Lesson Learned: Make 'Em Comfy

Another big lesson I learned from shooting Krista was the importance of making the subject feel comfortable in front of the camera. I wanted Krista to look relaxed, i.e. I wasn't going for dramatic shots filled with tension. After some experimentation, I could see that she was most comfortable sitting on her couch (as opposed to standing next to a blank wall in the foyer or a mass of vines in the backyard) and wearing her eyeglasses. Lastly, I got her talking about her business and her family, and voila! She started to open up for the camera. If there was one downside, it was that she became so animated that it was difficult to keep her in focus! Next time I'll boost the ISO and stop down the lens to increase the depth of field. Or maybe I'll stop telling jokes. :-P