This week we've trawled the Australian Photography archives to bring you this great story from Dale Morris from the June 2013 issue. Sit back and enjoy Dale's 11 best tips to help you capture breathtaking travel portraits on your next holiday.
Half the fun of travelling is the thrill of meeting new people and discovering new cultures. Whenever I travel, it’s increasingly the faces of the local people that fill my memory cards. As much as people talk about the sights they’ve seen and the places they’ve visited, it’s often the characters we meet along the way who provide the most enduring memories.
Being first and foremost a wildlife photographer, I used to be very shy when it came to snapping shots of humans. I would try to do it in a furtive manner while hiding behind a tree or sneakily firing off a few rounds, in the hope that I wouldn’t get seen by my subjects. Whilst this technique occasionally yielded a few candid gems, my images generally lacked emotion. Once I was even attacked by an old Andean gentleman who saw what I was doing and took offence. Eventually I talked him out of throwing his two burly sons at me, and bought him a bottle of Pisco Sour and a char-grilled guinea pig, by way of an apology. But the damage had been done and I never got the picture I wanted from him.
Since then, I’ve learned (the hard way) that photographing people is as much about the attitude of the photographer as it is about the camera techniques and equipment you use. Here are a few simple tips to help you take better photos of the people you meet next time you go travelling.
01 WORKING WITH PEOPLE
It may sound obvious, but if you want to take someone’s photo it pays to be polite and friendly. You’d be surprised how many photographers get themselves into trouble because they don’t take the time to talk to the person they want to photograph. Behaving like a paparazzo, and shoving your camera into people’s faces without their permission, is not likely to yield great images, and could even put you in danger.
I find the best technique is to approach the person you want to shoot and start a conversation. Often this approach will break the ice enough for you to progress the conversation to the question of taking their photo. Most people are flattered if you ask to take their photo. It makes them feel special and boosts their ego a bit.
The most common problem for new photographers starting out in travel portraiture, is the inclination to try and shoot from a safe and anonymous distance with a long lens. This kind of portrait photography can be effective if your goal is to capture people going about their daily lives unaware of the camera, but the shots generally lack emotion. Quite often the most successful portraits are those where there is an obvious connection between the subject and photographer. And to get that connection you need to engage with the subject.
While on a four-wheel-drive tour of Northern Namibia I visited a small village which was often visited by guests from a nearby lodge. A local interpreter guide introduced us to the chief and we struck up a friendship. I asked many questions about his village which made him relax and welcome us. Before long we had approval to take photos, and the whole village joined in the fun. Nikon D700, 200-400mm f/4 @ 340mm, f/4 @ 1/1000s, ISO 500, hand held.
02 SHARE YOUR PHOTOS
In the days of film, some pro travel photographers would carry a Polaroid camera so they could give their subjects a photo of themselves as a way to thank them for their cooperation.
These days, the LCD screen on the back of the camera can be used to show the person the photograph you have taken of them. It’s usually enough to delight, but an offer to email or ‘snail mail’ the picture when you get home is an added courtesy. If you do offer to send someone a picture make sure you follow through. They will appreciate it.
03 PAYING FOR PICTURES?
Is it OK to pay to take someone’s picture? It really depends on the country you are visiting and how you gauge the situation. In the developing world it’s often considered a fair way to show your appreciation. Sometimes a small present – perhaps something small, cheap and particular to your own country – will be a welcome gift. If the person you want to shoot is selling something, it may help to offer to buy an item and then ask to take their photo. This reciprocal arrangement often works well!
04 CAPTURING KIDS
When you take pictures of children in developing countries, be prepared to be inundated by other kids who want their photo taken too. It can be chaotic at times as shouting laughing and beaming kids jostle to be in the frame, but it’s almost always a lot of fun. Be aware, you should always be mindful of their parents and minders who may wonder what on earth you’re up to and why? Speak to an adult to get permission before you start shooting.
Whip out a camera pretty much anywhere where there are kids around and this is the reaction you will get. Kids love to have their pictures taken. This image was taken on a busy beach in Angola. Nikon D300, 10-20mm f/3.5 lens @ 10mm (15mm equivalent), f/7.1 @ 1/320s, ISO 100, hand held.
05 CULTURAL EVENTS
In countries and regions all over the world where tourism is a big player, it’s almost always easy to find regular cultural shows and dances that incorporate traditionally attired locals. These sorts of events, though often a tad contrived, can be a photographer’s dream as there will often be magnificent costumes and lots of eye contact. Under these circumstances, performers are most often accustomed to photographers and they will frequently pose for your camera. 
Some bushmen of the Kalahari open their doors to tourists who visit the area. The inhabitants of this village were used to tourists visiting and taking photos and were willing models. Here we see a cultural dance performed by the men before they head out on a hunt. Nikon D300, 10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (16mm equivalent), f/3.5 @ 1/320s, ISO 320, hand held.
06 CANDID SHOTS
For natural shots of people going about their everyday business you may want to make yourself inconspicuous so that nobody even knows you’re taking photos. On occasions I have been known to set my camera up on a table top in a street café and shoot candid photographs as people walked past. You can do the same with a camera around your neck, or even hide yourself where people won’t see you (such as in a restaurant or from the inside of a vehicle). It’s very ‘hit and miss’, but sometimes you can get good results, especially if you’re prepared to do a bit of cropping later.
07 LOCAL GUIDES
Where a cultural or language barrier may sometimes prevent you from communicating smoothly with people, local guides can act as ambassadors and translators. Your guide will be able to convey your intentions in the local language and will likely be known to the people you want to photograph. Some of my most relaxed people shots have come as result of having a local guide with me who translated my words and helped me bridge the cultural gap. If you get good service from a guide make sure you tip well.
I took a tour across Northern Kenya on a camel safari. The staff (all Massai herdsmen) were dressed in traditional attire for the whole trip. This gave me plenty of great opportunities to take images of them in their everyday environment. Nikon D700, 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 lens @ 12mm, f/7.1 @ 1/1250s, ISO 200, hand held.
08 APERTURE AND FOCUS
In most portraits the eyes should be sharp and preferably, looking right into the lens. Focus on the eyes and choose a depth of field to suit the scene. If the background is distracting choose a wide aperture (say f/2.8 or f/4) to blur it out. Conversely, if the background adds to the story choose a narrow aperture (f/16, f/22) When I’m shooting portraits I set the exposure mode to aperture priority (A, Av) so I can adjust the aperture quickly without having to worry too much about shutter speed. 
In Northern Mozambique, young women and girls apply a paste made from tree bark onto their faces as a sign of beauty. While camped on a beach, a group of teenagers passed by and were curious about us being there. We began chatting with the help of a local interpreter. I asked if they would mind if I took some photos. They were more than happy. Nikon D700, 200-400mm f/4 zoom lens @ 220mm, f/4 @ 0.3s, ISO 250, tripod.
09 FLASH
Using fill flash can be helpful, especially when you’re shooting into the sun. That said, direct flash rarely looks pleasant on a face. Instead, position your flash to bounce off a ceiling, use a diffuser or set it to rear curtain or the slow shutter speed setting. Off-camera flash can add modelling to the face.
10 CULTURAL SENSITIVITIES
Be aware of local cultural sensitivities! If you have a guide, they can help you work out what’s acceptable and what’s not. The last thing you want to do is get in trouble for photographing somebody’s feet or people washing their clothes in a river if there are cultural taboos against such things.
I took this photo on a tour in Botswana’s Kalahari Desert. This bushman was teaching us about the bushman culture and way of living, explaining how to forage the desert for tubers, insects and seeds. Nikon D300, 10.5mm f/2.8 fisheye lens (16mm equivalent), f/4.5 @ 1/3200s, ISO 125, hand held. Off camera flash gun set to rear curtain mode.
11 ALL SMILES
Smiles are charming, aren’t they? I often try to make my subjects smile. The “say cheese” approach rarely works but if you’re happy it will often set the mood. So make sure you smile. Even better, really try to enjoy the interaction with your subjects. 
These young Angolan boys were busy catching fish and leaping off a jetty into the ocean below. When they saw me watching their antics they upped the game by jumping higher and further. Being young boys, they loved to show off. When I asked if they wouldn’t mind me taking a photo they jumped at the chance - literally! Nikon D300, 10-20mm f/3.5 lens @ 11.5mm (17mm equivalent), f/5.6 @ 1/1600s, ISO 250, hand held.
12 SAFETY
People are people and cameras can be tempting targets for thieves. Never leave your gear unattended, and when you’re shooting keep your camera strap around your neck. Finally, it’s never a good idea to take photographs of policemen, military personnel or security guards unless you have permission. You may end up having your memory card erased or your camera confiscated. In some countries you could even be arrested.
Article first published in Australian Photography + digital (June, 2013).