A better eye 5 of 8: People without posing
45 min Calm
Portraits of people you know, in their own light, doing something. No cheese, no counting to three.
Een portret van iemand die je kent is moeilijker dan een portret van een vreemde. Je weet te veel: hoe ze eruitzien als ze poseren, welk gezicht ze trekken als ze denken dat je kijkt. De meeste mensen stijven op het moment dat er een camera verschijnt, niet uit ijdelheid maar uit onzekerheid over wat er van hen verwacht wordt. Geef ze iets te doen en die onzekerheid verdwijnt ergens tussen de eerste en de tweede handeling.
Wat overblijft is een gezicht dat ergens mee bezig is. De blik iets naar beneden, de handen die iets vasthouden of ergens overheen bewegen. Daglicht dat van opzij over een wang valt tekent meer dan een flitser ooit zou doen. Het ene moment waarop ze toch opkijken, precies na een lach, is geen pose maar een pauze. Dat verschil is zichtbaar in de foto, ook voor mensen die het niet kunnen benoemen.
Ask someone to make coffee, read or fix something. Photograph them while they do it.
Suggestion: Talk to them. The camera is not the point.Move until the light on the face comes from the side, not from above.
Suggestion: Window light at a forty five degree angle is your friend.Get close: face and hands, then just hands.
Suggestion: Details say more than the whole person.One photo where they look at you, right after they laugh.
Suggestion: Say something true, not funny.Show them two photos and let them pick one. Notice which.
Suggestion: People pick the one where they look like themselves.
Next
A better eye 6 of 8: Editing with a light hand
Related playbooks
A better eye 7 of 8: One place, one hour, one lens
A single spot, an hour, one focal length. Constraint makes you look harder than any new gear.
A better eye 4 of 8: The golden hour, planned
The last hour before sunset makes everything better. Plan the spot, arrive early, and shoot the same scene every ten minutes as the light changes.
A better eye 3 of 8: Composition walk
Forty five minutes around the block with one rule per ten minutes. Thirds, lines, frames, and then breaking all of them.
Winter light walk
Short days, low sun, long shadows. A walk timed to the one bright hour, with a warm drink at the end.
Golden hour in ten frames
The last hour before sunset makes everything look better. Ten photos, ten rules, no scrolling in between.
An adventurous city walk full of surprises
Discover your own city like never before. A walk past hidden gems, history, and creative photo moments.
Urban sketching: sketch your neighbourhood in the moment
Escape the hustle for a moment with a sketchpad. Head into your neighbourhood and capture the beauty of the everyday on paper.
Photography with Natural Light
Natural light makes or breaks a photo. Learn to make the most of the golden hour and discover how shadow and light bring your images to life.
Photograph the Hidden Colours in Your Backyard
Your backyard is more colourful than you think. Spend a day chasing the light and capture reds, blues and golds you usually walk right past.
Decorating your patio cover as an outdoor room
Turn your patio cover into a true outdoor room: define the function, choose weather-resistant furniture, and create atmosphere.
Dive into a book genre you've never read before
Step outside your reading comfort zone and discover a genre you've never touched. You might just find your new favourite.
Set up your own vegetable garden in an afternoon
From bare ground to the first seeds in an afternoon. Soon you'll be harvesting your own vegetables from the back garden.
Build your first camera kit and take your first photos
Score the right camera secondhand and head out straight away. This playbook takes you from empty hands to your first ten real photos.
A better eye 8 of 8: Print ten, keep five
A photo on a screen is a maybe. On paper it is a decision. Print the best of this series and hang or give away five.
Flower arranging on Sunday: make your own bouquet
A calm, creative ritual for your Sunday. From choosing flowers to arranging a balanced bouquet all by yourself.
Lay a new lawn in your backyard
From bare ground to a crisp green grass field. Prepare, sow or lay turf, and tend your lawn until you can flop down on it yourself.
A better eye 6 of 8: Editing with a light hand
Thirty minutes in a free editor. Exposure, contrast, crop, and then stopping. The best edit is the one you cannot see.
Build your own soundscape in fifteen minutes
Record everyday sounds and turn them into your own little sound world. In fifteen minutes, you'll hear your surroundings differently.
The urban adventure route through your own city
Discover the hidden gems of your city on a day filled with alleyways, photo challenges, and unexpected encounters.
Get your lawn green and healthy
A morning's work and your grass will look better for weeks. Mowing, fertilising, and watering the right way, without the hassle.
by PlayTryBe team