22. Upbeat and Alive
After creating some classic and static pictures on the Brooklyn Bridge, I asked the subject if he could stretch, jump, and move. What started as a few subtle movements turned into a succession of leaping and kicking of heels.
Canon 5DMii, 50mm lens, f/2.8
THE HUMAN FACE is a landscape that is ever changing. Each angle, wrinkle, and scar tells a story of how one has lived—the longer the life, the less hidden the truth. Day in and day out, the 43 muscles of the face respond to everything that we see. The face receives, projects, and protects. And it’s not just the face; the rest of the body is complex as well, made up of over 650 muscles. Each one contracts and expands in a way that reflects what’s inside and what we value most.
When we were young, movement was less inhibited by habit or restraint. Children climb, jump, and play. The older we get, the more we retreat. The more we retreat the less we move. Life becomes busy, complex, and full of stress. The remedy is simple—get up and move. Even a simple movement like tapping your feet can subtly improve your mood. Go for a two-hour hike and you will feel brand-new. Movement melts stress like wax before a flame.
This isn’t just a nice theory; biologically movement literally improves one’s health. It causes the brain to release endorphins and the heart to dance to a new tune. Test it out for yourself. Stop reading this and take a deep breath and stretch your hands and arms. Open your eyes, stretch out your mouth, and then smile. Don’t you feel better?
Point a camera at someone and the subject typically freezes. Suddenly we don’t know how to move, let alone breathe. We stand still, frozen like a deer in the headlights, not knowing which way to go. Now self-consciousness, stress creeps in, and the muscles of the face brace themselves for the impact. In a defense mechanism, we grow cold. The only solution to a situation like this is to turn up the heat.
With a bit of movement we warm up. Movement requires an increased oxygen intake so we inhale and breathe. Self-consciousness and stress loosen their grasp. Blood flows more freely. Color returns to a previously slightly pale face. Furrowed brows relax and vision becomes clear.
Photographer Philippe Halsman once said, “When you ask a person to jump, his attention is mostly directed toward the act of jumping and the mask falls...” Here my daughter Annika leapt off the pool’s edge. (See what happened next in the photo on page 102, Exercise 16.)
Canon 5DMii, 50mm lens, f/4.5, Del Mar Housing
Exercise: Move Your Feet
When we don’t want to be noticed, we stand still—it’s a disguise or a way to hide. When we are sad or depressed we stop and sink into a chair. Clearly, the lack of movement conveys a listless or languid mood. For certain types of pictures, that mood may be just right. Yet what if it shows up inadvertently? In those cases, it’s time to get your subject to her feet. Get her to move and regardless of age, it can convey kinetic strength.
Movement translates into vigor, spirit, vivacity, and joy for life. When it comes to people pictures, movement has the potential to reveal who your subjects are. Getting your subject to move is arguably one of the portrait photographer’s most important techniques. Follow these steps to expand your skills in enticing subjects not to be still.
Step 1 Selecting a Subject
Choose a subject who interests you. Select someone who is young or old, stiff or flexible, animated or not. Regardless of one’s age or being able-bodied or not, there are movements that we all can do. Don’t limit your search to someone who is an athlete, dancer, or yoga guru. In fact, you will learn more if you choose to photograph someone old or just an ordinary Joe.
Tips
When you demonstrate the movements, be sure you have your camera secure so you don’t drop it. Try tightly wrapping the strap around your hand.
If specific movement ideas are not turning out right, shrug it off. One movement will lead to another. It’s more important to keep the flow going than to correct something that has gone wrong.
Throughout the entire shoot, smile and have fun yourself.
Consider turning on some music during the shoot. The right music can make people move like nothing else.
Contact the subject and explain the idea for the shoot. Request that the subject bring or wear clothes she can move in. Set up a time to meet that is near or during sunrise or sunset. The total time for the shoot is 45 minutes.
Step 2 Preshoot Planning
Scout a location that is somewhere outside. Visit the local area to get an idea of the movements that are possible. Some spots like the beach might be conducive to running or jumping in the sand. Other locations might provide opportunities for the subject to balance or just stand. Still other spots might be perfect for someone to be sitting on a yoga mat. When scouting the location, imagine a few types of pictures that you would like to make and takes notes for the supplies that you might need.
Step 3 The Warm-up
Warmly greet the subject and express gratitude for her time. Because these pictures are about movement, begin by asking the subject if it would be OK if you both did a few stretches. Keep the stretches simple and take a few deep breaths. Make sure the stretches are appropriate to the fitness level or ability of the subject. Keep the tone casual and use the initial stretching to put you and your subject at ease. You’ll be amazed at how stretching before a shoot can make you, the photographer, much more relaxed and engaged.
Exercise Details
Goal: 22 pictures of a moving subject. Tools: Camera; lens of your choice. Light: Natural or available light. Location: Somewhere outside. Theme: Capturing the movement of life. Duration: 45 minutes.
Step 4 Move Your Feet
Begin by walking to the desired spot. Position the subject within the environment and ask if she has any particular movement ideas. Perhaps there is a favorite stretch, yoga pose, jump, or spin that she likes to do. If not, offer up a few ideas. Ask her to stretch raising both hands and arms up into the air. Then suggest a deep breath. Take a few pictures and have some fun. Keep the mood upbeat.
Step 5 Rest and Repose
After a series of movements, ask the subject to stand at ease. While she is “resting” make a good frame. Often the photographs just after movement are best; these are the pictures when the subject has let down her guard.
Step 6 More Movement
Continue to suggest movement ideas. Here are a few more to try: walking back and forth, jumping, leaning, sitting, looking in different directions, spinning around. Give her examples of your ideas by demonstrating a few movements yourself. This will help get everyone on the shoot, including you, more engaged.
Step 7 The Final Shot
After some time, look for a place for the more static shot. This is often when the magic happens because both the photograph and subject are relaxed and at ease. Explain that you have captured more than you need but would like to make one more shot just because everything is going so well. Be patient with this picture and strive to compose something profound. After making the photograph, thank the subject for her time and call it a wrap.
OPPOSITE For the first few photographs, the subject was slightly stiff and self-conscious. So I asked her to stretch, walk, and turn around. This did the trick and after some movement, her mask of self-consciousness fell. I then suggested that she pause, look down, and then slightly look up, which resulted in a natural picture.
Canon 5DMii, 85mm lens, f/1.2
“Lighting and fine camera equipment are useless if the photographer cannot make them drop the mask, at least for a moment, so he can capture their real, undistorted personality and character.”
—Philippe Halsman