Capturing Confidence

Portrait photography is one of the most intriguing things. It’s an exchange of emotion, passion and trust between subject and photographer. It’s about finding out what makes people tick.

As a photographer, you go through a range of self-reflective emotions and thoughts. These thoughts and emotions need to settle before taking a character portrait.

On many portrait projects, I’ve used my 500C Hasselblad which is quite different from modern day 35mm cameras. One obvious difference is there’s no display screen on the back, which means there’s no peeking at how the shots look during the shoot.

There’s also the challenge to capture 12 square format images on a single roll of film while looking at people upside down. These things challenge me to work out what is worth shooting and what is not. Is this image strong enough? How does my frame look? All these questions force me to slow down and take my time.

A compelling portrait reveals an intimate glimpse of a person’s personality. If it’s particularly strong, the portrait will connect you and make you feel a little closer to them. 

CIRCUS BOY

This little boy ran out of a tent the morning of a circus performance back in the Netherlands.

There was no time for me to think – I instinctively turned towards him with my Hasselblad and shot this portrait while he shot me.

THE PERFORMER

On the same day I captured the little boy, a circus performer who looked like Michael Jackson in his own quirky way caught my eye. His awkwardness, combined with his confidence of not wearing a shirt, made him seem vulnerable and strong at the same time.

Choosing not to direct while you capture a portrait can sometimes create a magic space of self-awareness for both the subject and photographer. This can add an interesting dimension to the image.

CAPTURING CONFIDENCE

As part of a national campaign, Unilever Australasia wanted to showcase some of Australia’s greatest athletes. The brief was to capture a series of strong portraits that showed powerful personalities and passion for sport while using minimal or no props at all. 

Adding to the challenge of this shoot, the schedules of the athletes were ridiculously full from other commitments to the campaign.

I only had 10 minutes with each athlete to capture a character portrait. 

The athletes selected for the campaign, like Andrew Symonds, Australian Cricketer (above) and Steve Hooker, 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist - Pole Vault (below), were all over Australia so I flew all over with the gear to setup a photo studio.

I created mini studios in locker rooms to save time as well as ensure the images would have a consistent look and feel. This also let me use all of my time to interact with the athletes rather than waiting for them in another room. These interactions led to my inspiration for the shoot.

I was amazed by their dedication, passion and commitment to simply be their very best.

Despite my limited time with each athlete, I decided to shoot using my old Hasselblad to increase the challenge and intensity.

I find working with medium format intensifies the connection with the person in front of me.

I’ve also always felt that shooting on film results in an image that’s easier on the eye. This probably has something to do with the actual grain of the image being transposed on film, something that never happens with digital files.

Lote Tuquiri is a rugby footballer who played both Rugby League and Rugby Union.

Lote’s appearance says enough. He walked in front of my lens and just stood there. There was nothing I needed to say, change or suggest. His posture reflects his physical strength and powerful personality.

THE MOMENT

There is always a moment that determines whether an image is worth taking.

On the set of Top Gear Australia, I had the opportunity to work with The Stig, a character from the successful British motoring TV program.

The Stig never rests or relaxes. He is never seen eating, drinking or sleeping – or even with his helmet off. He always seems ready to race. This inspired me to capture his portrait during filming at The Super Pit goldmine in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia.

I had precisely 1 minute for this shot between filming sessions.

I waited for this moment for quite a while and had selected this backdrop to make the portrait more interesting.

Sometimes the myth around a personality can create some interesting energy that makes the portrait work.