I am sitting on the doorsteps in the heart of Chelsea waiting for my clients. I am a photographer and thanks to my trade I move a lot around the city in search of new beautiful locations.
I am holding a large Starbucks latte in one hand and a raspberry muffin in another. I am wearing flat soled ballerina shoes and a blue dotty scarf. This is a common londoner’s looks: ballerina shoes all year round and a scarf for when it gets colder.
Places where we live change us, ever so slightly. London prompts me to stand in queue even when I am alone on a bus stop. And to wear scarf and mittens instead of coat in autumn – they are easier to hide in my bag when sun appears unexpected. And to grab a coffee whenever I locate a coffee shop. And to consider the tube the best city transport ever – no one in London goes to work by other means. London taught me to smile to strangers, and to say “sorry” when someone accidentally steps on my ballerina-clad foot, to gaze about, to look around, to be a careful observer – you never know what you will see around the corner. That is why I feel uneasy when I do not have a camera, or at least an iPhone with me – how else can I catch my impressions.
I love emotions. I love lively and vivid images of people at their best. I try to capture and bring out every sparkle and every expression and here is a confession I have to make: it’s hard. Sometimes very hard. I wish there was a magic spell that would turn rubber smiles and stiff poses into happy, laid-back images! When I started as a photographer my biggest question was how to help my models relax in front of camera, or better still, forget that camera altogether. Here are a few simple things that helped a lot along the way and help me still.
#1 – Fall in love
The best advice for making an excellent portrait is to be in love with your model. You should be in love to see her beauty, to catch her moods and expressions, to tune your camera with her vibes. The truth is, people love to be loved, everyone does. They adore being the object of someone’s (yours!) sincere attention. They take off their masks and put their guards down, when they’re in company of someone who cares about them.
