How to Photograph People Well with Your Digital Camera: Ten Simple Tips
s.e. Jones
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No other type of photography can have quite the same impact as that of taking pictures of people. This is obviously due to the psychological impact that viewing such images has on the people th 
at view them. Almost any clear image that includes people will carry some impact, because human beings are so expressive. To take truly meaningful images of people, however, especially with your digital camera, consider the following ten tips:
1 - Your subject. Nothing will have more influence on the outcome of your photographs than that of selecting your subject. They may be young, or old, of one race or another. You may have one person in the photo or many. You might be taking a picture of a complete stranger or someone who is very close to you. The thing to keep in mind, regarding your subject is the fact that the type of subject you choose should have some bearing on the way you photograph them. For example, the lighting you choose should take into consideration skin tone. Too much light with fair skinned people will tend to cause them to look washed out. Distance too matters. The closer you are to your subject the more detail you will see in their features. For older people, you might want to back up a bit so as to not accentuate lines and wrinkles. Virtually every photography tip regarding photographing people is based first on your subject.
2 - Lighting. Other than subject, lighting is the most important thing to consider when photographing people, especially when using a digital camera. The reason this is so critical is because the more available light, the faster the shutter opens and closes. Faster shutter speeds mean sharper images, because they mitigate slight jiggling by the person holding the camera. In short, the more light, the more clear your pictures will turn out. Lighting can be used for other reasons too of course, such as setting mood or highlighting skin tone, both of which are learned mostly through experience. If you plan to take pictures of people, do so as often as you can, and every time you do so, try changing the lighting around to see what effect is produced.
1 - Your subject. Nothing will have more influence on the outcome of your photographs than that of selecting your subject. They may be young, or old, of one race or another. You may have one person in the photo or many. You might be taking a picture of a complete stranger or someone who is very close to you. The thing to keep in mind, regarding your subject is the fact that the type of subject you choose should have some bearing on the way you photograph them. For example, the lighting you choose should take into consideration skin tone. Too much light with fair skinned people will tend to cause them to look washed out. Distance too matters. The closer you are to your subject the more detail you will see in their features. For older people, you might want to back up a bit so as to not accentuate lines and wrinkles. Virtually every photography tip regarding photographing people is based first on your subject.
2 - Lighting. Other than subject, lighting is the most important thing to consider when photographing people, especially when using a digital camera. The reason this is so critical is because the more available light, the faster the shutter opens and closes. Faster shutter speeds mean sharper images, because they mitigate slight jiggling by the person holding the camera. In short, the more light, the more clear your pictures will turn out. Lighting can be used for other reasons too of course, such as setting mood or highlighting skin tone, both of which are learned mostly through experience. If you plan to take pictures of people, do so as often as you can, and every time you do so, try changing the lighting around to see what effect is produced.
- In taking photographs, nothing is more important than who you choose to photograph.
- To get the best pictures of people, make sure you have adequate lighting.
- As with any type of digital photography, take a lot of pictures, it will give you more choice.