Introducing the Camera
(there are many ways to bring the camera into the picture)
Fun fact: Brandon Stanton started Humans of New York as a photo project, with the goal to take 10,000 pictures of people on the streets of New York City to create a catalog of the people of the city. In his words, “Somewhere along the way [he] began to interview his subjects in addition to photographing them.” It’s important to remember that as much as we want to share your interviewees’ stories through words, a good picture can be worth a thousand words.
Everyone has a different strategy when it comes to “introducing the camera.” As a photographer, Brandon Stanton often approaches his interviewees by simply asking “Can I take your picture?” If they say no, he says thank you and walks away. But more often than not, they say, “sure.” Some people might say yes and ask you why and that’s a great segue into explaining what you’re doing. Others might simply say yes, and once you’ve taken your picture you can continue from there.
You might be thinking, “Well that would probably work if I had a fancy camera like Brandon Stanton, but I would feel pretty awkward if I asked a stranger to take their picture and had to whip out my Motorola Razor.” Well fear not, there are plenty of other easy ways to introduce the camera. When you feel like your interview is coming to a close you thank them for taking time out of their day to talk to you and explain to them that you are a part of Humans and RVA and VCU, and would love to share their story with a picture of them.
At the end of the day, how you chose to introduce the camera is up to you and your cohort. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different methods. Just remember: the most important thing about asking to take someone’s picture is that you want to keep it casual. You don’t want to scare your interviewee away by making a huge deal of it or making it super awkward.
The Power of the Camera
(The type of the camera you use matters…and not just because of the pixels)
When asking to take a picture of someone in public, it’s important to consider the power the camera has on the interviewee. Some people love the limelight and attention of having their photo taken, while others are a bit camera shy. Either way, people change when you introduce the camera to the equation.
If you decide to walk around and conduct interviews with an actual camera around your neck, consider how you approach your interviewee. When you approach with such a device obviously displayed, people will take notice and wonder what you may ask because of it. It’s a lot harder to be subtle about wanting to take someone’s picture, but sometimes it’s good to be open about the goal of the interaction from the beginning.
If you decide to just use a smartphone camera, remember that it might be off-putting for someone to suddenly be asked for their picture when they haven’t been warned by context clues. Your camera is disguised as a phone and seen just as that until you whip it out for a picture. It can be an intimidating situation for your interviewee, so make sure you explain your intentions and be open with them. With the camera, you hold the power, and it is important that you make people feel as comfortable as possible.
Sometimes you’ll have to get creative.
Remembering that being asked to have your picture taken can be intimidating, people will be hesitant or may not want you to take a picture of their face, for whatever reason. Brandon Stanton does not always post people’s profiles; sometimes, it is just their hands or an item they are displaying. Think about other ways in which you can photograph this person besides just capturing their face if they are uncomfortable with that. If your interviewee is wearing something symbolic of their story, maybe ask them if they would be comfortable letting you take a picture of that. It can be a lot to ask of someone to post their face online, but they might agree to you taking a picture of their hands or feet. It’s important that they know they have a choice.
Sometimes you just won’t get it.
Imagine this: you’ve just met this incredible person, they have an awesome story to tell, they would be perfect for Humans of RVA and VCU, but they don’t want you to take their picture. While this might make you feel a little disappointed it’s important to remember that it happens and it’s ok. Not everyone is comfortable with a stranger posting their picture on social media, which is completely understandable. Thank them for their time; appreciate the fact that they were willing to tell you their story in the first place and move on.
How to Take the Best Picture
(you don’t have to be a film/photography major to take an Insta worthy picture)
Now that your subject has agreed to be photographed, you want to set yourself up to take a great photograph. Because, there’s nothing more disappointing than getting a great quote from someone, but your picture is out of focus or your interviewee has their eyes closed. A great quote needs a great picture that enhances the story being told.
So, how do you get the best photo possible? Here are some tips and tricks:
1. Setting Up & Directing Your Subject
Your interviewee won’t always be perfectly posed on the rocks of Belle Isle with the setting sun warming their face. Sometimes they will be. But, most likely, they won’t be. Don’t be afraid to direct your interviewee. Everyone wants to be captured in the best light, so tell them you are making them look amazing, and they’ll follow your lead.
Is the setting important to the story or character you have just happened upon? Make sure you can see it in the background. Is there a piece of clothing or an accessory that drew you toward them or they talked about? Show it off. Make sure its visible.
Look out for extra objects that might be intruding into the frame. Like, poles in the background that then look like they are coming out of your interviewee’s head. Or, an overflowing trashcan. Or, maybe another human. Look beyond the person to the surrounding area and move your interviewee or the intruding object (whichever is easier) out of the way.
2. Find your light
Light is essential to every photograph, and you can be in control of it. Find the best light source to light your interviewee. If you are outside, the best bet is the sun. But, look out for any shadows that might be falling on your subject’s face or distractedly in the frame. Make sure your subject isn’t squinting into the sun, either. If you are inside, check at the quality of the light in the space. Fluorescent or incandescent bulbs can make your photographs look more yellow, or make your interviewee’s skin look sickly. An easy solution to this is to find the nearest window and situate your subject, so that, they are lit by the natural light, instead. If it’s night and the sun has left you, see if you can find a different light source. If this isn’t possible, you can always correct for odd colors with the average smartphone these days.
3. Take more than one photo!
Don’t just take one photo, and be done. Take multiple photos and adjust your camera angle as you go. It’s nice to have options, and this will make it less likely that you walk away with a picture you don’t like. Don’t regret it later; take more than one photo!
4. Editing ethics
If you follow the tips and tricks above, you might not need to edit your picture at all! And, that’s great! But, sometimes your picture might need some slight cropping or color adjustments, and it’s okay to make these adjustments. It is not okay, however, to alter the content of the photo in any way. Do not add objects or take away individual parts of an image. As an editor of Humans of RVA and VCU, you have a dedication to the truth. Just as it would be unethical for a journalist to purposefully distort the truth, it is unethical to alter the content of your photograph. As a general rule of thumb, you should not edit a photo past much of the editing tools allowed by the average smartphone. This also includes stylistic changes to your photograph. Remember, you are creating content with your peers to be shared under one blog. Humans of RVA and VCU follows in Brandon Stanton’s style of realism, being true to what is seen by the eye, and it would not be okay to saturate all of your photos blue.
Posting Your Picture
(Ok so now you have your instagrammable now Instagram and Facebook it)
Congratulations! You’ve got a fantastic picture on your hands, but now what do you do with it? It’s time to prepare your picture for posting on Facebook and Instagram. Even if you’re a social media expert, there are a few things to consider:
1. Sizing
Be aware of the size of your picture. If your photo is too small the image might become blurry or pixelated because you have to zoom in for posting. If your photo is too big the image might get cropped because the picture doesn’t fit the size dimensions for the social media platform you’re using.
The recommended upload size for Facebook is 1200 x 630 pixels. Photos on a Facebook feed show at a maximum width of 470 pixels and on a Facebook page at a maximum width of 504 pixels. With camera pictures, or even smartphone pictures, we recommend you check the size of your image and scale down your image so that your largest side is at 1200 pixels.
2. Timing is everything
Facebook and Instagram are used by different audiences, so you want to cater your posting to them. Facebook is commonly used by older adults, while Instagram is popular among teens, college students, and young adults (but some people use both!).
Keeping the demographics in mind, you’ll want to post on times when users will most likely see your post. Don’t worry, we’ve done some research.
The best time to post on Facebook is between 1 PM – 3 PM.
The best times to post on Instagram are at 12 AM, 5 PM, or 10PM.
3. Always double check
Even if you think everything looks good always have someone double check! Consider having a cohort member, classmate, friend, or TA look over your post before you officially hit that “post” button.
We hope these tips and tricks help you create beautiful photos that enhance the humans on Humans of RVA and VCU and wish you the very best in your photographing!
-Brenna, Joy, Reneé
Humans of RVA and VCU 