How to shoot portraits of strangers: 5 quick tips to put people at ease

One of the toughest aspects of documentary, travel and sometimes street photography is getting good portraits of strangers.

While any fool with a telephoto lens can ‘grab’ an image of somebody who doesn’t realise they are being photographed, you often get the best images if there is some kind of engagement between you and the subject.

Imagine Steve McCurry’s Afghan Girl if she was looking away, rather than directly at him. It would still be a good image, but maybe not a great one.

Even with images where Steve’s subjects are not looking directly at him, they usually know he’s there. So, if you feel shy about dealing with strangers, here are a few tips for putting them at ease to take portraits you’ll both be happy with…

SEE MORE: 21 street photography tips from the professionals

1) Feel the fear, and do it anyway 
This is the name of a famous self-help book, and it’s a good motto to remember. Yes, you may feel shy about approaching a particularly photogenic stranger, and that apprehension probably won’t go away, even as you get more experienced.

But your desire to get a great picture has to outweigh your shyness. So don’t put off approaching people as you ‘don’t feel confident enough yet,’ or don’t speak the language, as that moment will probably never come.

What’s the worst that can happen? They refuse, in which you case you politely thank them and move on. Don’t take it personally: they may be having a bad day, or it may be a cultural thing.

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2) Chat first, photos later
This is a good tip from travel photographer Gavin Gough. If you can get some kind of interaction or conversation going with a person, or at least make eye contact with them and express interest in what they are doing, it’s a good start.

Then, when you have maybe exchanged some pleasantries or some smiles, ask (or gesture) to see if you can take their photo. If it’s a shopkeeper or market trader, buy something off them first.

This also gets around the knotty question of whether you should pay somebody for allowing you to take their photo.

Be mindful also of what lenses you are using; a shorter, smaller prime lens is usually less intimidating to someone than sticking a long zoom in their face.

SEE MORE: 5 street photography projects every first-timer should try

3) Show them the image 
Another good tip is to show them the image you have just taken – very easy with a digital camera. Kids and older people in parts of the developing world may not see digital cameras that often, so while you shouldn’t patronise them, the novelty of seeing their image might get you on their side.

If the image hasn’t come out well, use it as an excuse to suggest another try. Don’t overstay your welcome, however, which brings us on to the next point.

SEE MORE: 14 portrait photography tips you’ll never want to forget

4) Hang around or return the next day
After you have taken a few images, just hang around. If it’s a person at work, chances are they will forget you are there and just go back to what they are doing, which is when you often get the most interesting images.

Again, don’t push it. If you sense you are becoming annoying or distracting or irritating, move on. A big part of successful documentary and travel photography is knowing when to stop.

SEE MORE: 10 things every portrait photographer should know about their craft

5) Get local help
Returning to Steve McCurry’s Afghan Girl image, he used a local fixer to talk to the girl and her brother to get permission for the shot – she probably wouldn’t have agreed otherwise. There are times a local fixer can really help, but don’t just book anyone.

Get advice and suggestions from other travel photographers via the many online forums, or do a Google search, but try and get a recommendation if you can, rather than going with somebody no other photographer can vouch for.

This is particularly important in areas near Syria and Iraq, as ISIS kidnappers have been known to pose online as fixers for photographers and journalists!

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