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There are infinite fascinating things on this planet, and one of those things just happens to be: us! There are over 8 billion people on Earth who speak thousands of different languages and have millions of unique habits, physical features and experiences. So as mundane as it may seem to capture people on film, it can actually teach us a lot about ourselves and others around us to take photos of one another.
That’s something that the subreddit we’re featuring on this list understands. Noting on their homepage that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” this group is dedicated to sharing “high quality images of humans.”
“We are focused on looking at what humans are, more than what they do,” the community’s about section states. “To show you how humans exist. How people show their emotions and inner self.”
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As far as the rules of this subreddit, there are only a few simple ones: share portraits only (faces must be visible), include as much context about the image as possible, and only submit static images. Aside from that, members are free to share as many stunning, fascinating and eye-catching photos of celebrities, their grandparents, their friends and people they meet while on vacation as they like.
While taking photos of people might seem simple, there’s no question that we love looking at one another (and ourselves), even on social media. According to a study from Georgia Tech University, photos with human faces are 38% more successful on Instagram than pictures without people. These photos are also one third more likely to attract comments.
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As far as why we enjoy looking at photos of humans so much, Saeideh Bakhshi, the Georgia Tech College of Computing Ph.D. student who led the study, says that it’s something we start doing at birth. “Even as babies, people love to look at faces,” she explained. “Faces are powerful channels of non-verbal communication. We constantly monitor them for a variety of contexts, including attractiveness, emotions and identity.”
To learn more about what makes a portrait particularly captivating, we reached out to professional photographer Sergio Garcia, who was kind enough to share some of his thoughts with Bored Panda. "What makes a photo of a person really hit home for me is when it nails a raw moment that gets you to do two things: stop and think," the expert shared. "Lighting, environment, and action—or the lack of it—can make you stop. Then, the 'think' comes in. What's the story here? What happened 10 minutes after the shot? What was I up to when I captured it? The questions don't stop, and neither should they."
Sergio also pointed out that what makes a photo striking is subjective. "A grandma in the midwest snapping pics of her grandkids on her new iPhone would find them striking," he noted. "So, context is king. And no, you don't need fancy gear to capture something meaningful."
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As for amateur photogs who want to take great pictures of their friends, Sergio suggests that they aim for "interesting" over "high quality."
"People remember photos that grip them, not necessarily those that are technically impeccable," he explained. "So, amateurs: craft a storyline around your portraits. Imagine taking a city dweller and photographing them as a farmer in times square. That'd turn heads. Or go subtle, shoot against a simple backdrop but direct your subject's expressions. Both are intriguing."
"For the tech-savvy, yeah, basics like composition and lens choice matter," Sergio added. "I enjoy my 85mm for close-ups and my 35mm for broader frames."
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We were also curious about some of Sergio's favorite photos that he's ever taken. "Early on, I shot a friend as if he'd just been in a fight—fake blood, white shirt, the works," the photographer shared. "One image still haunts me; it's how he threw his head back and how the 'blood' splattered on his teeth."
"Another gem was with an actor from Stranger Things. We riffed on different themes, and when he said he used to be in a band, it clicked," Sergio told Bored Panda. "I got shots of him miming guitar play and then evolving to this 'shocked-at-the-mirror' look. It's how he brought those emotions to life that still strikes a chord with me."
