When taking a portrait of someone, unless you are looking to capture a formal picture, if your subject begins to stiffen or 'clam up', consider this technique to get them to loosen up.

Set your focus, aperture, shutter speed, etc., then engage the person in conversation on one of their favorite subjects while keeping the digital camera pointed at them. Eventually, as the conversation lingers on, your subject is bound to lighten up, perhaps showing a smile or other recognizable expression. That is the time for you to quickly snap the shutter button to take the photo.

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