More than a Picture

Good photography is more than a pretty picture.  It tells a story.  The use of photojournalism in professional portraiture has regained popularity in the last 15 years or so.  A good photographer will shoot images of not just the subjects (people) but the relationships between them.  It takes a little more creativity to find those moments and shoot them but it is well worth the effort.

One way to do this is to get to know your subjects before your photo shoot.  The more fun and different information you can find out about them, the more material you have to work with when you pick up the camera.

Second, listen to the conversations between your subjects.  It might lead to a great shot.  If you know one of the family members has a contagious sense of humor, be ready for him or her to start teasing a family member and then take multiple shots.

Another way you can capture those unrehearsed moments is to make some sort of joke yourself to get them laughing and then shoot as they play off of your humor.  If you can’t think of one, steal someone’s else joke.  Just make sure it’s relevant and of course, clean.

Sometimes, it is the quiet, still moment that is the best shot.  Be alert and watchful for those as well.

I recently shot my best friend’s wedding.   I worked to capture the relationships between the family members and the quiet, still moments that are often over-looked.

To see more of my photography work, take a look at my video projects or my video video channel.  Again, it’s about the relationships between the subjects that tell the story.  Go for those shots.

What are some of your favorite photography shots?  I’d love to hear them.

Michele White has been reading and writing since she was a child and taking pictures since she got her first camera at age 12.  She earned her Bachelor of Journalism degree from the top journalism school in the country and worked as a television reporter for 3 years. She took her writing and photography skills to another level by going back to school for web and graphic design.  This year, she launched her own media company Michele White Creative.  Born and raised in Boston, Michele is a city slicker at heart but since she moved to Alaska, she loves to hike in the back country, go white-water rafting and ice-climbing on glaciers in the wilderness of Alaska.