What Makes a Good Subject?
In my close to 3 decades of photography experience (mind you, I am not that old, I just started early 
), I have come across a number of subjects which on first impression I thought were great subjects but turned out to be difficult subjects instead. Through the years, I learned to judged a good subject from a not so good one and therefore adjust my technique to enable me to capture the best photograph or squeeze my subject to make the best come out from my subject.
But first, let me clarify things here. There could be several subjects – landscape, events (sports, news, parties, fashion, etc.), people, etc. What I would like to talk about for now is a person, as my subject or model. Then let’s limit our subject into portrait and not news or paparazzi-type of photography.
For me the first and most important criterion is willingness of the subject to be photographed. A willing subject will enable the photographer to direct the poses and find the subject’s best profile. This is one of the reasons why some people are better looking on photographs, or are photogenic.
A subject must be confident of himself/herself. I started photographing Cris Aquino when she was a teener – plain looking girl with eyeglasses – out in the streets campaigning for her mom and rallying people to seek justice for her dad. Immediately, I knew the girl is of great character, a person oozing with confidence. Cris Aquino has a style of her own… she is a good if not a perfect subject. She exudes emotions and passions and is not afraid to express these passions and emotions.
Finally, a good subject is open to corrections or criticisms. That is the only way to improve if one wants to always look good in photographs. J
