Earlier in the series I suggested getting a Flickr account. Flickr allows you to share your photos with others. But it also allows you to see which of your photos are the most popular. Over time you’ll find that many of the conventions about photography that you can see in books are backed up by you Flickr Access stats.

Even with landscapes you’ll see that folks like to see people in the shot. Take two similar views, one with and one without people, and the Flickr community will always respond by looking more often at the picture with a person in it!

Go Ahead and Ask!

Most people are happy to be photographed if asked, honest!

Sometimes your nervousness can be way slower than that of the subject. Years ago I sat in a traditional pub in Birmingham with two rather splendid, old, Irish women sitting opposite me. I thought they’d make a great photograph but I couldn’t work up the courage to ask them. Eventually they suddenly demanded to have their photograph taken, every one laughed and we had a splendid afternoon.

I haven’t taken many photos of people recently, but here are some examples of these simple principles.

From the TGO Challenge. The inclusion of the two figures in the bottom right give the photo meaning — hikers moving through the landscape.

Similar.

When taking portraits, simply let the subject make themselves comfortable and see what happens.

TGO’s Kate Wood, tucking into sandwiches in a bothy

Kate Foley at the same Bothy

Take photographs of people in places where they are happy!

Alan Sloman at lunch!

Roger Smith at Challenge control.

All of these following photos followed a simple request for a photo! You can see how happy people were to have the photo taken.

Market Trader in Walthamstow

On the Pyrenean Haute Route

This human statue was walking on the other side of a canal. He posed very deliberately to make sure I got a good shot — not such an unusual experience as you might think.

Trader at Borough Market — must have his photo taken 100 times a day!

I don’t know who this couple were, but they were such happy people there was no way that they were going to say no!

Good publicity is always welcomed (Deptford Market).

Here are some shots that are clearly better for having people in them.

Sibbereen Pub

Bournemouth Beach

Southwark. Just to the right of the women is a piece of Banksy graffiti, “this is not a photo opportunity”

Even bench drinkers like to be photographed!

Bournemouth beach hut on a grey day