Photography is an art of happiness. The smiles of the photographer and subject are something that interacts with each other during the course of shooting. The camera not only freezes an image, but also the emotion of that particular moment, which is an ensemble of happiness between the photographer and subject. To capture the happy faces in a more special way, we can try using different types of lenses, lighting and applying different distinctive elements in the composition to make the photos look one-of-a-kind.

Different types of lenses have their own capabilities and characteristics. For example, the above photo taken with a standard lens shows a very nature perspective close to that of the human eye. The smiles between father and son came naturally. The look between them conveyed a sense of intimacy and added a touch of pure happiness to this photo.

To capture this kind of sweet smile, we can use the compact EF 50mm f/1.4 USM for more natural-looking result as the lens’ angle of view offers a perspective close to that of the human eye. The photographer of the above photo used a large aperture for shallow depth of field to outstand the candid and intimate moment, depicting the theme in a lively way. Besides, we can shoot with natural lighting for a faithful capture of the scene and mood. Depending on the environment, a flash can be applied to aid the shooting.

Offering flexible telephoto zoom range, a telephoto zoom lens can help you capture distant objects and portraits with ease. For example, the photographer of the above photo used the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM to capture the happy faces of mother and daughter from a distance as they enjoyed the red leave scenery, resulting in a photo full of love.

As a telephoto zoom lens allows photographers to shoot from a further distance, the subjects will be less aware of the lens and the whole shooting process. Photographers can thus capture the natural smiles as the subjects are at ease. Besides, a telephoto lens can bring perspective compression and blurry background, helping to separate the subjects from the surrounding environment and busy background for a more prominent result.

Light can be divided into two types in general – natural light and artificial light. Photographing the same subject under different lighting will result in different photo moods and effects. We can make use of the unique characteristics of different lighting to suit the personalities of the subjects when capturing their smiles.

Although a backlighting will create great contrast between the subject and background, the sunlight coming from the subject’s back can make the body lines and contours more stand out. When we take a closer look to the two lamas in the above photo, we can see shining light on their hair and shoulders. This complements well with their bright smiles. The bright light in this photo has highlighted the spirit of comradeship of the lamas.

While a backlighting can feature the body lines and contours, the proper use of artificial light to assist the shooting can help create photos with depth. For example, the above photo used backlighting as the primary light source and a flash was used to provide supplementary light for the subject from the front. This can avoid a dim face when shooting with backlighting. Besides, a large aperture was used to produce beautiful bokeh, turning some of the background objects like soap bubbles into colorful light spots to add a happy spirit to the photo.

Sometimes we will include some scene elements in portrait photography. When traveling, many people will add an exotic touch to the photos by including the local elements. The face contours of foreigners and their costumes look very different from ours, and their smiles are charming in another way. The photographer of the above photo captured an old lady in her local costume. The wrinkles on her face, the look in her eyes and her smile showed great affinity.

For photos of this kind, a telephoto lens can enhance our mobility so that we can better observe and capture the facial features from more angles. We can try different angles to create feature shots of the people’s faces and smiles, like using a side shot to make the face appear slimmer or wait until the subject looks back and smiles for photos with more depth. To capture more moody or colorful photos, we can include the exotic building as background in our portraits.

The streets and alleys are the truest exhibition of the local life in Hong Kong. The above photo has recorded the life of a hawker selling on the street. There was nothing splendid in the photo, only simple cookware and snacks was captured. Yet, the warm smile of the old working man in the photo has shown us what good neighborhood meant.

The mostly used focal length for street snap shots is from 35-50mm. This focal range allows photographers to frame with high degree of freedom. We can include the subject and a large portion of the surrounding environment in the composition to tell a story. Before we shoot, we can take some time to chit chat with the subjects first to ease their nerves and tension, and only shoot after seeking for the subject’s consent for photography. We should try to look for some distinctive elements to put in the composition, for example the food tags and smoke as shown in the above photo. Full of symbolic meaning, these elements can do a great job in conveying the photo’s message and enhancing the character of the subject.

Photography is not just about freezing a smile in a piece of photo, but to cherish a moment of happiness. Whether you are happy because you shoot or vice verse, it is always a happy thing to be able to record a moment.