Free Articles

This is where you will now find ALL of my articles on photography, design, working from home, and finding a work life balance. All of my articles are available for personal or educational purposes and they may be posted on your website if you follow these guidelines.
You may use one or more of my articles on your website. First use the form mail. All fields are required. I will visit your site and make sure that our sites are related. I'll email you back with a go ahead and the article (s) you requested will be attached in RTF format. You may place my article (s) on your site for as long as you like so long as you keep the bio and link back to my site active. My articles may also be used for educational purposes one time printing only.

Tips for Photographing Elderly Subjects

I know that many photographers who work in portraiture love to work with older models. Why, you ask. Well there is something to be said for the face of a person who has lived a lifetime. I know that others see age, wrinkles, and a challenge. But it is a challenge worth doing. If you can convince an elder to pose and pull of some beautiful shots you will be amazed. I’ve seen some really beautiful shots of even very elderly adults and the images were just beautiful. It seemed like in one shot you could see the entire lifetime of love, sadness, joy, and sorrow all wrapped up in that one image.

1. It helps if you have a subject willing to pose. If they are willing they are probably not as self conscious as someone who is unwilling.

2. Compliments, even if your subject is willing a few sincere compliments never hurt anyone. And I don’t mean stupid compliments like, “Wow you look good for your age.” Honestly you shouldn’t say that to anyone. Any good compliment will do. “Lovely shirt.” or “I love your eye color who in your family has those eyes.”

3. Talk to them, related to the latter compliment everyone loves to talk about their family. Get them to relax by talking about their families. Not only to they let their hair down but you may get some wonderful expressions on their faces as they talk about their family.

4. Warm lighting. Sunset, natural light is always best of course but candlelight is wonderful too.

5. Soft, soft, and soft light. Everyone benefits from this and there are numerous ways to achieve it. A north facing window, an umbrella light, bounce your light off of the ceiling, and there are even diffusers that attach to your camera flash.

6. Filters. I know photographers who swear by them but with today’s computers I don’t know if the different softening filters, for the front of your camera, are worth it anymore. For one you need different degrees of filters and you need to try each one to see which one will work the best. Sometimes they tend to blur the image more than soften. If you work in digital you can spot soften on the computer. Keep in mind to that with filters you can undo the image. At least in the computer you can undo and go back to the original image. (I’ve used them in the past and I honestly never liked them. I was happy when I could do the softening on my computer.)

7. Last, don’t erase all those years off of your subjects face. Modern technology isn’t for undoing time but for enhancing everyone’s natural beauty. You want your subject too look at the photo, recognize themselves, but see their own image in a new soft, warm, and beautiful light.

I think that older faces are just as wonderful to photograph as the youngest. It’s all a matter of capturing that inner beauty

Copyright 2007 Kelly Paal
Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. She started her own business Kelly Paal Photography. She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. Please visit www.kellypaalphotography.com for more FREE how to articles.