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Tips For Making Someone Comfortable in Front of the Camera

04 Sep

The post Tips For Making Someone Comfortable in Front of the Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.

For many photographers, making someone comfortable in front of the camera is a huge challenge. It’s often so difficult that they shy away from photographing people altogether. Or they only photograph people candidly with a long lens.

Much has been written about camera control, composition, and other aspects of photography. These things require no relationship skills.

But when you photograph people, making your subject comfortable is often essential.

Woman holding chilli pepper as a prop for making someone comfortable
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D700 | 105mm | 1/320s | f/3.2 | ISO 400

When a person does not like having their photo taken, it shows in their expression. Your camera captures this. That’s why you need to help your subject overcome their anxiety about being photographed (which is particularly difficult for shy photographers).

Here are fifteen tips for making someone comfortable in front of your camera.

Tip #1: Provide instructions before the photo session

Prepare your subject before the photo shoot. Talk about what they will wear. Suggest the best time of day.

Take into account the timing. Will they be needing to rush away to another appointment? Having plenty of time is helpful.

Woman with Northern Thai Sausage
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D700 | 105mm | 1/10s| f/4.5 | ISO 100

Tip #2: Prepare ideas for what you want to do

Turning up to a portrait session with no ideas is not a good way of making someone comfortable. Talk with your subject prior to the photo session and share some of your ideas.

Talk with them about what they want. Tell them your ideas for the portrait session, and ask if they have anything specific in mind.

Be positive, even if you don’t like what they are suggesting. If you follow through with their suggestions, it will help them feel included. They’ll then be more likely to relax and enjoy themselves.

Woman cutting a man's moustache making someone comfortable
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D800 | 105mm | 1/200s | f/14 | ISO 640

Tip #3: Choose a good location where your subject will be comfortable

You may use a certain location because you love it. But your subject may not like it at all. Check with them first.

There’s no point picking a place to photograph that will make your subject uncomfortable.

Often, it’s best to find somewhere away from where other people will be. If your subject is uncomfortable being photographed, they will not want to do the session in a location where others can see the process.

Ballet Dancing young woman - making someone comfortable
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D700 | 105mm | 1/160s | f/2.5 | ISO 500

Tip #4: Be early to your photo session

Arrive at the location of your photo session plenty of time before your subject does. Scope out the location. How is the lighting? What will be in the background? Figure out the best combination of these things and some places to position the person you’re photographing.

This may not seem relevant to making someone comfortable, but it is. The more you can sort out these issues in advance, the more you’ll be able to give your attention to your subject when they arrive.

Close up of woman with an elephant - making someone comfortable
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D800 | 35mm |1/2500s | f/2 | ISO 640

Tip #5: Have your gear set up and ready

Make sure your camera equipment is set and ready to use. Are your camera batteries charged? Do you have enough space on your cards? Will you need to use your flash or a reflector?

Know what exposure mode you’ll use. Set up your camera as much as possible before the person you’re photographing even arrives.

Having your gear set and ready to use allows you to concentrate more on your subject and on other aspects of photography. Making someone comfortable requires you to pay more attention to the subject than to your camera.

Hmong Amputee sitting outside his home
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D700 | 35mm | 1/125 | f/4.5 | ISO 800

Tip #6: Take time to connect with your subject

Be there for your subject and let them know it. Don’t rush in and start taking photos immediately. Spending time having a conversation will help them relax and build confidence in you.

Focus the conversation on them and keep it positive. Don’t discuss how difficult it was to find parking, and don’t discuss politics. These topics are not uplifting and will not help make someone comfortable.

Show you are interested in who they are. Asking people questions shows you care about your subject and will help build their confidence.

Woman with a melting ice creammaking someone comfortable
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D800 | 105mm | 1/200s | f/9 | ISO 100

Tip #7: Coach your subject

Explain to your subject that when they’re stressed, this will show in the photographs. You know they need to relax and why, but they may not know this. You need to take some time to explain it to them.

People often don’t look the same way in a photograph as they do in the mirror. Even if they’re stressed and see their reflection in a mirror, it’s different than the way they will look when being photographed if they are not relaxed. They will not like what they see in the photos. It’s vital that you overcome this, and explaining your reasons will often help matters.

If you get the sense that a person is uncomfortable being photographed, talk to them about it before the photo session. Then remind them again before you start taking photos. Give them time to think about what you’ve said and continue your conversation. It’s almost like giving someone a mental massage to help their mind relax.

Looking down at a woman on the sidewalk
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D700 | 50mm | 1/10s | f/11 | ISO 100

Tip #8: Remind your subject how good they look

Frequently commenting on how good a person looks will help them have confidence and feel more relaxed. Be careful to be genuine. Notice moments when your subject is more open and carefree. These are the times to compliment them as you are taking their photographs.

Tell them how happy you are with the photos you are taking. Talk to them about their smile and how good their hair looks. Mention positive aspects about the clothing they have chosen. Talk about how nice they look in a certain pose.

Don’t overdo the compliments or you’ll start to sound fake. Keep it balanced and be gentle but honest if something doesn’t look right.

Mad Scientist Rubber Gloves
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D800 | 35mm | 1/125s | f/9 | ISO 100

Tip #9: Fix hair and clothing

You can almost always find some aspect of a person’s hair or clothing that needs a little tweaking. Even when you can’t see anything out of place, tweak anyway!

Paying attention to these details and putting them right does two things. It’ll make your photos better, and it will help make your subject comfortable. They will feel good that you’re paying attention to them and you’re focused on making them look good.

Woman taking a photo with her phone - making someone comfortable
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D800 | 105mm | 1/125s | f/2.8 | ISO 500

Tip #10: Start with a long(ish) lens

Put a little distance between your camera and your subject. Getting too close may not be comfortable for them. Using a 105mm or 135mm lens will provide a convenient distance.

Don’t use a monster of a lens. This can be intimidating. It’s one reason I am not a fan of 70-200mm f/2.8 zooms; they are so bulky and can be off-putting.

A little further into the photo session, you can consider coming in closer with a 50mm or 35mm lens. The person you’re photographing will need to feel good about you being this close. If they are comfortable at closer distances, your photos will be more intimate than ones taken with a long lens.

Senior Akha Man portrait on a black background - making someone comfortable
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D700 | 135mm | 1/125s | f/4.5 | ISO 320

Tip #11: Show your subject the photos you’re taking

The monitor on the back of a digital camera is a great tool for making someone comfortable. When you show them how good they’re looking, it’ll build their confidence.

This young woman was surprisingly uncomfortable when I came to photograph her and some of her friends. She was part of a drama group, and I’d observed her confidence on stage in front of a crowd. But the self-assurance was missing when she was in front of my camera for the first time. Once I’d taken a few good photos, I showed them to her. She was impressed, so she immediately relaxed and enjoyed the photo session greatly.

Asian Woman Jumping - making someone comfortable
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D700 | 35mm | 1/400s | f/5 | ISO 400

Tip #12: Slow down

Take time to do what you do well. Don’t be in a rush. Work carefully. Check your camera settings. Review your photos and make changes when you need to. Don’t work so fast you miss when you are making mistakes (because they will happen).

Plan for the photo session to last more time than you think it will. If you have extra time at the end, buy the person you’re photographing a coffee. This might be another opportunity for a few more nice pictures of them.

Close up portrait of a man
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D800 | 35mm | 1/100s | f/4 | ISO 100

Tip #13: Provide some form of distraction

Use props or another person to help draw attention away from yourself and your camera. When someone is nervous about being photographed, it can help when they are distracted. They are more likely to look relaxed and natural when they are not paying attention to your camera.

When photographing a bride at a wedding, I’d often get the groom to stand just behind me and have him talk to his bride. There’s no way I’d get the same look from a bride as when she’s looking at her groom.

For this photo, I asked the subject to pretend to talk on her phone, as I thought this might help. It worked very well. Later she told me that she had actually called a friend and was talking to her, so she was totally distracted.

Asian Businesswoman Phone Call
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D700 | 105mm | 1/640s | f/2.5 | ISO 200

Tip #14: Genuinely have fun!

Have a nice manner and be positive; this will help you inject some fun into the photo session. When people are happy and relaxed, you’ll certainly get better photos of them.

Come up with some things that you can talk about or funny stories you can tell. Try to laugh together when things don’t go exactly as planned. If you have a positive attitude, this will rub off on the person you are photographing.

Two Thai girls in the studio
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D800 | 50mm | 1/125s | f/9 | ISO 200

Tip #15: Be confident and your subject will be confident in return

Confidence in what you are doing is vital. Don’t be brash and boastful. Don’t bamboozle people with your photography knowledge or with how good your camera is. Just use your camera with certainty. If you are stressed and nervous yourself, the person you are photographing will feel uncomfortable.

Being quietly confident in what you’re doing, even if you’re a shy photographer, will help your subjects relax. Your mood and attitude will be reflected back to you by the people you are photographing.

Woman and Elephants
© Kevin Landwer-Johan Nikon D700 | 105mm | 1/100s | f/11 | ISO 400

Conclusion

Making someone comfortable is as important as getting your camera settings correct. So often I see portraits of people where it’s obvious they were not relaxed. As a photographer, it’s your mission to ensure the person you’re taking pictures of looks good. Much of this depends on how relaxed and confident the subject feels.

And I am not satisfied with the portraits I take unless my subject is, too.

Let me know in the comments below which of these tips you find the most helpful. Please also share other techniques you use for making someone comfortable when you are photographing them.

The post Tips For Making Someone Comfortable in Front of the Camera appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Kevin Landwer-Johan.


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ZTE to launch the first smartphone with under-display front camera on September 1st

19 Aug

The front of modern smartphones is almost entirely occupied by the display which makes integrating the selfie camera an ever more difficult task for designers and engineers. We’ve seen solutions using camera notches, hole-punch cameras and pop-up mechanisms but none look as elegant and inconspicuous as a camera that is hidden under the display.

Some under-display prototypes have already been making the rounds but now we’ll finally have a working production model to play with. Chinese manufacturer ZTE has just announced it will launch the world’s first smartphone with under-display front camera on September 1st. The company says the ZTE Axon 20 5G ‘will be the world’s first mass-produced 5G smartphone featuring under-display camera, marking another milestone in ZTE’s exploration of the true full display smartphone.’

Xiaomi prototype with under-display camera next to a device with front camera notch

Unfortunately no other specs or pricing information has been released at this point but XDA-Developers has discovered a recent database entry by Chinese regulator TENAA that lists the Axon 20 5G as a device with 32MP front camera and a quad-rear-camera setup with 64, 8 and a pair of 2MP modules. Other rumored specs include 6.92-inch HD OLED display and up to 12GB of RAM.

Previously manufacturers Xiaomi and Oppo were the first to demonstrate technology allowing for the front camera to be placed under and capture images information through the display. Prototype devices made an appearance but in January 2020 Xiaomi VP Lu Weibing said there were still too many technological challenged to overcome and a production devices should not be expected any time soon, mainly because the high pixel-density of modern smartphone displays blocked too much of the incoming light from the camera lens and sensor.

However, not too long after this statement was made OLED manufacturer Visionox announced it was ready to start mass production of displays with under-screen cameras. The company claimed it had been successful at increasing light transmission by using different organic and non-organic film materials that offer higher transparency. It also developed a new software for correcting brightness and color casts as well as viewing angle issues to work in conjunction with the new type of display.

In addition the pixel density on the portion of the display covering the camera lens has been modified to allow for better light transmission by reducing the display resolution in the specific area where the camera is located.

At this point it is unknown if the ZTE Axon 20 5G is using the VIsionox solution or a similar approach. However, we should know more and find out what kind of image quality the first under-display front camera can deliver on September 1st.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Photographer turned his front door into a large format camera to capture portraits during the pandemic

15 Aug
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has made social distancing critically important. While creating distance is good for our physical health, it is difficult for photographers, especially portrait photographers. To overcome this challenge, Kyle Roper, the producer behind The Skyscraper Camera Project, transformed the front door of his home into a large-format analog camera. This has allowed him to safely capture portraits and launch a new photo series, Door Frames.
A look at the makeshift front door camera form inside Roper’s living room.

Given ample time at home and the desire to continue creating images while observing social distancing restrictions, Roper converted his front door into a camera obscura using magnetic dry erase board, gaffer’s tape, cardboard boxes, a dark cloth, c-stand, clamps and sandbags. For photo paper and film, Roper uses Ilford RC IV Multigrade Photo Paper, Ilford Direct Positive Paper and Ilford Ortho 80 Plus. His lens of choice is a Nikkor-W 300mm F5.6 lens in a Copal shutter.

An overview of all the elements of the front door camera.

Roper states that he was inspired by his friend, Brendan Barry, an artist and camera builder we’ve featured many times before. Roper was also inspirited by the work of Dorothea Lange and Francesca Woodman. The former is a particularly interesting inspiration given Lange’s famous documentary and photojournalism work for the Farm Security Administration during the Great Depression.

The conveniently-located window in Roper’s front door.

Of Door Frames, Roper says, ‘When you have nothing but an abundance of time, you take the time and slow things down. You find that these antiquated processes can reveal and create such beauty.’ Below is a collection of portraits Roper captured with his front door camera:

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In order to communicate with his subjects outside, Roper speaks to them from inside his home using a speakerphone. Roper then affixes his photographic paper on the image box using the magnetic dry erase board and captures an image with his Nikkor lens wide open because his photo paper is ISO 3 or 6. Once an image is captured, Roper develops it in his bathroom, which he has converted into a darkroom.

Prints in the process of being made in Roper’s makeshift darkroom.

To view more Kyle Roper’s work, visit his website and follow him on Instagram.

Image credits: All photos used with permission from Kyle Roper

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Visionox is ready to mass produce under-display front cameras

08 Jun

Chinese smartphone manufacturers Xiaomi and Oppo first showcased new technology that allows for the front camera in smartphones to be installed under, and capture images through the display in the middle of last year. The main benefit of this new technology is the eradication of unsightly large display bezels, notches or punch holes for housing the front camera.

The technology eventually made it into prototype devices but in January 2020 Xiaomi VP Lu Weibing said it should not be expected to arrive in a production device any time soon, as there were still a number of challenges to overcome.

The principal reason given at the time was the high pixel-density of modern smartphone displays which blocked too much of the incoming light. In combination with the small image sensors of most front cameras, this meant severely limited light gathering capabilities and ultimately sub-par image quality, especially in low light conditions. In addition diffraction from the protective glass could lead to color issues.

However, it appears it’s taken less time than expected to solve this issue. According to reports in Chinese media, Visionox, a major OLED manufacturer, is ready to start mass production of displays with under-screen cameras.

Visionox claims it has been able to increase light transmittance and reduce diffraction by using different organic and non-organic film materials that offer higher transparency. On the software side of things, a new algorithm is capable of correcting brightness and color casts as well as viewing angle issues. It also removes the glare that could be seen in sample images from early prototypes.

The pixel density on the portion of the display covering the camera lens has also been modified to allow for better light transmission. On a Full-HD display, the resolution in the specific area where the camera is located could be reduced to HD or even SD levels. We’ll have to wait for the first production devices to see if the change in resolution will be noticeable on the display and if image quality is comparable to more conventional front camera implementations.

Visionox says hundreds of new technologies have been applied in order to get to the mass production stage. Even with the company in a position to manufacture the new type of displays now it’ll still be a while before we can expect devices equipped with the technology. The first models with under-display cameras are expected to see the light of day in Q1 2021.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Xiaomi VP says under-display front camera tech is not ready yet

30 Jan

Over the last year or so we have seen some smartphone manufacturers, including Xiaomi and Oppo, experimenting with under-display front cameras. The technology could allow for the design of displays without a ‘notch’ or front camera ‘punch hole’ but also means that incoming light has to first travel through the display before it hits the camera lens.

The latter is a major challenges to overcome and a reason why, according to Xiaomi VP Lu Weibing, we should not expect the technology to arrive any time soon in a production device.

Currently the pixel-dense displays of modern smartphones block too much of the incoming light. Combined with the small image sensors deployed in most front cameras this means the imaging module’s light gathering capabilities are much more limited than on a more conventional camera, resulting in sub-par image quality.

Researchers and engineers are looking to develop technologies that allow for a combination of high pixel density and good light transmittance but are not quite there yet. Until the problem is solved there probably aren’t too many consumers willing to sacrifice front camera image quality for a more streamlined device design which is we’ll likely have to wait a little longer for the technology to make it into mass production.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Oppo demonstrates its under-display front camera in prototype devices

13 Dec

Back in June Chinese smartphone maker OPPO announced a device with an under-display front camera at MWC Shanghai. This allows for the design of display without a ‘notch’ or front camera ‘pinhole’ but also means that incoming light has to first travel through the display before it hits the camera lens.

To make this possible the display section above the camera is made of a highly-transparent material and comes with a redesigned pixel structure that is optimized for the transmittance of light. In addition, the camera comes with a bigger than usual sensor to further make up for any loss of light and white balance and HDR algorithms have been customized to reduce the transparent display’s impact.

This week, Oppo now finally shared prototypes of devices with the new in-display camera with press and media and thanks to a Twitter post by David Imel from Android Authority we can see the new design fully in action.

The new under-display camera system is hardly visible on the front of the device and only becomes slightly visible when viewing the phone at certain angles. Of course, it’s way too early to make any judgments on image quality but in terms of usability, the new system appears to work just like any other smartphone front camera.

Just like their rear counterparts, front cameras have taken huge steps forward in terms of image quality over the last couple of years or so. However, manufacturers have not only been focused on image output but also the integration into the device. We’ve seen notches and pinholes as well as motorized pop-up and flip-up front cameras. If Oppo’s concept catches on 2020 might well be the year of the under-display front camera.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Oppo reveals world’s first smartphone with under-display front camera

27 Jun

Earlier this months both OPPO and Xiaomi teased technology that allows the front camera on a smartphone to be located under the display, avoiding any notches, pinholes or other screen interruptions.

Today OPPO has shown a first device with the feature at MWC Shanghai and provided more information about the under-display technology. In order to make things work both customized displays and camera modules are required.

The display section covering the camera is made of a highly-transparent material and features a redesigned pixel structure that is optimized for the transmittance of light. Still, some light will be absorbed by the display, so the camera comes with a bigger sensor with bigger pixels and a larger aperture than you’d find in conventional front cameras.

There are also customized white balance and HDR algorithms to help boost camera performance and to further reduce the transparent display’s unavoidable detrimental impact on image quality OPPO has developed a haze removal algorithm for sharper and clearer image output.

In its announcement OPPO said it is developing a “futuristic, notchless, unibody and highly-recognizable smartphone,” but has not provided any detailed specs or information on pricing or availability.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Xiaomi provides more information about under-screen front camera technology

05 Jun

Earlier this week smartphone manufacturers OPPO and Xiaomi both teased under-screen front-cameras that would allow for the design of ‘notch-less’ devices with uninterrupted edge-to-edge displays.

Xiaomi Senior VP followed up with several tweeted slides that provided some additional information about the technology. According to the slides the display area covering the front camera is capable of turning transparent when the camera is activated, allowing for light to pass and hit the lens and sensor, but looks and works normally when the front shooter is not in use.

To achieve this, Xiaomi is using a using ‘special-low-reflective glass with high transmittance’. The company claims the technology can capture better images than the pinhole solutions we have seen previously although OPPO VP Brian Shen stated that the technology was still new and ‘there’s bound to be some loss in optical quality.’

The slides also hint at a 20MP camera hidden under the display but at this point we don’t know which new model the technology could be implemented in. Given the current buzz around the subject it likely won’t be too long before we find out, however.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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OPPO and Xiaomi demo under-display front cameras

04 Jun
Xiaomi Mi 9 prototype with under-display front camera (left)

Front cameras are an essential component in mobile devices and used for a range of tasks, including selfie captures, video calls and face-unlocking. However, they can stand in the way of clean device design, taking up space on the front of the phone and requiring bulky top-bezels, display holes or a front camera ‘notch’.

Recently several manufacturers have come up with creative design solutions that ensure an uninterrupted almost bezel-less display. Pop-up and rotating cameras are mechanical solutions, however, that are subject to wear and tear. Now it looks like Chinese manufacturer OPPO has found a solution that does not require any moving parts: a camera that is hidden under the display.

OPPO VP Brian Shen shared a video clip on the social network Weibo, showing what appears to be a smartphone without any visible front camera holes or notches on a desk. When the camera app is launched a live preview of the room’s ceiling is displayed. The demonstrator also moves their finger over the area where the camera appears to hidden.

Rival Xiaomi did not take long to respond to the OPPO video, posting its own under-display camera demo. Company’s president Lin Bin shared a video clip in which an under-display camera was added to a Xiaomi Mi 9 prototype.

In contrast to mechanical solutions users of an under-display camera would not have to worry about wear and tear but in a follow-up post to the demo, Shen says that the technology is still in an early development phase. ‘At this stage, it’s difficult for under-display cameras to match the same results as normal cameras, there’s bound to be some loss in optical quality,’ Shen writes. ‘But, no new technology jumps to perfection right away.’ Neither OPPO nor Xiaomi have said when the new technology will be released.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Samsung confirms 4K video on Galaxy S10 front camera

13 Feb

We already know plenty about the main cameras of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10 devices. Now, more detail has been revealed about the front camera and it looks like manufacturers have clearly started putting more emphasis on the selfie shooter than was previously the case.

According to a teaser video posted on Samsung’s Vietnamese Youtube channel, the Galaxy S10 front camera will be capable of recording 4K video. We also know from previous leaks that the front-facing camera will shoot 10MP still images and feature optical image stabilization and dual-pixel autofocus. A secondary camera module is reserved for depth-sensing. This means a huge step up from the simple fixed-focus modules that can still be found on the front of many devices.

A couple of additional teaser videos also reveal that the S10 phones will not have a display notch and come with in-display fingerprint readers as well as reverse wireless charging. The new S10 series will be unveiled on February 20.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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