Think about their personality. Are they a serious person? Sometimes you see far more of a person’s personality when they are in repose. Try and avoid asking people to smile for the camera. The image won’t look authentic because it’s easy to see when someone’s mouth is smiling but their eyes aren’t. Decide whether it says more about them to look straight into the lens or look away; try both. If your subject is fun loving, don’t be afraid to inject a bit of silliness to get them laughing. Kids often respond well to being told to pull faces (catch them after, when they are giggling!). Think about what you can do to make them loosen up or laugh, which can include instructions like “drop your shoulders”, “give your self a good shake”, “jump up and down”, “twirl”…. Use your imagination and match your tone to your subjects’ age, personality and how well you know them.
Look and learn and practice
Post processing and printing also provide opportunities to convey your subject’s personality. Decide if vibrant colour or black and white creates the right mood. Look at the work of portrait photographers you admire and learn from them. Above all, practice as much as you can and have fun.