Article by Wendy Addams
Pictures of human emotions can be very striking and powerful. Emotion is something everyone can relate to, and when you capture that perfect expression, the viewers of your photos can be impacted in a big way.
The best facial expression photos happen when the person you are photographing is genuinely feeling that emotion. Sure, it’s easy to fake an emotion, and the picture will turn out decently, but when your subject is feeling the emotion and is really experiencing it your photos will turn out better. Try taking a self-portrait when you are genuinely sad. Now try taking a picture again when you’re not really sad, but pretending to be. You will see the difference.
The trickiest part, as a photographer, is the fact that many people do not want to be photographed when they’re feeling a certain way. This is especially true when someone is feeling angry, sad, or upset in any way. They don’t like feeling the way they do, and do not want it photographed or “saved” in any way. This can be overcome by taking a photo without the other person noticing. This can be very difficult to do, but it is usually possible. Later on, show them the picture and see how they feel about it. Most of the time, they’ll like the way the photo turned out and allow you to use it.
One of the best parts about photographing emotion is that everyone shows emotion differently. Children are usually more apparent and outward with their emotions, while adults generally hold back to some extent.
The eyes tell a story and can say a lot about how a person is feeling. In my emotional photographs I like to focus on the eyes before anything else. Eyes can express emotion beautifully in most people and can capture happiness, sadness, or anger quite easily.
Try taking photos of people when they’re feeling emotional. You might be surprised at what kinds of pictures you come up with. If you don’t know anybody who wants to be photographed in such a state, try a self portrait. Turn it into a self-study on your own emotions, you might be surprised with what you find out about yourself.
Wendy Addams has loved taking photos for many years and has learned many things along the way. She writes for Pic Tips, where you can learn more about photography and find free photo taking tips.
