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Shoot a reportage portrait

Photojournalists have given us some of the most powerful portraits in history, from the triumphant to the horrific and everything in between. Photographing people in real situations, as important events unfold, allows the photographer to capture them at moments of extreme emotion, passion, fear or anxiety, which is impossible to create artificially. Most people can’t go chasing wars or natural disasters around the world, but it is possible to seek out events that are closer to home, such as demonstrations, sporting events or political gatherings, where emotions may run high and you can capture reportage portraits of people fully engaged in an activity and oblivious to the camera. A telephoto zoom of around 70–200mm or 70–300mm allows you to keep your distance yet capture frame-filling candid shots, while a superzoom such as an 18–200mm or 28–300mm opens up the possibility of wide-angle scene-setters too.

DEMONSTRATOR

Clever composition is the key to this image. The protestor’s face dominates the right side of the frame and, although we can’t see who he is looking at, the out-of-focus yellow jacket of a policeman in the background gives a clue. A telephoto zoom was used, and cropping tightened up the composition.

Canon EOS 20D, 70–200mm lens at 70mm, 1/320 sec at f/5, ISO 200.