Exercise - Eye contact and expression

There is an important difference in the overall look and character of a portrait between images in which the subject is looking straight to camera, and those in which the subject is looking away, even if only slightly.

During the photo shoot I'd asked Sophie t look at the camera and at me to the side of the camera as I was using a triopd, which I found a really good technique for getting 'away' shots. It's much easier to engage in conversation with the sitter when talking from the side of the camera, gaining more natural shots I envisage.

The images below are taken in an almost identical pose apart from moving the eyes from the camera to 'away'. It was interesting to notice the quite dramatic difference with such a subtle change although very slight but has quite a different effect on the image, looking directly at the camera suggests engagement with the camera/photographer but also shows an inner strength and an attitude. The other image of the model looking away could suggest many things, disengagement, shyness, sadness or boredom.