Improve your documentary photography skills by following these 7+ tips

Documentaries are interesting and beautiful to watch, in part because of the incredible photography that is involved. Documentary photography is not a popular niche of photography, but one worth looking into. Improve your documentary photography skills by following these 7+ tips.
Documentary photography is a challenging but deeply satisfying type of photography niche. It requires a lot of patience to become skilled in the techniques involved. Here are some tips to get you started.
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1. Do your research
Doing research for any photography project is a good idea. Research your subject you are documenting to know of what type of photos you want to take and what story you want to tell your audience. The more research you do, the better prepared you will be.
2. Patience
You need patience, since there are so many factors involved and so much out of your control. Wait for interesting moments to shoot. Be prepared to document several days to get the best shots in.
3. Subject
Talk to your subject or subjects before the shoot, if you can. You want to be able to make a connection and have the shoot go as smoothly as possible with who you are taking photos of. You will also get a better idea of how to photograph your subject by talking to them beforehand.
4. Differentiate your shots
Take a variety of shots to best tell the subjects's story. Take plenty of close-ups and wide angle shots. Bring plenty of equipment to be able to take different shots of your subject and their way of life.
5. Close in
Don't be afraid to take close-ups of your subject. This documentary is about them and you want your audience to get to know your subject through your eyes. Of course, you want to build a relationship and have your subject comfortable enough to do this.
6. Study others
Another great idea is to study what other document photographers have done. Look at their photos and try to see why some are more compelling than others. Which ones bring out the most emotions in you and why? Try to imitate this in your own work.
7. Storyteller
Remember that you are not just taking shots. You are telling the story of your subject. Keep this in mind when shooting. You want the photos to tell a story.
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8. Practice makes perfect
The more you practice for document shots, the better you will become as a photographer. You don't have to be at the location to practice. Better your photography skills by practice close-ups, wide angles, and other shots you may take.