Informal Portrait

Strong, expressive informal portraits are the result of a successful interaction between the photojournalist and the subject.

The most important element when shooting an informal portrait is for you to convey the character and personality of the subject honestly.

With few exceptions, the informal portrait shot cannot be in a studio where the subject is posing. In this situation the subject may appear very formal and withdrawn.

The informal portrait is best made when the subject is candid. This means photographing the subject in familiar surroundings, such as his home or place of work. In these surroundings the subject's hands, gestures and facial expressions begin to convey character and personality.

The informal portrait is an excellent medium for relieving the boredom of the plastic formal portraits, the police mug shots and the "grip and grins" in Navy newspapers. If a person is of the caliber or character to be selected "Sailor of the Year," project that character and personality rather than the person's ability to shake hands.

Do not expect to get the best possible informal portraits by taking only two or three photographs. When you start, your subject will very likely be uneasy and tense. However, as you shoot, the subject will usually begin to relax.

The eyes (which must be in sharp focus) and the mouth are the important parts of the informal portrait. They are where the expressions, unique to each person, are revealed. Your job is to coax the expressions out of the subject. Usually, you can do this through a little conversation while you are shooting or by having the subject engaged in work or talking with another person. When the subject becomes involved and forgets the camera, the real expressions begin appearing (fig. 12-21).

There is no strong rule on how much of your subject should be included in your portrait. Ideally, an informal portrait will include everything that relates to the subject and nothing that does not. In some cases, this will mean including parts of the background because it relates to the subject. Or, it will mean throwing everything out of focus except the subject's face. A general rule is to keep the portrait simple and concentrate on the face.

Quite often it will be the available light that is the determining factor for adding depth and mood to the subject. Although formal portrait lighting should be avoided you should master its techniques. This will give you an understanding of the various effects of lighting and the changes they can make to the mood or shape of a subject's face.

The best lenses to use for informal portraits are medium telephotos between 85mm and 105mm. A medium telephoto will minimize the distortion you may get by working too closely with a normal lens, and it will allow you to work at a distance from your subjects that may make them less conscious of the camera.