he begins. “I think the problem is people tend to think that they know everything about [the celebrity] when really you only see what they want you to see. I feel a lot of them are people just like us, they just have a different job.”

That’s where his images come in. With the click of a shutter (on a disposable, Polaroid, digital, or his “new” Contax G1), Bustamante hopes to peel back the veneer. 

“I guess my motive would be to break down that superficiality and show them in a way that they’ve never been seen before—whether that be more vulnerable or emotional.”

Share some of the core items in your gear bag.

It would be the disposable [camera], some extra rolls of film (Kodak Portra 400), my Polaroid camera, of course, [and] camera cleaner. Also, I have this LED light that I use, that’s really cool, it turns different colors. It’s my go-to at night. I also have some cool filters, a film filter—a dreamy filter I call it—for my lens.

What’s the best photographic advice you’ve ever received?

[A photographer once told me] to not think about it too much or take yourself too seriously. If you want to post something, don’t post it because you think others would like it, post it because you like it. He said he’s landed some of his biggest jobs from shoots that he wasn’t even going to post. People saw that and liked it.

Share one of your biggest photography catastrophes. 

This was a recent one. I was traveling with my camera gear because I was doing shoots in LA. I took the little terminal bus and I was on the phone with my friend. I was traveling heavy because I was out there for a month, so I had two suitcases, a carry-on, and then my backpack. Suddenly I’m like, something feels wrong, I feel lighter. I left my photography backpack at the airport. I was freaking the heck out. So I retraced my steps. I went back to the terminal buses and I had them ping the other drivers to see if anybody left the bag or found the bag. They said there was a backpack, but it wasn’t mine. So I was like, oh my God. I went back to the first terminal that I was at, huffing and puffing; I ran. I saw right where we were all sitting before, it was just sitting there, the bag. I was like, thank God.

Name your biggest pet peeve as a photographer.

My biggest pet peeve is when somebody’s like, ‘oh all you do is click a button.’  If I had your camera, I could take that too. Or when some people would want to see the RAWs, I’m like ‘no.’ Or they want the RAWs, I’m like ‘no.’ [And] when they try to pay you [in] exposure.

What’s your current and/or all-time favorite camera? 

It has to be the Contax that I just got. I don’t know if that’s because I’m in the honeymoon phase with it, but I think that’s the one.

The post ‘Shot by Orion:’ Meet the 23-year-old celebrity portrait photographer delighting the Internet appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Bright sunlight is one of the most challenging weather conditions to shoot in. If you’re not careful, your photos can come out wildly overexposed, brutally underexposed, or way too contrasty and filled with harsh, unappealing shadows. But challenging doesn’t mean impossible. With the right approach, it’s still feasible to shoot incredible images, even with the sun beaming down from directly overhead. 

Embrace it

Shooting high-contrast images with hard shadows is only a problem if you’re trying to shoot something else. On the other hand, if you want to shoot dramatic photographs, there are few better times than on bright sunny days. 

With that said, getting the best results still requires a bit of skill and planning. If you shoot film, now is the time to break it out. Film stocks tend to handle high contrast lighting better than digital cameras. They’re harder to over-expose and, even if you do, the highlight roll-off is nicer than the bright white you get from over-exposed digital photos. 

Related: How to get a blurry background in portraits

If you are shooting digital images, don’t overexpose your images in an attempt to fill the shadows. You will blow your highlights before you get good results from the shadows. Expose for the brighter parts of the scene, and accept that you will have some dark zones that add to the atmosphere. 

Pay particular attention to how shadows fall on your subject. If you’re shooting portraits, your subjects’ face is likely to be the most important area of the image. As long as an ugly, unintended shadow doesn’t cut across it, you can get away with a lot in the background of the image. 

For landscapes, harsh sunlight has a way of bringing out texture. Rather than try to avoid it, look at ways to use it to add depth and interest to your images. Fairly boring scenes can come to life this way. 

When you’re processing your images, consider converting them to B&W. It can be easier to get strong high contrast images without having to worry about things like color balance. 

Avoid it

If you don’t want to shoot overly stylized images or have to get something different for a client or assignment, then avoiding the sun can be easier than you think. Just look for the smallest bit of shade. Even getting under a tree, behind a wall, or under a doorway can give you enough cover to get great images. 

In this situation, a lens hood is really useful as it will allow you to position your subject in the shade while you stand in the sunlight without getting any unwanted lens flare. 

While a bright sun overhead might not make for the easiest lighting conditions outdoors, it can make for some of the best ones indoors. Instead of fighting the sun outside, head somewhere public with a big window—like a café, bar, or even a shop—and enjoy the wonderfully soft, directional light you get streaming in. It’s perfect for portraits and even things like macro photography. 

Overcome it

If you can’t accept it and can’t dodge it, then the last remaining option for shooting in bright sunlight is to overcome it. And, with the right gear, this can be easier than you think. 

A large 5-in-1 reflector is your go-to bit of kit here. You can use it as a scrim to soften and block the worst of the sunlight from your subject, or use it to create an impromptu bit of shade. You can also use it to bounce some fill light to brighten up your subject and reduce the overall contrast of the image. Really, depending on the shot you’re trying to take, it can basically provide whatever you need. The biggest downside is that to make the most of it, it helps to have someone else—like an assistant or friend—around to hold it in position. 

Alternatively, an (ideally off-camera) flash can be used to fill in the worst of the shadows on your subject. Unfortunately, this only helps when you are up close with your subject. For landscapes, nature, or sports images, it’s often impossible to place a flash where you would need it. It also involves more setup, planning, and gear-hauling. For professionals, it’s the most reliable solution but for a lot of regular shooters, it can be challenging. 

Even if you don’t have a reflector or flash to hand, you aren’t entirely out of luck. In cities, shiny glass-fronted buildings or large metal objects can double as fill light. That bright overhead sun will basically bounce off anything. The next time you’re out shooting, try it—it’s surprisingly effective. 

Be prepared to fail

Whatever strategy you choose, bright sunlight still presents its challenges. If you don’t have a lot of experience shooting in it, you should be prepared to get a few unsatisfactory images while you learn how to handle harsh shadows and high-contrast lighting on location. But as with all things in photography, it’s those bad practice photos that lead to the good ones later on.

The post How to take good pictures in bright sunlight appeared first on Popular Photography.

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In an age saturated with selfies, the art of the self-portrait can feel diluted at best, and an indulgence of vanity at worst. But for Florida-based creative Chinelle Rojas, it’s been an avenue for accepting her identity and celebrating who she is. Her self-portrait series, My Black Self, is a way that she reclaims a part of her that has long been ignored. 

“It was just how I was raised. My parents never made a big deal about race at all, which I feel hindered me in a sense. Things were happening to me, different microaggressions and stuff like that. I didn’t know to put two and two together until I was an adult looking back like, ‘Hold on. That was not okay.’ [The title My Black Self] did not come until I got to a point in my life where I embraced my Blackness,” she explains. 

Related: Best Nikon lens for portrait photography

Embracing her identity 

Born in the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, Rojas spent her childhood in Germany and Florida. 

“Being Caribbean, I didn’t grow up identifying as Black,” she shares. “I know it’s super weird because clearly I’m Black but I did not grow up identifying as Black. Later in my adulthood, I started embracing the fact…When America sees me, I’m Black so therefore I’m Black but Trinidadian if you want to get specific.”

My Black Self was a public proclamation of accepting who she was—and how others might see her. Rojas, who had been practicing self-portraiture since the beginning of her career nearly 10 years ago, officially launched an Instagram account for the series at the end of 2019, which coincided with another embrace of her identity: The whole family moved to Trinidad, where Rojas created prolifically.

“I’m just more able to see that I am Black and Caribbean, Caribbean and Black,” she says. “I am Afro-Caribbean and it just reiterated that a little bit more to me.”

Related: Best Sony portrait lenses

Setting up the shot 

When Rojas goes about coming up with an idea, one of the first things she’ll do is see if others have created similar work. Though she maintains that she is very much a follower, when it comes to art, Rojas is dead-set on being the first. 

“I don’t like doing things that other people have done already, so that’s kind of my thing. If I don’t see anybody who’s done it, then I’d be like, ‘Cool. Do it now.’ If I do see somebody who’s done it, then I will make a mental note how not to do it,” she elaborates. “I prefer to be a trailblazer in that sense. When it comes to my art and stuff like that, I try to separate myself and be different and do something that other people aren’t doing, at least not yet.”

Depending on how complicated the idea is, she will sketch it out, sometimes in great detail, before shooting and constructing the final image in Photoshop. And that is her advice to fellow creatives wanting to dip into self-portraiture. Have a plan. It will make the process easier, and even save a good deal of frustration. 

“It’s amazing what a little bit of planning can do in the self-portrait process. If you know what you’re going to wear, you know how you’re going to wear your makeup, how your hair is going to be, the lighting situation, how you’re going to basically overall set up the shot, it makes the process of actually taking the picture just go so much smoother because you already know what you have to do. It’s not going to be a whole lot of, ‘Oh, I don’t know. Will that work? I don’t know,'” Rojas advises. 

When it comes to actually taking the shot, it’s an open secret. The Fujifilm ambassador’s hack is to use the intervalometer on her Fujifilm X-T4 with the camera set to shoot continuously at one-second intervals. This way, she isn’t limited by a definitive number of photos and can time each accordingly. With the help of the camera’s flip-out screen, she can compose and capture in real-time. 

Her editing process

After sorting through hundreds of photos, Rojas pulls her favorites into Lightroom for base edits and retouches using her own presets. However, she doesn’t peg herself to a specific style.

“It always depends on my mood because I could be like, ‘this will look really cool, really retro’ and then otherwise I’m like, ‘I need clean, crisp or dark and moody or super bright.’ It really just depends on the actual feel that I’m going for in the self-portrait—the sky’s the limit. I don’t have to stick to a specific theme just because that’s what everybody knows.”

For those who want to try

Photographers interested in trying the self-portrait (and not merely a selfie) can take a page from Rojas. Her top advice? Don’t limit yourself. Early on in the learning process, photographers are often told they have to find their style and that consistency is king. For Rojas, this isn’t always the case—and it doesn’t have to be for others, either.

“When people think of self-portraits, they more so go towards their phones and selfies,” she says. “A selfie is not a self-portrait; they’re very different. I just want people to know that they can do it and the way my portfolio is all self-portrait,  it shows people that you do not have to confine yourself to a specific style.”

Craziest thing she’s ever done

Climbing a roof, an underwater entanglement—sometimes a shot goes beyond Photoshop, and Rojas is no stranger to the extremes. 

In one instance, she climbed onto the roof of her father’s home in Puerto Rico in an attempt to capture a shadow self-portrait, meant to represent the leap of faith she had taken moving her family to Trinidad and then Puerto Rico. 

“I was trying to do this shot of taking that leap of faith and just doing the hard thing and that’s something that we did when we moved from Trinidad to Puerto Rico, just trying the hard thing,” she recalls. “I [had] this vision, but getting myself up on the roof was completely terrifying for me.”

But facing a fear of heights isn’t the only thing Rojas has done—and it pales in comparison to another photo shoot, which could have been deadly. 

Armed with a vision, fish tank, swirly yellow dress, and the help of a client, she attempted an underwater portrait in one of Florida’s famous springs. It went far from planned, and the result, though otherworldly, was hardly worthy of a “brush with mortality,” in Rojas’ words. Though she’ll continue to add to the series as time and life permit, it’s not a shot she’ll be reattempting. 

“I had swam out and was doing the thing but while I was out there as I’m trying to stay above the water, whatever, I’m kicking my feet but then my feet started getting wrapped in this flowy dress underneath the water. In a brief moment of panic, I felt like I was going to die and drown. This is not how I want to die. I don’t want to be one of those people who die trying to take the self-portrait.”

The post In a self-portrait series, Chinelle Rojas reclaims her identity appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Southern California-based photographer Elizabeth Messina is something of a legend. With her beloved Contax 645 and Fujifilm GFX100s, she has photographed for the likes of Tori Spelling, Claire Pettibone, and Brooke Shields—and that’s just to name a few. But no matter who or what is in front of her camera—public figures, high fashion, or not—there is a simple beauty in Messina’s work that bathes every subject in a delicate, thoughtful luminescence.

While she manages a wedding business, print shop, and workshop series, her signature body of work is an intimate study of the female portrait: As mothers, as dreamers, and, simply, as themselves. 

“I think being a woman is complicated and incredible,” Messina writes to PopPhoto. “In my experience, women are often not aware of their beauty and power. I am drawn to the stillness of a moment when another woman looks into my camera and is present and vulnerable.”

Related: How to get a blurry background in portraits

On motherhood & the female portrait

Messina has a certain gift for portraiture. The simplicity, the quiet, and, I might even say, the calmness of her compositions create an ethereal beauty. It’s not about the props or the clothes, no matter how grand those may be. Messina somehow allows the subject to take the stage. It’s the smile, the gesture of a hand, or the eyes that do all the talking. Though she’s photographed women in some capacity her entire career (she began at age 12, photographing her girlfriends), becoming a mother added a whole new dimension and sweetness.

“Capturing motherhood and showing other women how beautiful they are is one of my greatest joys as a photographer,” she shares. “I think when I became a mother, it opened up a part of me both personally and in my work. I became so drawn to capturing the feeling of love that I had with my own children. Motherhood is fleeting and intense. Each stage seems so overwhelming and yet is gone just as you get your bearings.”

A look through Messina’s images showcases her distinct style, full of soft light and ultra-feminine. As photographers, we often hear it preached that we need to “find our style and commit”—but for Messina, that ah-ha moment never came. Her style is simply a reflection of how she experiences the world.

“My photographs and thus my ‘style’ is an extension of how I see,” she explains. “I didn’t decide to have a certain style but rather was drawn to some inner vision that I could not put words to. As my career and work evolved, I found myself drawn to making images that were evocative. I am still pulled to capturing images that feel intimate. I hope people stop and feel my work, and perhaps see a bit of themselves there too.”

Related: 10 ways to improve your outdoor smartphone portrait shots

When posing women, trust is paramount

“I strive to capture my subjects in a way that feels artful and composed, yet natural and effortless,” Messina says. “The dynamic and interaction before I even pick up my camera helps set the tone and create a feeling of trust. I do my best to meet people where they are emotionally.”

This means that she never approaches subjects in the same way; there is no cookie-cutter formula to her process—far from it. Forget a posing guide, for Messina, they’re only starting points. And she modifies her approach based on her subject, reading their demeanor. Some need more direction. Others feel more at ease when unposed, or looking away from her camera. Above all, though, one thing that remains constant is the gentleness of her approach.

“Sometimes it takes a tremendous amount of work to create an image that feels effortless,” she reveals. “One thing I often say to my subjects is ‘breathe.’ When people are nervous, they will often hold their breath, the simple act of exhaling can relax them and in turn be more flattering in a photograph.”

Trust is key, Messina isn’t afraid to treat subjects like friends and get to know who they are before the work begins. If the appointment is in her home studio, she views them as a guest and often will offer food and tea. 

“I think photographs of people are incredibly intimate,” she says. “My best work is a reflection of actual trust and comfort between myself and my subject. I want anyone coming into my space to feel welcome first and foremost. Then as I begin to make photographs, I think of it as a relationship. There must be a bit of giving and receiving, kindness and gratitude.”

Let kids be kids 

Any family photographer will tell you that child wrangling during a photoshoot might just be one of the hardest tasks. Sometimes, no amount of coaxing, pleading, and outright bribery will do the job. And for Messina, that’s okay. It’s even expected. But, there are a few ways you can bond with kids before the camera comes out that’ll help win their trust. 

“I approach children in the same way I approach adults, by trying to meet them where they are,” she shares. “I usually do not have any cameras visible when a child enters my space. I try to hang out with them a bit first.” Something that’s worked best over the years is allowing the child to play with her (digital) camera or have them assist with film loading. “Most children are curious and more open when they are included in the process,” Messina continues. “The most helpful thing is if parents do not try and fuss over their child or direct them. Children are imperfect little humans, they do not need to be perfect in front of my camera.”

Messina’s own children will sometimes appear in front of her camera, and putting them in front of the lens has allowed two of her cherished worlds to intersect. 

“Photographing my children has been one of the biggest blessings in my life,” she finishes. “Blending my passion for photography and my love of my children is wonderful. The real magic is capturing a child where they are, no need for a forced smile or even a perfect outfit. Children are interesting and beautiful to capture, even when they are not compliant. It is often the in-between moments that are the most impactful.”

The post With thoughtful luminescence, Elizabeth Messina offers an intimate study of the female portrait appeared first on Popular Photography.

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A blurry, out-of-focus background is often seen as a sign of a professional or high-quality portrait. While it’s certainly a bit of a simplistic take, it’s undeniable that portraits with a sharp subject and a soft, creamy background are popular, and a look that many photographers want to create. Here’s how. 

What makes a background blurry

In photography, the “depth of field” of an image is the amount of it that’s in focus. Most smartphone snapshots and landscape photos have a large depth of field so (almost) everything looks clear and in focus. Portraits with a blurred background, though, have a really shallow depth of field; only the subject (or even a part of the subject like their face or eyes) is actually in focus.

The depth of field of an image is determined by three things:

• The aperture of the lens you’re using.
• The distance between you, your subject, and the background. 
• The focal length of the lens you’re using. 

Aperture and depth of field

All else being equal, the wider your lens’ aperture, the shallower the depth of field will be. The physics of this gets quite complicated fast, but the important thing to understand is that this holds true regardless of what lens or camera you’re using. 

A wide aperture, like f/1.4 or f/2, will result in a noticeably shallower depth of field (i.e. a blurrier background) than a narrower aperture like f/8 or f/11. And very narrow apertures like f/16 or f/22 will result in nearly everything in an image being in focus. There are other tradeoffs that come with using a wide aperture (most lenses are sharpest stopped down a bit) but for a nice blurry background, the widest possible aperture is a good way to go. 

Subject-background distance and depth of field

The further something is from the point of focus in an image, the more out of focus it will be. For portraits, this means the greater the distance between your subject and the background, the blurrier your background will appear. 

The relative distance between you, your subject, and the background also matters here. The closer you are to your subject compared to the distance between them and the background, the shallower the depth of field will also appear to be.

Imagine taking a portrait of someone a few feet away with a wall behind them. If they’re leaning against the wall, it will be almost the same distance from the camera as they are, so it will probably appear pretty in focus. On the other hand, if they’re standing 20 feet in front of the wall, it’s going to be as out of focus as can be. 

Focal length and depth of field

Related: An introduction to boudoir photography

Focal length doesn’t directly affect the depth of field of an image, however, it does affect the kind of images you can take. The longer the focal length of a lens, the more prominent the background will appear; when combined with a wide aperture and sufficient subject-background distance, you get a blurry background and in-focus subject. It’s not that you can’t get a blurry background with a wide-angle lens, but you have to stand very close to your subject which can create distortion and otherwise make for a weird-looking portrait.

Moderate telephoto lenses—between say, 50mm and 150mm on a full-frame camera—make it the easiest to manipulate the distance between you, your subject, and the background while getting a well-composed shot. This is why that focal range is so popular with portrait photographers. 

How to get a soft background

Now that you understand what contributes to a shallow depth of field you should be starting to piece together how to get the effect you’re looking for. Let’s lay it all out, though. 

First, choose a moderate telephoto lens with a wide aperture. A 50mm f/1.8 is ideal and can be picked up for most cameras for around $150. If you have a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a kit lens, you will get better results at 55mm (or longer if your lens has more reach) with the aperture set to f/5.6 than at 18mm with the aperture at f/3.5. (As with all things in photography, a shallow depth of field involves trade-offs.)

Put your camera in aperture priority mode and set the aperture as wide as it will go. Set your ISO to auto, since with the aperture wide open, getting a fast shutter speed for a good exposure won’t be a problem in most lighting conditions. 

Stand close enough to your subject that you can take either a headshot (where just their face and shoulders are in the shot) or a half-body portrait. Position your subject so they’re at least as far from the background as you are from them. (While this isn’t a fixed rule, it works as a general guideline in most situations.) Get them to pose and take the shot.

As you play around with this technique you’ll notice that the background matters, even though it’s out of focus. Cool textures, like brickwork or leaves, make for nicer backgrounds than busy scenes, like a crowded street.

Can I get a blurry background with my smartphone?

Unfortunately, in most cases, it’s impossible to get a portrait like this with a smartphone without using a “portrait mode” which relies on computational photography to blur the background after the shot. The results from modern smartphones are getting really good, but it’s a totally different technique. 

If you are trying to get this effect with your smartphone, some of the tips will still work though. For starters, position your subject so they’re as far from the background as possible. While your smartphone doesn’t use optics, it may use a depth sensor and/or machine learning to work out what part of your frame is your subject. The more they are separated from the background, the easier time your phone will have and the better the results you will get. 

It’s also important to stand close enough to your subject to get a headshot, or at most, a half-body portrait. Again, we’re trying to maximize the chances that your smartphone will be able to clearly identify your subject and the background. The closer you are (and the further away the background is) the better. 

Also, be sure to be mindful of branches, furniture, or anything else that is between you and your subject! They can throw off your smartphone and give you weird results.

The post How to get a blurry background in portraits appeared first on Popular Photography.

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With proms, college graduations, and even just plain old family barbecues coming up over the next few months, we thought we’d put together some of the best ways to improve the outdoor portraits you shoot with your smartphone. With bright midday sunlight, bustling crowds, and many other challenges, these can be tricky shots to get right. Here are some ways to nail the shot. 

Related: How to make a stop-motion movie with a smartphone

Clean your lens

Your smartphone lives in your pocket and gets handled dozens of times per day so, let’s be honest, the lens probably has a smudge or two on it. Not only can these make your photos blurry, but if there are bright lights around they can increase the lens flare and glare you see in the final image. Before taking an important portrait, take two seconds to clean your smartphone camera with a lens or glasses cloth and, if you have it, a bit of glasses cleaning spray. 

Get closer

If you want a lovely portrait, don’t stand back. Get close and try for a headshot or half-length portrait. Sure, snap a few photos showing off your subject’s full outfit if you like, but for a wall-worthy portrait, it’s better to be closer. 

Shoot in the shade

The worst place to shoot portraits is outside on a bright sunny day. The overhead sun casts harsh shadows across people’s faces that tend not to look great. The good news is there’s a simple fix: shoot in the shade. 

My favorite place to capture outdoor portraits is under a tree or archway, but any kind of shade will do. Find a nice laneway, alley, or just a brick wall that will block out the sun’s hard rays. 

Take multiple shots

The secret to getting one great photo is to shoot 50 bad ones—and this applies in almost all situations. If you’re taking a photo of someone, snap 10 or 15 photos in quick succession. In some of them, they’ll blink, grimace, or look away. But in one or two they’ll be posing perfectly. 

Don’t be afraid to edit

Your smartphone does a pretty good job of making photos look okay, but if you want a really great portrait, open it in Lightroom, VSCO, or Snapseed and adjust things until they’re perfect. We’d suggest tweaking the exposure, bumping the contrast and saturation, and even adding a vignette or some color toning. If all that sounds like too much, even just cropping it so your subject dominates the frame can turn an okay portrait into a profile pic. 

Use the telephoto lens

If your smartphone has a telephoto lens, use it. The wide-angle camera is great for getting lots into a photo, but a telephoto is better for portraits since it will normally have a field-of-view that more closely matches how we all see the world. 

With that said, if your camera doesn’t have a telephoto don’t stress it. You can get great portraits with any lens. Just whatever you do, don’t use digital zoom. 

Try it without Portrait Mode

Most modern smartphones have a “Portrait Mode” that will try and blur the background in your photos. These can work great and it’s worth taking a few photos using it, but you should also snap a few photos without Portrait Mode on just to cover all your bases. You don’t want the only photo from an important event to have some weird blur around the edges of your subject because your smartphone mistook their mortar board for the backdrop. 

Find a nice background

Portraits have two things: a subject and a background. Most of the time we photographers focus on the subject (pun intended) but for truly great portraits, it’s worth taking some time to find a nice background too. An old wall, a field of flowers, even just the body of a tree are all much better than a busy crowd.

Check your photos

While we often discourage photographers from “chimping” or constantly checking the photos they shoot on the back of their digital camera, if you’re trying to capture a special moment or event, then that is a rule you should break. Once you’ve shot a few pictures have a quick look and make sure everything is looking right. If it is, great. If not, you’ve got a chance to fix things on location!

Share your photos

If you take a nice photo of someone, share it with them. Too many gorgeous portraits gather digital dust on peoples’ smartphones. Once you’re home from an event and you’ve edited the portraits, pop them in a shared Google Drive or iCloud Album. 

The post 10 ways to improve your outdoor smartphone portrait shots appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Photographing someone’s Big Day is a beautiful—and stressful—job, especially if you’re not a seasoned pro. This week, PopPhoto is serving up our best advice for capturing that special kind of joy.

Photographers know that posing is no joke. And on the fast-paced, often rushed (and behind schedule) wedding day, having a posing plan is essential. There are no do-overs. So how do you ensure everything goes smoothly?

We sat down with Northern Virginia-based wedding photographer Jennifer Nolan and asked her about her posing strategies for creating happy, relaxed, and authentic images. From building a connection before the shutter clicks to addressing insecurities, these are her top tips. 

Build trust and connection

“I just can’t emphasize enough how important it is to get to know the couple,” Nolan asserts. “[If you do this], they already feel taken care of and [know] you’re trying to do your best job for them. I think that goes a long way to putting couples at ease.”

This is as simple as showing up a little early to a session or setting up an engagement shoot with your couple before the wedding. By making time to connect before pulling out your camera, you give them a chance to get to know you—and you them. We’re all more willing to open up to people we trust. And we trust people who are invested in our lives and stories. Even taking 10 or 15 minutes to ask questions and find things you can relate to can go a long way in building trust and comfort. If you are able to do this during an engagement session, then you’ll be ready to roll on the big day.

Be the ultimate wingman 

Everyone has some sort of insecurity—so don’t be afraid to hype your client up. Give them plenty of positive affirmation and acknowledge what they may be feeling. Don’t forget that communication is key. Provide clear directions so they’re never wondering, “what do I do with my hands?”

“I always tell them [that] even I feel nervous in front of a camera,” Nolan shares. “I make myself vulnerable and always remind them that it’s not just them, that everybody feels this way and it’s totally normal. I give them permission to feel that way. It’s just so important to pump up your couples from the beginning. I tell them how great they’re doing because that really does go a long way. I think it boosts their confidence as you’re photographing them.”

Couple poses for weddings and engagements

Nolan usually starts a session by incorporating movement or taking what she calls “mom and dad shots,” traditional-style portraits with the subjects looking straight at the camera.  

“I try to do prompts, walking motions, because I feel that [allows] their interactions to come out naturally,” she says. “From there I can go along and get them laughing, feeling more themselves. After that, I try to incorporate them into different settings.”

For the clients wearing pants, her go-to technique is to have them put a hand (or hands) in their pockets, and have the partner hold on to one of their arms. If someone in the couple is wearing a skirt or dress, Nolan will have the partner hold it, so that their free hand has something to do.

Related: Best cameras for wedding photography

The other thing Nolan is conscious about is asking subjects to pull their arms away from the body to create a triangle, which in turn helps creates a more slimming effect. Above all, though, she is after “the natural look.”

“The primary thing is making sure that they are relaxed and they don’t look stiff,” she says. “I think a good [pose] is either belly-to-belly or him with his hands in his pocket and her wrapping her arms right around him. Usually, you get the girl leaning and she does it naturally.”

How to pose couples with height differences

Posing couples with a big height difference can feel challenging, but Nolan advises that photographers don’t worry too much. When it’s possible, she’ll have the couples sit down to even things out, or she’ll have the taller partner bend down and just photograph from the torso up.

“Remember, they know their height difference,” she reassures. “While to us, it’d be, ‘Oh no, how am I going to work with this?’ They already know; that’s who they are. Unless they specifically say they feel funny about it, I wouldn’t put too much of an emphasis [on it]. If they’re comfortable with how they are, then I just make it work.”

Set expectations and communicate 

Are you a Photoshop wizard? Do you prefer batch processing files in Capture One/Lightroom? Let your clients know what you can, can’t, and aren’t willing to do. Otherwise, you may be fielding an unexpected request.

Nolan also will advise her clients on things like wardrobe to ensure that the resulting photos match their vision. Otherwise, that’s another opportunity for a missed expectation.

“One time I had clients that [said], ‘We just don’t feel right.’ It was because their outfits weren’t as dressy as the place they picked for photos,” she recalls. 

Sometimes, however, there will be elements out of your control—and Nolan advises that the best course of action is to keep calm and do your best.

“You [might] have couples that are unhappy, especially when [it] comes to body issues,” she explains. “I think sometimes it’s just not up to us. I think [we] as photographers just need to realize that we can’t control that.”

Avoid this mistake

If there’s one mistake photographers should absolutely avoid, it’s not taking the time to build a connection with their clients. According to Nolan, that’s when the tension will come through in an image, and that’s the last thing that should happen when documenting such an important event.

Other things photographers should look out for? Hands (of course), “the good side” (everyone has one), and mixed expressions—if one person is laughing but the other has a serious expression, the photo just won’t make sense. 

“I think hands are very important when we’re posing,” she states. “You want to make sure they look relaxed. I kind of joke about it [and say], ‘We don’t want Barbie and Ken hands.’ They always laugh about it. I’m constantly reminding them that I’m looking out for those things and I’ll ask them, ‘Do you have a good side? Do you have a bad side?’ But  like I mentioned earlier, those 10, 15 minutes of just getting to know them, putting them at ease, go a long way.”

See more of Jennifer Nolan’s work here.

The post How to pose couples: A wedding photographer’s tips and tricks appeared first on Popular Photography.

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Family portraits often bring to mind a smiling family in their Sunday best, looking at the camera in a portrayal of a picture-perfect life. But for Iowa-based artist Katie Golobic, these aren’t the images she lives for—though she does admit to having a few of them on her walls. One look at her own body of work reveals, rather, a photographer in the pursuit of extraordinary, decisive moments between the chaos and mundanity of motherhood. 

“My work is my children,” she shares. “This is why I photograph. I photograph because of them. If they weren’t here I probably wouldn’t be photographing as much or with the intent that I do.”

A documentary love letter

Golobic’s artist statement boldly proclaims that her work is a love letter to her children. Her Leica M10 Monochom is always within an arm’s reach, and with it, in stark B&W, she faithfully documents this season of her family’s life. 

“The timelessness of it, and stripping away…You see the moment for what it is, and you’re not distracted by anything else,” she explains. “It helps me convey what I want to share with the world. That timelessness is important for me.”

Her current running series, “Saturday Mornings on Rosedale,” is an ode to childhood and all the play, excitement, adventure, chaos, and wonder that comes along with it. She plans on working on it as long as her children allow it.

“It’s really about me kind of watching the scenes within our house unfold, and elevating some of the everyday moments that happen,” Golobic elaborates. “Saturday morning…that’s often the time when at least [we’re] all together. I just wanted to evoke the feeling of being at your home with your children, and a lot of people think of Saturday morning cartoons, or Saturday morning pancakes. It’s just kind of that feeling.”

Though she treasures the story behind each photograph, there is one that stands out among the rest: A snowy day, bitterly cold, and a walk down the driveway to retrieve the garbage cans, if only to get outside for a moment. The effort resulted in a joyfully chaotic scene: Her son, then three, attempting to haul the can up the driveway, his siblings in tow.

“It feels like one of those old paintings, Norman Rockwell, this classic Americana life,” she recalls. “I love how the house is just ever so tilted. That’s what it feels like. It almost feels perfect, but life is not, and as a mom, it’s not. It’s messy, there’s chaos happening. That best encapsulates how I enjoy photographing, photographing the chaos. It’s still beautiful, you know?”

So what does this love letter entail? These photographs aren’t doomed, like so many others, to be sucked into the vortex of .jpegs that never see the light of day. Rather, Golobic prints albums, each year amassing favorites for each child that they’ll receive one day. 

“It’s my gift to them [to say,] ‘It’s been a blessing to be your mom, and it’s just created magic,’” she says. “I post less and less online these days, only just because I want it for them. I want them to have these sacred moments for themselves, and I’ll share some great ones here and there. But, it’s really for them.”

Striking a balance between mothering and photographing 

To create her images, Golobic usually reaches for her Leica, mounted with a 35mm lens. To my surprise (and admiration), she chooses to work with manual focus, despite the fact that her subjects are young (ranging from two to nine years old) and always on the move. She’s learned to embrace things like motion blur, but also admits that working within the constraints of her medium has sharpened her focusing skills. At the end of the day, though, it’s not a pursuit of perfection. It’s a documentary pursuit of love. 

The mother of four didn’t seriously, as she says, begin photographing with intention until about five years ago, when the loss of a newborn spurred her to double down on documenting her family. Golobic soon found it was also a way to keep her sanity on some days.

“It turned into a therapeutic thing for me,” she remembers. “It’s an easy way to pass time as a mom. You’re just kind of standing outside in the cold, watching them. It’s like, ‘How can I do this, but still feel like my brain is not turning to mush?’ Then it becomes kind of a game; it becomes fun to compose things differently, or watch for the cool light.”

Now she walks the line between mother and artist, always at the ready to record whatever comes her way. Her documentary approach means that she never tries to alter a scene, and sometimes that results in her quickly making a photograph before the “mom side” kicks in.

“A lot of the time when the mood strikes or I hear something happening, I quietly try to just see what’s going on,” she explains of her creative process. “For me, it’s authenticity too. I’m not trying to alter a scene. Safety obviously takes precedence; the mom gene kicks in really fast. But sometimes it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is really cool,’ click, and then, ‘Okay, hey, let’s cut that out.’”

When asked who she does this for, the creating, the photographing, the answer always leans two ways. This is her work. Being an artist is a part of who she is—and it always will be. But there’s no doubt that her family is the “why” for it all.

“At the moment I do it for myself because it artistically fulfills me. But at the end of the day, I’m doing this for them, you know?”

Encouraging parents to document the real and the chaos 

When she first stepped into the photography world, Golobic remembers seeing nothing but the beautifully composed, formal family shots. Nice clothes, great hair, everything screamed perfection. Taking a documentary class changed her perspective—and trajectory.

“I [was] so frustrated before. My house wasn’t pretty and the kids weren’t dressed nicely. So it was like, ‘No, they don’t have to be, it doesn’t have to be. These are my people, this is where I’m meant to be.’ I love the mundane and the messiness; that’s the kind of person that I am. I talk about the crap. Motherhood is beautiful, it’s this amazing gift, but every day is not sunshine and roses, and that’s okay.”

For parents wanting to document their own families, Golobic encourages them to just start. With a phone, a point and shoot, a film camera, it doesn’t matter. Get out there and photograph the messy. You won’t regret it. 

“You will never have this moment back, and life changes in an instant,” she says. “Photographing does kind of take you away from the present, but for me, it does record that present moment, and makes you remember, ‘Wow, that happened,’ or, ‘Wow, look at who all got together.'” 

On working with kids—yours and others’

One thing Golobic is adamant about is that her children have a say in the images she creates. If they say no, then it’s a no. She doesn’t force it. 

“Your children take the lead,” she asserts. “If they say they don’t want their photograph taken, don’t take it. I’ve never forced my kids to take a photograph that they didn’t want to take. I’ve never made them do something they didn’t want to do, and that’s really something that is at the core of my artistic process, not altering or directing a scene. That’s not my nature, but also my kids never listen to me anyway.” 

Of course, sometimes we’ve envisioned a composition that we really hope plays out, or hope that we can somehow direct, to no avail. Don’t be discouraged. Roll with chaos, and something good will come. 

“Embrace what is in front of you and just take their lead,” Golobic advises. “Honestly, what you expect them to do will not happen, and what they end up doing is probably more gold and more brilliant than you could even hope for.”

And for the parents who need an extra nudge, who might feel that everyday life isn’t fantastic enough to warrant the effort, she acknowledges that though, at times, it feels like “nothing special,” parents have a unique window into their families’ lives—and that itself is extraordinary.

“You know [your family] better than anyone else. That’s what I try to remember when I’m grouchy and haven’t traveled anywhere. As mothers…only we know this.”

The post Katie Golobic captures the sacred chaos of being a mother appeared first on Popular Photography.

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“I’m obsessed with romantic flowers,” says Carla Coulson, an Australian-born photographer who splits her time between Paris and Greece. On the day I interviewed her, she was sitting in her home in Greece, surrounded by prints she made of the Italian coast, on which she made a name for herself. But today, we’re talking about flowers. She turned an obsession for the poetic, the whimsical, and the colorful into a series, “Jeune Fille en Fleur” (French for “young girl in bloom”). Each portrait, though faceless, offers a story. Coulson doesn’t work with professional models—she knows the young women hiding behind every bouquet, whose own journey inspires the body of work.

“I think everybody…needs to be celebrated for who they are and their authenticity,” she shares of her vision. “Becoming a woman is very, very fragile, and so many young girls don’t realize how fabulous they are. So, that was really the idea behind it, to celebrate young girls.”

“Jeune Fille en Fleur” bloomed from real girls’ stories 

Coulson hadn’t intentionally created the series, but rather stumbled into the idea. At the time, she was newly transplanted in Paris, 15 years into her career, and preparing to launch a series of Italian prints. Still, there was a yearning to, despite her experience, establish herself. 

“I was just at a crossroads and I wanted to create my own work and I wanted to be taken seriously,” she remembers. “I had been walking around Paris, just clicking on my iPhone for my morning walk, just to really please me. But what I realized was the photographs that would get the most clicks were flowers and doors.”

She then began to ask herself how she could incorporate the two subjects and make them her own. In the beginning, she staged shoots similarly to those in her fashion days—but quickly discovered the setup to be stiff, rigid, and too perfect. Thankfully, though, Coulson found herself surrounded by a bevy of inspiration to which she could pivot: The young women who worked in her office, including her niece. 

“I was having these conversations [with the girls] that really reminded me of when I was young, about low self-esteem and [feeling] they’re not good enough; always wanting to be in love, but the right [person] never comes along. All of a sudden, I thought, ‘Wow, this is me. These girls are living my life. How come they don’t get how fabulous they are?’ I’m looking at these beautiful young girls and just thinking, ‘if you only knew how great you are.’”

Reworking the idea, Coulson eventually settled on a more relaxed concept that challenged her to let go of the control she had been used to in the fashion world—and the results paid off. With just her Canon 5D Mark III, a model, plenty of flowers, and the streets of Paris, she created the now 20 images that comprise the collection. And as she continues to discover more girls’ stories, there is a possibility that new works will appear. 

“Inspiration really came from where they were in their lives,” Coulson says. “It’s women who inspired pretty much the entire series. That’s why they’ve kept going, because I keep feeling the stories aren’t finished yet.”

Coulson’s approach to photographing women 

For “Jeune Fille en Fleur,” Coulson had the luxury of a personal connection with each girl she photographed. However, many photographers will not have the opportunity to build a personal history with their subject before the day of the shoot. She shared a few things she does when photographing women that help her achieve the happy, carefree images she envisions. 

Keep the mood light

“I want people that are happy and relaxed and laughing and very alive,” Coulson explains. “I think it’s important to recognize what you want, and then how to get that. It’ll be really embarrassing if you saw a video of me taking pictures because I’m making them laugh. I’m saying silly things. I’m embarrassing myself. And this actually lets them kind of feel like, ‘Oh, this is no big deal,’ or ‘This is fun.’ We’re all just here hanging out, having fun, playing around.”

Make them feel confident

“Spend time with them definitely before you get your camera out, talk to them, be interested in who they are, what they’re doing, all that sort of stuff,” she advises. “The other thing I’d do when photographing women for portraiture is make them feel really good. I worked with a hair and makeup artist and I think that gives women confidence. And when women have confidence, they feel good, they feel beautiful. And if they trust you, they’ll do anything.”

Granted, hair and makeup may not be in every photographer or client’s budget. However, communicating with a subject about how they can look and feel their best before the shoot can go a long way in helping them be prepared. 

Advice for working with flowers

Flowers are finicky and rather mercurial; they won’t last long out of water, so learning to work quickly and go with the flow is key to success.

“Have a great florist, ask them how to take care of them,” Coulson advises. “Often I would have assistants with me and we’d…be cutting them sometimes a little bit to put them back in the water and give them a drink while we continue. It depends on the flowers. Some of them, like dahlias, for example, you can destroy those guys with just a big gust of wind. So really take care of them. Pay people if you need to, or get friends to take care of the flowers.”

Coulson also emphasizes the importance of having a plan so that you waste as little time as possible finding and setting up your location. 

“Go out and scout; I go and get all my ideas together,” she says. “I ended up working with one florist in Paris and he would help me deliver directly to the location sometimes, so the flowers were in the water until the last minute. You don’t have that much time and once they’re wilted, then your party’s over.”

To the creatives—don’t give up

“We need to save the world and by saving ourselves first, then we can go out and do really great in the world. And I think it is really important for creatives to trust what they do is enough.”

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with your own ideas and even easier to fall into the comparison game by looking at all the things others are creating around you. But Coulson is adamant that even if your project doesn’t pull together right away, even if it flops at first, even if you have to rework it—don’t give up. 

“When you’re connected to an idea, don’t give up if it’s not working out straight away, because it didn’t work out for me straight away, and I stuck with the idea because I like the idea,” she asserts. “I like the flowers. I like the girls. I was willing to keep playing around with it and simplify it and change tactics a bit. Because if I showed you my first photograph, I’ve got a girl with a huge bunch of flowers, but they’re all mixed flowers. They’re not one color. She’s got a skirt on, she’s got high shoes on. She’s totally different.”

For those who are feeling stuck, Coulson encourages creatives to seek the story in themselves while being attuned to what happens around them.

“If you look inwardly instead of outwardly, you’ll find your own story and your own way to create the work that you love,” she says. And for the self-doubters, push aside the hesitation and value what you like. 

“Don’t question what you’re attracted to, just allow yourself to be attracted to it,” Coulson notes. “I think what the problem is that we go into our heads and we kill the idea before [it starts]. Allow yourself to be attracted to what you like and don’t ask questions.”

The post Carla Coulson’s floral portraits capture the beauty—and fragility—of being a young woman appeared first on Popular Photography.

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