I hope this doesn’t come across as petty or small-minded. Â I’m amused by this behaviour, but not in a bitter way. In fact, at certain times, like climbing The Great Wall, it provided some much needed relief and cheer.
So here goes:
- First of all – and this is the most important precept of all – if one of us isn’t in it, it ain’t a @#$%ing photo. Get that through your head right now.
- Quiet, secluded places make for poor photography; always choose a crowded place where people are moving from point A to point B, thereby providing a dynamic element to your photo. Your ideal photo shoot lies somewhere between points A and B.
- Now look for a restricted area or bottleneck in traffic to shoot. Your photo just improved by several orders of magnitude.
- Don’t trust that new fangled auto-focus; take your time to focus and frame your shot. Remember, true art requires patience, planning, and care.
- The best lens for this type of shot is at least a 400mm telephoto. This necessitates that you stand waaay back from your subject, making the invisible line between camera and subject a lengthy perpendicular bisector of segment AB and an imposing barrier to polite oncoming traffic.
- A long focal length will also translate into an extremely restrictive depth of field, making it almost impossible to bring both your subject and the landmark behind him/her into proper focus. (see # 4)
- Now it’s time for your subject to do his/her part. It’s important that he or she assume a pose, preferably one that involves extending the arms. You might try thrusting elbows out and throwing hands up in a double peace sign. When at a loss, you can hardly go wrong with both hands extended fully to the side in the “I’m the King of the World” pose.
- Take one shot and examine it with your subject. If it fails, repeat. If it passes, exchange roles and repeat the entire process.
Enjoy your masterpiece. You’re welcome.