Working with models is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, they generally know how to pose, which makes it a lot easier for me. For all the portrait shooting I do, I’m not very versed in posing people. Luckily, I do this just for fun. On the other hand, some models automatically go into model mode, where they overtly pose, losing much of the relaxed, candid style I like.

Towards the end of the photo walk, I noticed Izzy and Sophia resting by the fence. I shot a few frames before they could go into model mode. Their natural-looking poses work for me. However, even this relaxed stance has an element of posing, just on a subtle level. Shooting regular people, who typically don’t want to be photographed, is a challenge. You can sense the tenseness in those images. A big part of the art of portraiture is getting your subject to feel relaxed.

I’ve talked at length about the Sony 24mm f2.8 not being a typical portrait lens, though it works great for this group shot. However, I noticed another technical issue that you might not see. The background blur is very nervous, which can be distracting — it has lousy bokeh. Many photographers mistake shallow depth of field for bokeh. These are two different things. Pleasing bokeh is a smooth background that does not distract the viewer from the subject. It should not be harsh like here, especially with the tree on the right.

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