5 Quantity Produces Quality: Take Lots of Pictures
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It’s safe to assume that every family can boast at least one “perfect” family photo, a shot where all the right elements – light, models, composition, the moment – came together to tell a compelling story. Though it may have been a lucky shot, nevertheless, an excellent portrait resulted, and a single excellent portrait is all you need. Luck certainly does come into play when you’re behind the camera as well; in fact, with a little luck, every Jane or John with a camera is capable of producing a powerful picture. But what distinguishes a “lucky” photographer from a good one, and a good photographer from a great one, is one’s ability to consistently produce stellar pictures without the need for luck. Although quality over quantity is a true earmark for the “best” of any profession, at least when you’re a photographer just starting out, this is not necessarily the case. George Bernard Shaw once said, “A photographer is like a cod, which produces a million eggs in order that one may reach maturity.” For beginners or for those photographers still shaping themselves, this is entirely true. In order to produce the “egg that reaches maturity,” the simple trick is this: take lots of shots. Years ago, when digital cameras were still a pipe-dream and photography equipment was so large it necessitated a crane for transport, taking lots of shots was expensive, laborious, and involved significant time in the lab. But, in the digital age, there is absolutely no reason not to shoot multiples to capture a single portrait. Doing so allows you to experiment with different shutter speeds, positions, lighting, etc. Elon-gating the shoot will also allow you to create a deeper – and, therefore, more authentic – relationship with your model, putting them at ease so that you might capture that moment of vulnerability that makes for a great photo: when your subject is most naturally and beautifully human. Annie Leibowitz once said that she needs three rolls for a portrait: one to get the model used to the situation, a second for the real work, and a third for backup.
Men are often more difficult to photograph, because they are more likely to put up their guard around a camera. This particular shot was further complicated by a father/son relation-ship. Sometimes family portraits make the subjects even tenser, as the preexisting relationship prevents them from willingly being vulnerable around each other. It took a couple of settings and lots of pictures, before I was able to catch these two in an expressive and natural way. Note, that the attractiveness of the picture is due a lot to the symmetry effect between father and son (see lesson 2).
Bellow is a selection of some discarded photos of the Burundi family, pictured above. These are four raw, unworked, uncut shots from about three dozen. Despite the serious expression on the man’s face, as soon as the camera was lowered, we laughed and talked together.
Again, the set of photos below demonstrates how taking many shots can eventually result in “the one.” It took some time to find the right angle and the right moment to capture this man’s discreet and gentle smile.