The camera looks both ways - in picturing the subject, you are also picturing a part of yourself.
Remember this tip when photographing people. Realize that the mood, energy, feeling and emotion that your project will be reflected in your subject's face and in his or her eyes.
Photographs:
Top left, India. Natural light.
Top right, Panama. Refecltor used to add light to the eye.
Below, Papua New Guinea. Flash used to add light to the eyes.
Speaking of the eyes, most of the time, if they are not well lit and in sharp focus, you've missed the shot. This goes for close-up wildlife photographs, too.
When I photograph people, I always carry a speedlite and a reflector/diffuser kit with me add light to the subject's eyes if necessary.
Note that if you shoot eye-to-eye (at the subject's eye level) the person looking at your photograph will relate more to the subject than if you are shooting downward or upward.
My two favorite outdoor portrait lenses:
Canon 24-105mm IS lens
Canon 70-200 f/4 IS lens
My reco for a refelctor/diffuser kit.
Explore the light,
Rick
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