How to Photograph People, by Demetrius Fordham

Demetrius Fordham has written a really nice textbook on a beautiful subject. This isn't a profound investigation, but it is a very competent survey. I really enjoyed learning the nuanced differences between the different genres of people pictures — from editorial to portrait to fine art.

Fordham offers lots of personal tips, but my favorite were the thoughtful gestures he uses in portrait shoots. He asks his subjects for their favorite snack and music in advance, and then has a bowl of the snacks and the music playing when they arrive to the shoot. He schedules fifteen minutes at the beginning of the shoot to make small talk. And, he engages the subject in collaboration, asking them what kind of shots they like and what they think might be good.