Back when I was a hobbyist photographer, I rarely took pictures of people. I photographed a lot of nature and landscapes because I didn’t have to seek permission from nature. I was shy and diffident, and I could rarely muster the courage to ask someone if I could take their photo (friends and family excepted of course).
As photography began to put its addictive hooks into me, so did my aspirations of becoming a more well-rounded photographer. This is when I discovered Photo Festivals- the ultimate gathering of “serious”, like-minded photographers putting their craft at display for all to see. These photo festivals are where I was exposed to documentary photographers, photojournalists and other deep practitioners of the craft. I heard talks from “war” photographers who were covering the then war in Syria and documentary photographers who had focused their attention on everything from the Fukushima fallout to transgender communities.
It was an eye opening moment for me. I realized that photographing people and telling their stories is probably one of the most interesting things a photographer can do with their skill. As the photographer Joe McNally once said, “the camera is a passport into people’s lives”.
I collected photobooks and started reading about the working lives of iconic photographers. I learnt that the greatest portrait photographers have presence of mind, exceptional people skills and most importantly, a way of peering into the soul of their subjects and capturing it. Talent with the camera and lighting skills are a given.
I am no Platon but I take pride in the fact that people enter my photography studio in Singapore and come out of the photoshoot with a sense of having shared in a collaborative experience. My style has always been to capture the decisive moment (with apologies to Henri Cartier Bresson) and many moments arise in the course of my interactions with the subject. Rather than posed and formal portraits that stifle the true personality of the subject, I have been often told that my sessions are freewheeling and fun.
Even when I do corporate photoshoots in Singapore, I love engaging with my subjects. Many people come for a photoshoot with trepidation. Not everyone enjoys photoshoots and having a photographer talk to you about your life and interests often takes the pressure away.
At this point in my photography career, it’s safe to say that creating portraits is my raison d’etre!
Source: https://www.bobanjames.com/singapore-portrait-photography
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