Here on the site, I’ve given tips before about using your breathing to control how still your body is when you’re shooting a photo. But did you also know that if you’re shooting a portrait of someone, having them control their breathing also helps out immensely? Lots of folks kind of tense up in front of the camera and stop moving as if the T-Rex in Jurassic Park is looking for them. But truthfully, you should let them exhale just a bit.
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This tip is inspired by an article we wrote over a decade ago. And it has to do with breathing:
“Models may have it easier, but most people don’t know what to do with their face for any look besides the standard toothy smile. Sometimes we’re after a softer, more candid expression that’s harder to achieve than it seems. If you’re not careful, you can easily end up with a series of stone-faced or deer-in-the-headlights portraits that no one enjoys. A good way to capture a relaxed, tranquil facial expression is to have your subject let out a gentle, open-mouthed breath. This does several key things. First, a contented sigh relaxes them, putting them more at ease, physically and mentally, for the session. Second, it avoids the need for them to hold their face a certain way, something that never translates well and feels uncomfortable to do. And lastly, it avoids the issue of lips looking either too pursed or too open. It’s the perfect happy medium for a thoughtful expression.”
All this makes so much sense. When we’re in fight or flight mode, we often forget to exhale and instead inhale and hold all the air. But when we exhale for a longer period of time than we inhale, we send signals to our body that tells us that we’re okay. This is what they teach in yoga class.
So have your portrait subject let out a long exhale in a smooth and even fashion. They’ll let go of the tension pretty quick. Try this, and you won’t be disappointed at all.