Those 2 photographs are taken by me during the Street portrait workshop and were selected by Laith Majali for the exhibition.

Laith Al-Majali is first and foremost a visual storyteller. He is known for his work in documentary photography and portraiture.

What I learned from Laith Majali’s workshop:

1- You should always know why you are taking the photo before you take it. Knowing how you wish the result to look like will help you capture the photograph.

2- Sunlight direction is what will lit your angle, adding a reflector will lit the other side.

3- Using the rule of thirds in portrait photography is optional but ideal for beginners.

4- If you wish to make your photographs in Black & White, it is preferable to do it after taking the photograph; using Photoshop or any other software.

5- You can use the AV settings on your camera for street portraits.

6- The lower your Fstop (Aperture) the more focused the photograph is on your topic and the more boke the background is.

7- If you look at the shadow in a photograph you will know where the flash light is coming from.

8- Using natural light is great. Try taking photographs from near by a window where natural sunlight is coming in. If the light is too strong and you wish to soften it; add a white cloth and cover the window opening with it.

9- Best way to practice is by looking at photographs taken by variety of photographers.

10- Wide shots mean: More background in the picture, Close up shots: Are more focused on the topic.

11- If you are taking portraits, the human eye contact with the photographer/camera is very important. Where they are, what are they looking at and what are they saying.

12- Catch light with the eyes of the person being photographed. This is very important.

13- Using day light is premium, sunset light and sunrise light is most preferable.

14- Watch out where the shadows are and how they look in your photographs,

15- Direct light is not the only light you should be aware of, any reflected light will also appear in your photographs.

16- The best advice is to interact with the person you are photographing. Comfortable is what you want to see in your photographs.

17- You can use a white cardboard or foam-board instead of a reflector.

18- If you want a silhouette looking photograph then make sure the light is coming from the back of the person being photographed.

** Please note that those notes are what I gathered during the workshop, some might be slightly mistaken or misunderstood, but more or less trying to use the advice above might result in better photography. 🙂 Enjoy

Here are more from what I captured during my workshop with Laith Majali.

Click here to learn more about Street Portrait Photography