I’ve been doing quite a few portraits recently.
In the process, I realized that my best work happens when I am open and present and the person I am photographing is fully present as well. That’s when the magic happens.
If the person I’m photographing is uptight or uncomfortable in front of the camera, it shows.
If I am worrying about pleasing the person I’m photographing, or feeling uncomfortable it shows in the photos I make. And I lose sight of the joy of the process as well.
When photographing a landscape, becoming present means that I slow down and absorb the landscape without looking at everything through the lens of the camera. Sometimes I walk around and just connect with my joy at being in the landscape before I pick up my camera. Sometimes I wander until something calls to me. Always I am seeing the beauty of the scene before I pick up the camera.
My favorite photography subject is flowers. I began my photographic journey trying to photograph wildflowers (which I love!) and my failure to capture what I saw with the camera led me to take a workshop which led to a new camera which led to this passion that never ends. Photographing what you love helps you to be fully present.
When photographing flowers, I pick colors and flowers that make me feel happy. And I often leave them setting on my favorite photo set in the dining room for several days. As I walk by I may notice the light or how a bud is opening or simply delight in their color. Then I take time out to make a few photos from this angle or that, moving back, to the side, and in close. My love for flowers leads me to play with many many photos and many editing techniques.
When photographing people, becoming present means that I slow down and connect with the person I am photographing. Having a conversation without the camera in between me and the person is very important. I need to find something about the person to connect with, and find love in my heart towards that person. Just as I photograph flowers because I love them, I need to open my heart to the person or people I am photographing and be willing to be astonished at their presence and beauty.
“A Permeable Life is about what presses out from the heart, what comes in at a slant and what shimmers below the surface of things. To live permeably is to be open-hearted and audacious, to risk showing up as our truest self, and embracing a willingness to be astonished.”
― Carrie Newcomer, A Permeable Life: Poems & Essays
Doing my own internal work of letting go a need for anything in particular to happen and entering a play mindset is crucial. If I become task oriented I lose my connection with the moment and with the person or people I’m photographing. If I worry about pleasing them or how I am being perceived, that worry transmits itself invisibly to the person I am photographing.
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou
Sometimes the magic just doesn’t happen. If I am tired or I am having technical difficulty with the light (I am using a make-shift studio downstairs and the weather and light conditions of the day impact hugely) I am less likely to make a real connection with the person I am photographing.
And if the person being photographed does not feel safe in front of the camera and the chemistry doesn’t work between us, I may never get to the place of presence with her.
It’s not easy being photographed. Far too many women feel bad about how they look. They may be ashamed of being overweight, not like their chin (or some other body part) or their aging body, or they may be afraid to show who they really are. What I wish I could tell each and every woman (and man) is how very beautiful they are when they are letting their real self shine out to the world.
I’m somewhat of an introvert and I don’t particularly like getting my photograph taken. But because I want to understand how it feels, I asked a friend to use my camera to photograph me.
After 5 – 10 minutes of constantly being in front of the camera lens I found myself terribly uncomfortable. I finally asked her to put the camera down and just talk with me for awhile.
From that experience I learned that it’s important to take breaks, make a real connection face to face, and put the camera down frequently. Just talking and laughing together without having a camera between you can help you stay connected when you begin looking through the camera.
It helps to have a friend along who can help you connect with your real self by helping you relax, laugh, and feel comfortable.
But most importantly, my presence or lack of presence has the greatest impact on any photo shoot. The vibe that I send out needs to be a the vibe of calm presence and unconditional acceptance which leads to a feeling of safety.
My Photographer’s manifesto:
Slow down
Breathe
Choose connection
Choose compassion
Choose joy
Choose play
Choose love
May you walk in beauty.
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