The Snake and Eye
If you are going to photograph people you need a tool that you can’t purchase and no one can teach you. You must to be able to relate to people. They need to feel comfortable around you and your camera. To get people to relax and just be their selves is an essential talent few have that shoot candied and posed portraits.
This portrait of the man and his pet show the art of relating to the subject and the subject relating to the camera. This man is showing off but at the same time is as relaxed and natural as can be expected. And his snake is just as comfortable with the camera as the man.
You will note that the photographer did not try to show anymore of the subject or the surrounding environment than necessaries. The composition consists of only the necessary elements. The fact that the reptile is covering one of the person’s eyes adds humer to the scene while the man’s Mona Lisa smile adds to the sly wit. It is interesting that his iris is the same tint as his shirt and cap; the man’s iris that is.
Click on Image 
May 17th, 2008 at 9:15 am
Thank you Jim! I love my long 100-400 lens for portraits, it gives beautiful out of focus backgrounds. He had the most beautiful eyes. O.K. the snake is beautiful too. It is nice to get to know people when camping out at fairs, it gives me the opportunity for them to be comfortable around me. Especially when I carry such a big scary camera. Taken at a Renaissance fair at Felicita Park, in Escondido, California.