5 Get creative with your portraiture

Think outside the box for people shots

Even top pros can struggle to think of new ways to photograph people. Getting the right gear and lighting is one thing, but many portraits can lack that extra something that lifts them above the predictable and humdrum. Sure, you can photograph a celebrity laughing or pulling faces, or an artisan with their tools, but it’s not going to win any prizes for originality. Stunning creative effects are still possible with some lateral thinking, however.

For his new book on Breton women wearing traditional costume, Charles Freger placed gauze between his subjects and the background. This creates a dreamy effect that also evokes the lace of the costumes – as well as focussing attention on the subject. Portraits in Lace: Breton Women is published by Thames and Hudson.

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* Don’t simply copy Charles, but think about how you can manipulate the background to suit the subjects of your portraits. * Placing subjects in their everyday context can be more interesting than a white backdrop, but you need to make sure the background isn’t messy and distracting. * While eye contact is powerful, not every pose in your project needs to be face-on. Try to avoid cheesy or self-conscious grins, however, and put your subject at ease. If you’re nervous, they will reflect this back. * Always light your subjects very carefully, ensuring you don’t overpower them with crude, full-on flash. * Take care to edit the images sympathetically – the muted but warm colours in Charles’s project are perfect for his subject.