Amateur Photographer of the Year

Your chance to enter the UK’s most prestigious competition for amateur photographers

Round Eight Face to face

It’s the final round of APOY, and your chance to show us your best portraits. Everything from a self-portrait to a brief celebrity encounter is permitted, but bear in mind that a successful portrait usually tells us something about the photographer as well as the sitter. Think about the portraits you admire – are they formal or candid? Remember that even the most candid shot should be executed with intention and vision.

Asking a friend or family member to be your subject can be a good place to start, but you still need to know your equipment inside out to make them feel at ease. Once you’ve decided on the type of picture you’re looking for, take steps to optimise the conditions: stop, look and decide on the point of the picture. If your subject is engaged in an activity then so much the better – don’t ask them to stop, just wait for their expression to be ‘right’. Most of all, connect with the subject.

When your subject is engaged in an activity they are passionate about it shows in their face and, in this case, their hair too!