the art of conversation

Sarah's post last week, against cheese, had me cracking up and nodding my head all at once. Yes yes, i know that face, that glazed over, not another photo mom face, or the tongue that instantly pops out when i turn my camera on. Kids can be tough subjects some days. I have a little sneaky trick, hey i am a mom of 3, a girl has to have a few tricks up her sleeve. Have you ever turned your camera on, laid it down in front of you, and then pretended it's not there? This works great on a table, in the grass, or on a bed. Be casual, talk, let them tell you a story, ask them about their day and when they get going and get lost in their conversation, click away! Don't pick it up, it will kill the moment. Just ever so casually put your finger on the shutter and push (auto focus on of course). I love the animated faces you capture when your subject is unknowing. Wide eyes, the giggles, a pensive moment, or perhaps a whole lot of animation. Your subject can be anyone, maybe you have an unwilling partner or camera shy friend, getting them to relax and forget the camera is there will make for some great faces and shots. So continuing with this month's one word, faces, go ahead, try it and share an unguarded face with us here today. Or what tricks do you have up your sleeve? Do tell. :)

reflections

Reflections are everywhere.

Earlier this week there was talk of doubling up, creating a double exposure. What about using a reflection to shoot faces?

When you intentionally shoot a reflection portrait, the results are charming and delightful.

I love self portraits captured in a reflection, some with camera in hand, in a shop window or a wall of vintage mirrors, and sometimes with company of our loved ones.

Have you any portrait reflections? Why not seek out a mirror today for your own self portrait and share it with us.

“Mirror mirror on the wall who is the fairest of them all.”

You are.


Against Cheese!

"Make a face, J!" I called out, camera ready and aimed downwards.  He readily complied with the most ferocious look he could muster.  And so it went, for the next few minutes; every time the lens was fixed on him, he'd strike a fierce pose.  I couldn't have been happier.

If you're like me, you don't ever ask anyone to say "cheeeeeese!" when you are photographing them.  If you're REALLY like me, you try not to let your subject even see your camera as you shoot.  Sometimes, however, you'll want to make contact between your subject's eyes and your lens, and on those occasions, telling them to "Say Cheeeeese!" will probably not result in the authentic image you were hoping for.

By asking J simply to make a face, I gave him the freedom to express himself as he wished instead of trying to manufacture an image based on my own idea of how one should look in a photo.  I think the resulting image was much more satisfying than a big forced toothy grin.

Share with us today your most genuine faces, authenticity of the moment unencumbered by cheese.

a face in the pell-mell

Hey, said Tracey. Can you do a post tomorrow for the OWP? The word is 'faces'.

Sure! I flipped through the images I've taken in the past couple of weeks, a blur of family gatherings and trips and cottages and beaches that's created a processing backlog of epic proportions. But I couldn't find much in the way of faces. Which is strange, really... or maybe not. My subjects of late don't tend to oblige or do anything other than tug on their eyelids or stick out tongues or run away or pull the Inglis family dash 'n giggle and so, to capture them, I have to be willing to *not* particularly capture faces, but scenes and action and stories instead.

But every now and then, aided by the momentary daze of exhaustion, I'm granted stillness. And in those dazey moments, if my camera is within reach, I get near-frantic with wanting to do something epic or unique or just really really really sharp. Because look. It's a FACE. Just a face. But when you only have 3.2 seconds, you can only want so much.

I try though it slips through my fingers, the portrait already running away from me before he does. I click two relatively straightforward shots. Then, in the last one I'm allowed, I try a little more abstraction, an unusual framing, an adjustment in position to create a more interesting background. One shot of quirk and then he's as gone as the pokey little puppy of our favourite book, running pell-mell.

I'm happy to capture the pell-mell, too. But when I get a face -- even for 3.2 seconds -- ahh. What a gift.

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Today, share with us your unscripted portraits. Those rare gifts of a face that's genuinely unaware of the camera, immersed in life, and true to a soul.

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Note from Tracey:

We are thrilled to be partnering up this month for the One Word Project with the amazing and inspiring photo community of I Heart Faces. What better word than faces to inspire you to shoot and share photos of the amazing faces in your life?  Check out our OWP about page for the scoop on how it all goes down each month.

And if you're going to be in NYC for BlogHer weekend, be sure to sign up for the I Heart Faces Photo Walk (Thursday, Aug 5th). You'll find all the details as well as how to sign up over on their site!

treasures within

As we reflect on treasures this month, I can't help but think about how to explore that concept in portraiture.

Whether you see sweetness, joy, humor, curiosity, delight or fire! Show us how you capture the numerous treasures within!

ps: I'm blown away by all the treasures in the the SS pool! Do share yours.