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I'm looking for some advice from anyone who feels they can help.
A couple I know have asked me to take some pictures of them, that they can send to family who live abroad.
They are both retired and recently got engaged.
I've taken quite a few pictures of her grandchildren, that she liked ( her daughter is a friend of mine ) these have all been very natural, candid shots, but I'm not really sure how to achieve the same thing with adults, who will very aware of the camera.
I was thinking outdoors, maybe black & white, using my 50mm 1.8 ? as this is my best lense as far as image quality is concerned. I also have an 18 - 70 & 70 - 300, but the quality from the 70 - 300 isn't great.
I'm looking mainly for advice on posing to achieve a natural look, but would be grateful for any advice, as I'd like to give them something the're pleased with.
Julie
Sepia toned images might go down quite well. pose them propery and try a bit camera tilt to give a bit effect. 50mm lens is good. look at the last couple of uploads i have in my pf. put the coupe in front of stairs with camera tilt to be creative with converging verticles.james
Julie, people do stiffen up in front of the camera. In the past I've encouraged subjects to think of funny things, stuff from the past, jokes or what-have-you. Not to get them grinning like Cheshire cats, but so they look happy and relaxed and it works.
You could perhaps get them to reminisce about something light-hearted that your friend did when she was younger, anything like that to break the ice.
Well, James is, of course the expert when it comes to portraiture 
but I'm not sure that their family will really want pictures of them at strange angles.
Do they have any hobbies? If you get people to hold something they are comfortable with they automatically relax (think how many photographers, when asked for a photo of themselves, include their camera 
)
Otherwise, just get them talking - about their family, especially the ones abroad, or their grand-children.
My guess is that they will be expecting colour, unless the aim is for formal portraits.
Sheila
Hi Julie
I've had a look at your portfolio and think that your kite gazing and sisters photos are along the theme you should be aiming for.
IMO - The family they are sending them to live abroad, so an outdoor crisp english morning would be good, something englishy if you get what I mean. Plus, as they have just got engaged maybe something like your sisters one with them holding hands and walking down a countrylane in the morning or at sunset. Keep it simple and sentimental.
Please don't do sepia with a camera tilt - in my opinion your doing yourself no favours and I think it will make them look dated.
z
Remember and get paid a little something for your time and effort. james
Thanks for the replies,
I won't be asking for any payment as I'm clearly not a pro, and am more than happy to do this.
Quote: an outdoor crisp english morning would be good, something englishy if you get what I mean
I do have in my head something along those lines, maybe wrapped in scarfs, in a pretty, local setting, in the frost.
I am just wary of trying to stage things too much.
I will obviously take all the pics in colour, but was thinking that if the weather was overcast a mono treatment might work well ? Or am I getting landscapes in the way of portraits?!!
Quote: I won't be asking for any payment as I'm clearly not a pro, and am more than happy to do this.
Good for you, one of the great joys of being a competent (half-competent in my case) photographer is being able to do stuff like this for friends and family. If you do even a passable (half-passable in my case) job they'll be delighted.
Having a decent camera and a little skill is not a licence to gouge money out of people, friends or otherwise.
Quote: I do have in my head something along those lines, maybe wrapped in scarfs, in a pretty, local setting, in the frost.
That sounds perfect, the light can be nice and soft as well at this time of year, which would be flattering. If it's for friends abroad, they would probably prefer colour especially if the shot includes some nice countryside. Get them talking about the family and children as you take the shots, you'll get some lovely natural expressions, perhaps ask them how they met, their faces will probably turn to each other quite naturally the moment you ask, so have your finger ready on the shutter.
I also agree with zt, sepia and tilt is not really suitable for your subject.
I also never ask friends or family for payment, it's quite enough to see how much they enjoy something I've taken, much better than cash.
I think you can combine the two (landscape and portrait) - from your website I can see your good at landscapes, and at this time of year, frosty early mornings combined with maybe a romantic stroll or like you said wrapped in scarves etc would work well. Maybe find your setting first and check weather reports, you can normally "feel" a frosty morning coming! Then maybe tell them the night before that the shoots in the morning.
Thanks for your help everyone.
As far as lenses are concerned do you think the 50mm will be OK? or would the 18-70 be better? being that I could zoom in without them being aware. I realise that wide angles can distort facial features so I wouldn't be using the short end but how wide can you safely go?
Julie
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