Got all the best camera and other camera equipment but still difficulty capturing the best photos? If you are one of those, you are definitely at the right place. It may seem simple to capture pictures, but it is not easy as it is seen to be. People photos are not just about taking out the expensive camera, pointing at someone, and hoping to get the best shots.
Getting good people photos is also an art that not everyone can master. Photos should capture the emotion and feelings of people, not just a body. When someone looks at the subject’s eye, they should feel that subject’s eyes try to say something. It should make you feel like you will know the darkest secret of the subject through the photo. Without all these, photos will be flat and dull.
Learning to take people photos can make your photography skills so much better and can even be helpful in your photography career. Talking people photos can be daunting and intimidating because subjects eagerly wait to see the result.
Here we have mentioned some of the mistakes you should avoid while taking people photos.
Table of Contents
Not getting closer
One of the main mistakes most photographers make while taking people photos is not getting closer to the subject. Not every time, but sometimes the subject can be small, and not going close to the subject will not make the subject clear. Even if the subject is more significant, capturing the photos closer can show as many details that can not be seen from far. Image taken from far can sometimes decrease the value and meaning of the subject.
Don’t feel shy to get closer to the subject. If you make a conversation with your subject appropriately, they will surely be happy to take pictures. It depends on you to break the distance and make them cooperate with you. Crack a joke in the middle, give them compliments, make them feel comfortable around you. If you do this, you will automatically get close to the subject.
Doing everything at your own
As a beginner photographer, everyone has eager to capture photos with just basic knowledge. That’s where a lot of people makes a mistake. Little knowledge is dangerous. That’s the famous quote we have been listening since a long time. The same thing is implemented in photography too.
If you are a beginner photographer, consider looking at other photographers’ shots and inspiration from other professional photographers. Absorb how they compose the photo, choose the background, communicate with the subject, choose the lighting, and several other things.
This will give you a basic idea of how you should be taking people photos when you do it on your own. If you are in search of a place where you can take inspiration from photography, consider checking out photoAC. Not to mention but in photoAC you will find thousands of best people photos that you can take inspiration from. Moreover, you can also easily download and use those images personally.
Not using a wide aperture
Aperture is generally considered one of the base pillars of photography, alongside ISO and Sutter speed. With ISO, aperture, and Sutter speed, create an exposure triangle. Aperture means the opening in the lens, which maintains how much light will enter the camera.
Using a wide aperture or the large aperture will let more light get into the camera sensor can create a brighter exposure. It can be helpful while shooting in a low-light condition.
You can easily change the aperture settings in the camera by increasing and decreasing the f-stop value. If you make your f-shop low, it means you are using a wider aperture, and if you make your f-stop high, it means you are using a smaller aperture.
Some lenses go below f/2.8, and several cameras lenses do not go below f/2.8. Several photographers use f/1.4 as their standard-setting, but they also increase it up to f/8 when shooting the environment and want a clear background.
You can use different aperture settings according to your needs. If you want to make your subject focused and everything else in the background blurred out, consider making your f-stop as much low as possible. It will give you a beautiful bokeh background in your image and makes your image stand out from the background.
Keeping ISO low
ISO means the sensitivity of the camera that helps to increase the light levels. There ISO can be beneficial in making images brighter in low-light situations. Several cameras have ISO levels up to 4,000,000 and the lowest up to 100. 100 ISO means it is the lowest, and the camera settings will absolve less light. As the ISO level increases, it increases, making the image bright. But make sure not to use high ISO settings because the image starts to get grains and noise with the increase in ISO.
If you want to avoid grains and noises in your image, use as low ISO as possible. Moreover, if you are doing people photography, it is necessary to make as low ISO as possible because you need to get the photos sharp and clear. But in some conditions, you might need to make your shutter speed faster, which means you need to increase your ISO to make your photos bright enough. If you are doing indoor portrait photography, using an ISO setting up to 1600 is normal because less light will be available.
Likewise, if you are doing people photos outdoor, you can use as lower ISO as possible. As a rule of thumb, at first, set your Sutter speed and aperture that perfectly fits your setting and after that, set the ISO.
Using the wrong lens
Lens make a massive difference in overall photos. The lens can affect several things, like the look of the image and the lens’s overlay effect. While doing people photography, the most important things to consider on the lens are the lens’s widest aperture and the focal length.
You don’t need to stick on the same lens every time. Many portrait photographers use lenses like 35mm, 50mm, 85mm, or 135mm. It is all dependent on your personal choice and also on the environment you are doing a photoshoot
Similar angle every time
Here comes the point. No matter how good you do, doing the same thing over and over can make it look not very interesting. Keeping your subject straight every time you do a photoshoot does not produce better photos. That’s every time you do, try something different than that. Likewise, one of the main things you can do is change the angle you are shooting from. Practice makes a man perfect, so don’t be afraid to try something new every time you shoot.
One of the challenging things while taking people photos is unusually taking photos without decreasing the value of the subject. Changing the angle while doing the shoot can add a new flavor to the photos without changing any camera settings.
For example, taking a picture of short people from straight doesn’t make any difference. They are short, and they will appear short in your photos too. What’s the difference there? Making a difference and better in photos is in the photographer’s hand. You might ask, how the hell can I do that? Well, that’s not too difficult. You can lower your angle and shoot from the lower height. It makes the subject appear taller and more attractive.
Taking the camera vertically away can also significantly impact the photo. So every time you capture people photos, try something new and capture photos from a different angle.
Not using a burst mode
No matter how much you have mastered photography, can a minor second miss make a massive difference during a photoshoot? Can you say that you can take a perfect shot in just one shot? Well, there might be some photographers who can take excellent photos in just one shot, but that’s not possible for everyone. Instead, we will say no one is perfect.
No matter how much perfect we think we are, there comes a time when something misses from our hand. Why let that thing miss when you can easily capture it with a simple trick. Well, at that point, using a burst mode can be a lifesaver.
One of the most common examples in portrait photography that every photographer will relate to is subject blink as you press the shutter. That’s frustrating, isn’t it?
Well, burst mode is something that comes with the in-built camera. Burst mode can be used to make a perfect shot without missing a moment.
Not shooting in RAW format
If you are just a beginner willing to take people photos, you might think that taking pictures in jpeg format is a lot easier than taking in RAW format because the file size is smaller, and you can also directly see the image on your phone.
Well, that might be wrong. Taking pictures in RAW formats will give you much more options to make your image better in post-processing than the jpeg formats.Jpeg format compresses all the colors while shooting. In contrast, the RAW format maintains all those colors and details and allows you to edit those things in post-processing. That’s why take a photo in RAW format whenever it is possible.
Not using a stabilizer
If you take a picture of the subject that is still in one place without moving, using a tripod in that condition can be very beneficial, especially if you take photos at night. Tripods can reduce blur and motion, making images more precise and sharp even if you take the picture in low settings.
If possible, use the remote as a trigger, so you don’t need to touch the tripod or camera while taking a picture. It will help you take images while making eye contact with the subject and give you impressive results.
Not giving a direction
Being a photographer, one of the most essential things to consider is most people you are photographing are not professional models, and not everyone knows how to pose. They even don’t know how to pose will natural looks, and sometimes they might be shy or afraid to ask you to guide them. That’s why you should feel free to guide them without asking.
If you break the chain of silence and talk to your subject, they will also feel comfortable and make your photo look better. So guide them with the pose they should give and how to manage their dress and other things.
Bad cropping
Bad cropping means cropping people’s hands, heads, legs while taking photos. The most basic cropping rule is either show the whole hand, fingers, arms, legs, or crop them entirely. Just showing or cropping half hands, fingers, legs, or other parts will make your image incomplete.
But we don’t mean to say that you should not crop the image at all. Sometimes cropping the body parts can make your image look more attractive. For example, you can cut the subject’s head but make sure that some of the parts of the shoulders are seen on the base of the image.
Choosing the poor location
As much as the camera gears and subjects are essential in taking a perfect shot, choosing a good location is important too. While planning for the photoshoot, always select the background with no distractions so that the subject can always be in focus. Moreover, look for the location to get more natural light and an excellent shade to take a perfect shot.
Not saving poses you like on your smartphone
This might be silly, but you should save the photo of poses you like on your smartphone. It is impossible to remember every pose you have seen, so saving the poses for later use can be very helpful. As said earlier, not everyone is a professional model, and not everyone can give the best pose without guidance. Even if you tell the subject what to do verbally, they might be confused. Showing them the photo of the poses you want them to do will make it a lot easier for you and your subject.
Avoiding props
If you find any props, don’t avoid them. Adding props in the photo can add more excitement and color to the photos to make your shot better. Using props in the right way can completely give a new look to your photography. You can experiment in different ways, like with the props’ textures, colors, and shapes for the perfect shots.
Bad editing on post-processing
Editing photos in post-processing is as much important as taking the best photos. As a beginner, many people ignore proper post-processing and retouching. One thing that matters in getting the best people photos is editing. Some simple techniques and editing can make a huge difference in how your photo looks.
There are several photo editing programs like Photoshop and Lightroom which you can use. In these photo editing tools, you will find several advanced settings that you can use to make your photo better.
Moreover, in software like Lightroom, you can use the pre-made presents in the photos with just a click and change the settings according to your needs.
Conclusion
Every small thing matter when you are taking people photos. It is not as easy as it is seen to be. You will need to take care of every small detail and make sure you get a perfect shot. There are several tips to follow while doing people photos, and some of them have already been mentioned in this article. If you are willing to take a perfect shot, avoid what we have mentioned in the content.
Moreover, if you are looking for a site to inspire your next photo shoot, you can check out photoAC. For any photo-like portrait photos, vehicle photos, nature photos, building photos, animals photos, or any other types of photos, you will find them all on photoAC.