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Shoot environmental portraits

The subject is the focus of any portrait, but everything else in the frame can give information to support an interpretation of who they are. Environmental portraits seek to reveal a subject’s personality and something of their life, usually by setting them in their workplace or home. Far from being just picturesque, this is what tells us about the subject beyond their physical characteristics. In more controlled circumstances you can make sure that your composition includes objects or even activities that directly relate to the subject and help the viewer build up a picture of their life and personality.

HOME ALONE

This child was photographed unawares. The photographer noted the boy wandering in and out of the hut and how well the child stood out against the dark interior. Preparing for the shot and firing the shutter as soon as the boy was in position created a relaxed informality to the image. Although in this case the environment is simply the walls of an African hut, this alone gives us a wealth of information and allows us to speculate about the boy’s circumstances, giving us a glimpse into his life.

Canon EOS 350D, 70–200mm at 160mm, 1/200 sec at f/4, ISO 400.