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I believe you will agree that the most memorable photos are those that depict people and their emotions. It is not a secret that emotions are the most powerful tool of a portrait photographer, because our facial expressions serve as a universal language understood by people from different countries.

What do we need?

Camera. You can take a 35 mm SLR camera or a point-and-shoot, both will suit. Our aim is to capture the moment that will never recur and we can do it with any camera.

Lens. A small telephoto lens (85-135 мм) is the best choice for posed portraits, while a long telephoto lens suits better for street photography.

Look for emotions everywhere

There are different situations, when people show their emotion. We can observe fury, astonishment, surprise, embarrassment. Such events as weddings, birthdays or family parties are full of joy and happiness. Sports competitions are another good example of events where you can see a full scale of people’s emotions – mood of a crowd changes very fast depending on the game changes.

A wide range of emotions gives an everyday life as well. Even a simple prom along the street can be very useful if you are attentive and have your camera prepared to shoot. You can shoot people greeting each other, couples in love, hugging or kissing people, the olds talking at the street corner, playing children, furious car drivers. Spend some time observing people and you will see emotions everywhere.  

Don’t smile – Hidden cam

If you shoot a passer-by, it is probably better to remain unnoticed when you try to capture his/her emotions. Wait for a good moment and shoot quickly so nobody could understand what is happening. A telephoto lens that allows to shoot from the a distance will help you a lot in this situation. A 200 mm lens is a good choice.

A wide-angle lens can be useful if you shoot close up images in the crowd. That will help you to stay unnoticeable. That is important to be ready to press a shutter button at the right moment. To make a portrait more expressive, set a camera at f/4 or f/5.6 – then the background will be out-of-focus. Read more about Candid photography here.

Shooting portraits in the studio

When you shoot portraits in a more formal surrounding, you will have to do something to evoke emotions of your model. That is much better than to wait for something to happen. Professional sitters can easily change their emotions, but there are people who are not so expressive and the photographer should help them.

Contact between the photographer and the model is the key to success. Facial expression of a person photographed depend a well deal on what you are talking about, so try to learn what are his/her interests, what does s/he like, dislike, what makes him/her upset. If a person is fond on animals, you can evoke positive or negative emotions depending on what you will say about animals.

Conversation is also important because it helps the model forget about the camera. Many people feel very nervous, when they are photographed, but if they stop thinking about the camera, they feel more at ease and it is a chance to capture their natural expressions.

Catch the moment and shoot portraits, when people feel high – when they got good news, or wan a prize or decided to get married. In such situation you don’t need to do much to evoke emotions.

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The 7.2 megapixel Sony DSC-W55 features a 3x optical zoom lens, 2.5″ 115,000 pixel LCD display, optical viewfinder, and a maximum sensitivity of ISO 1,000 equivalent. Auto and Programmed Auto exposure modes are offered, as well as seven scene modes (Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Landscape, Beach, Snow, High Sensitivity, Soft Snap).

Using Sony W55 you can capture movies in MPEG1 format with audio at resolutions up to 640×480 pixels, at a rate of up to 30 frames per second.

Like other Sony models, the W55 uses Memory Stick Duo memory cards and comes with a fairly generous 56MB of internal memory available for image storage. Sony DSC-W55 interfaces include USB 2.0, A/V (NTSC or PAL), and DC input via a dummy battery that’s included with the optional AC adapter. Power is provided to the Sony W55 via a Sony NP-BG1 Li-Ion rechargeable battery.

The Sony W55 is offered in a variety of colors including Caribbean blue, pale pink, elegant black and sleek silver.

The expected price of the W55 is US$200.

Features:

• 7.2 -megapixel CCD.
• 3x zoom lens (equivalent to a 38-114mm lens on a 35mm camera).
• Variable digital Smart Zoom (up to 14x at VGA resolution), or 2x Precision Digital zoom.
• Real-image optical viewfinder.
• 2.5-inch color LCD monitor.
• Automatic and Program exposure modes.
• Built-in flash with five modes and an intensity adjustment.
• 56MB internal memory.
• Sony Memory Stick Duo slot (no card included).
• USB 2.0 computer connection.
• Power from one rechargeable LiIon battery pack, charger included.
• Software for Mac and PC.

Look for Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55 at our ONLINE CAMERA STORE.

Discuss this news & share your opinion on our PHOTO FORUM.

Read the full review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W55.

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