Generally speaking, portrait photography affords the photographer the greatest challenge in his work. Unless you’re working with a professional model or an unusually cooperative and expressive personality, then you will find photographing people a task to be tackled with care.

In the studio the photographer has the challenge of bringing out the personality of the subject. Try chit-chat to get the subject at ease. If this fails, remember to keep a light mood.

The photographer needs to remember to keep a positive and lighthearted demeanor when working with average people. Do not give the impression that your job is a serious issue of expressive art, no matter how much you may feel that is the case. It will just put a shell over the subject. Also, do not be introverted. A shy subject is hard enough to deal with; a shy photographer makes his own job much more difficult than it should be.

On-site photography lends some more freedom to a photographer, especially if the subject is involved in some activity in which he or she is comfortable. Shooting a portrait on site is apt to bring out more genuine expressions and moods than those conjured in the studio. It’s easier for a subject to "forget" the photographer is present when he is in a comfortable environment.