Kupuna Portrait
Take one entire roll of film (24 frames) of an older person. Take the portraits within twelve feet, so that you are filling most of the frame with your subject, but leaving room for some of some of the surroundings. Decide for yourself if you want to take full-body shots, or upper-torso shots. Think of camera angle, and try some low-angle shots.
• Try to use a lens opening of f/4 or f/5.6 so that your backgrounds will be out of focus. This will help to separate your subject from the background. Even though the person’s face will take up much of the photo frame, avoid placing it exactly in the center. Off-center is usually best.
• Remember to avoid taking portraits in full sun, so that the contrast (the difference between highlights and shadows) will not seem too extrteme. Likewise, avoid taking portraits under flat, indoor lighting (such as inside Midkiff) that will rob your subject of softly shadowed features. The best natural lighting for portraits is light shade or bright overcast, with faint shadows still visible.
• Try to get behind the fake “mask” that some people put on when they see a camera, so that your portrait reveals something about your subjects. What your viewer is really seeing is the momentary relationship between you and the person you are photographing. Relate!
Reminders
• Most of the time, the background doesn’t matter and needs to be made less obvious or prominent. The best ways to do this are to fill most of the frame with your subject and to throw the remaining background out of focus.
• Sometimes, however, the background does matter and can add a wonderful layer of meaning to the photograph. It may not be possible, but do your best to make use of the surrounding environment.