How we do it ?

[df cardwell]

bolted onto a hard hat

Lessee, an LH2 head, one hard hat, a machine screw, couple washers....

I LOVE it !

And the brim of the hat flags the lens !!!! AWESOME.

Today, a complete showoff would get an old football helmet,
and an edison socket and use flashbulbs.

Film at 11 !~

[vdonovan]

Like other photographers here, I find it hard to get people to relax and give me natural expressions. Recently I shot a group of seniors and disabled people at a local church. I found the disabled people easiest to shoot. When I asked them to smile, they smiled! Beautifully, and without reservation.

This woman is almost totally disabled. She is in a wheelchair and can't speak, but she is still very expressive:

[bowzart]

Originally Posted by df cardwell

bolted onto a hard hat

Lessee, an LH2 head, one hard hat, a machine screw, couple washers....

I LOVE it !

And the brim of the hat flags the lens !!!! AWESOME.

Today, a complete showoff would get an old football helmet,
and an edison socket and use flashbulbs.

Film at 11 !~

It was actually one of those phony batting helmets they hand out to kids at baseball games. I'd love to do it with flashbulbs but that would've slowed me down. I also had an axe handle with a 1/4x20 stud embedded in the end, so I could position the flash anywhere I could reach.

A little reflection on humor. Stuff I've learned over the years. This is not intended as "advice", because I think this sort of thing is different for everyone.

Humor is one of our most useful tools. HOWEVER, using humor inappropriately, either just by being insensitive, or when my sense of humor doesn't intersect well with that of the subject, the damage is rarely repairable. Also, some people don't naturally relate through humor; some photographers do, some don't - some "subjects" do, some don't. I've learned just about everything I know about by making mistakes, and sometimes making a mistake can hurt. I'm not just a photographer. I'm human, too.

I find that if I can sense where someone else's humor centers, I can often adapt, but not always. I have a tendency to be a bit quick, which isn't always productive. In this, "he who hesitates is [not] lost". For sure. So I've had to learn a certain restraint. But not too much. In working with human subjects, it is very important to use the strengths that really are mine and not try to be anyone else or copy anyone else's act.

It takes a lot of self awareness to work with people. It helps to listen and respond to them as people, rather than as "subjects". I think that this was Arbus' great strength.

I also want to say that the examples posted so far are truly wonderful!

[benjiboy]

Originally Posted by vdonovan

Like other photographers here, I find it hard to get people to relax and give me natural expressions. Recently I shot a group of seniors and disabled people at a local church. I found the disabled people easiest to shoot. When I asked them to smile, they smiled! Beautifully, and without reservation.

This woman is almost totally disabled. She is in a wheelchair and can't speak, but she is still very expressive:

QUOTE=vdonovan;635199]Like other photographers here, I find it hard to get people to relax and give me natural expressions.
In my experience it's more important in people photography to like them and make them feel at ease with you than any amount of photographic technique.