I see you, you see me

One of photography’s most extraordinary qualities is its ability to create bonds between human beings. These encounters, which sometimes crystallize into a compelling portrait, almost always require a prior connection. A glance at the camera may be incidental, but the subject’s naturalness is usually born of time and trust.

Some beliefs hold that a photographer takes away a person’s soul. In truth, good portraits reveal something of the person in front of the lens, but also of the person observing and pressing the shutter. In the final image, photographer and subject each show part of their personality.

There are many ways to capture the attention of someone posing before a lens, but the most effective is to put yourself in their place. For the person being portrayed, nothing is more uncomfortable than feeling watched. That is why, before pressing the shutter, the photographer should already have done the real work: practicing empathy, communicating and taking the time to get to know the other person.

Only then can a gaze emerge that reaches beyond physical appearance, conventional poses and the cold, distant eye of glass.