Emotions, body language and the senses
© Alt-6Look around in the media, what do you see? Newspapers, magazines, travel brochures, advertising, packaging, media aimed at PEOPLE, showing PEOPLE, enticing PEOPLE, persuading PEOPLE and relating to PEOPLE.
A major part of Alamy's portfolio of images reflects the market’s growing need for high end lifestyle and people focussed material. A particularly strong revenue generator for most agencies in the stock industry, images showing people, their emotions, physicality and senses, are in great demand from our worldwide client base. Our clients want to see contemporary, well styled and modern images showing people of all nationalities, in all manner of situations. Lifestyle material covering people at work and at leisure are commonly requested topics, and also situational photography of people in social scenes, family scenes, couple and partnership situations, in medical scenes and consumer situations are also favourites.
Current trends in lifestyle photography have been to use images that clearly show emotions, and where appropriate physicality and features, and are simple, fresh and contemporary. Much of this can be achieved with a good understanding of contemporary lighting, the use of modern styling, and a natural look and feel. Clients are not looking for contrived un-natural, staid and posed images with dated styling, they are looking for people focussed images to be inspirational, dynamic, and something that will creatively underpin their editorial or campaign and look extremely modern.
When shooting people images, think about portraying subtle emotions as well as the usual stronger emotions, think about where the images are likely to be used, look at people focussed images used in the media, how are they styled, how are they lit, and how dynamic are they? Looking at photography in situ, will provide some great insights into what the clients are looking for, and provide a useful benchmark for spotting trends, styles and techniques.
Colin Hawkins
- Casting, try to use ‘interesting’ people i.e. street cast. The current trend is moving away from ‘model’ looking people and more towards ‘normal’. If shooting couples or groups try and use actual couples or groups of friends as you can often tell from body language how comfortable they are with one another, images will perhaps not have to be so staged?
- Shoot around the initial set up. Often the models will be more relaxed and the images might give a ‘feel’ of what you initially thought you were trying to achieve, perhaps in a more abstract way.
- Keep lighting as flexible as possible so that you can move around within the set.
- Make model selection using a range of age range and ethnic diversity - Think global.
- Leave space in images for text or copy.
- Think global from model choice, location, props etc.
- Enjoy the shoot day, inevitably it’s the production and post production that takes most time and the actual shoot day is a small part and you get the most from crew and cast if everyone is enjoying the shoot which comes across in the images.
- Research what has already been shot, what current photographic trends are popular (magazines/ awards etc).
Dimitri Vervits
- I always ask models to imagine something when looking at the camera and let the face body follow that feeling from inside, that way the expression comes across as authentic.
- Ask the model to forget about the camera and pretend it's someone else that they like, dislike or even love. This helps give intimacy to the shot.
- I find using very little make-up gives the best results, especially because perfection can be attained in retouching, making the process less technical and more personal.
- Things are moving away from the serious posed look of the past, so I try to shoot from the hip, discovering pictures rather than trying to achieve very specific shots.
- Using long lenses makes shooting a portrait, but wider lenses give a more immediate feel adding to the drama of a shot and showing more background, hence giving the image context.
Bob Jones
- Start with a broad goal or concept and then try to make pictures which can be read on several levels. So, for example, start with the concept Money - giving, taking, spending etc.
- Think in Euphemisms. Apart from adding a bit of creativity to your images, it also broadens the appeal of the images - Money - Dough, Bread etc.
- Use two or three models of different genders and ethnic backgrounds. Repeat the best or most promising shots with each model. So for Money - use different currencies, such as dollars, pounds and euros.
- Work the Shoot as hard as possible. Think of the positives and negatives of the concept. With the money theme for example ... think of the importance, use, need for money etc. And then turn it on its head...think of the negative aspects - theft, greed, poverty.
- Engage the model. Two brains are better than one. I usually brainstorm with the model. They become more involved in the creativity, and may come up with concepts you've not already thought of. It also keeps them engaged and awake during long shoots.
Frank Herholdt
- Always make sure your models and crew are fed and watered especially on long sessions and if it is cold or wet. People begin to loose concentration when their blood sugar drops and the whole session begins to loose momentum. Also people feel wanted and cared for and are more likely to give of their best.
- When you have set up the camera and done your shot, pick up the camera and take a walk around the subject you often find a better more interesting angle.
- Observe dance and mime, this will help you to show models how to convey an emotion by using their body language.
- Try new lighting techniques; don't always follow your tried and trusted methods. Some films are beautifully lit, find out which (Try Young Adam for a start) rent the DVD and freeze good shots and work out how it was done.
- Do your home work before a shoot, check the location out, where the sun is etc, or if indoors where you will shoot from etc.
Mark Owen
- Address the negatives in your lifestyle photographs not just the positives, social issues are a part of everyday life.
- Careful lighting and colour will set the mood of your shot.
- There seems to be more and more demand for real looking people reflecting a more realistic lifestyle.
- A carefully selected object can represent a mood or emotion, without the need for a person in the shot.
- Most of the main lifestyle shots are well covered but, there is always a demand for these shots, so if you can take a common theme and make it look fresh and contemporary then it will be a saleable shot.