Cotton worker on the road to Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Fujifilm X-H2, Fujinon XF150-600mm f5.6-8 R LM OIS WR, f8 @ 1/170 second, ISO 125

Wildlife photographers all have a long telephoto lens in their camera bag to capture distant subjects, so why not take the same approach with people? This is a useful technique for travel photographers if you’re not great at walking up to people and asking permission. By using a 600mm lens, you can avoid all contact if you wish and you’re certainly distant enough to run away if they do catch you taking their portrait!

Don’t discount a long telephoto lens as being incorrect for portraiture. Many fashion photographers use a telephoto lens not just because they can be flattening and flattering for their subjects, but because they throw the background wonderfully out of focus.

If the art of travel photography is to reveal the location, and the art of portraiture to focus on the subject, the wildlife photographer’s telephoto lens or zoom is perfect. In the photo of the cotton picking worker above, she is rendered sharp and crisp, clearly showing her face and clothing. In comparison, the foreground and background are blurred sufficiently – meaning they are still recognisable for what they are, but subservient to the main subject. The differential focus is doing everything right.

So, did this cotton picking person know I was there? Yes. Our tour group had stopped by the side of the road and we’d engaged with several workers more closely. However, there were many more workers who were too busy to bother with the likes of us, so I grabbed my 150-600mm zoom and looked around. Yes, this lady caught me taking her photo and had a good laugh – you can run, but you can’t hide from a wildlife photographer’s lens.