Are you a socially anxious photographer? Don't just stick to landscapes & street photography, try portraits

(this is my attempt at contributing good content to this subreddit; i've enjoyed the newer more lax rules on what posts are allowed but there's way too many gear posts on the front page)So i've seen time and time again, particularly on this subreddit, "what type of photography do you do" posts. And, time and time again, I see the "I'm antisocial so I stay away from portraits" comment. It makes sense: why put yourself in the position to be social if it's not your forte? But from one photographer who has struggled with social anxiety to another, you'd be surprised at how much it can change your perspective. I've outlined a few benefits for this point to hopefully encourage someone who's afraid to try it:Portrait photography helps you connect with people on a non-superficial levelWhile you're shooting, the nature of creating art with someone offers the chance to have meaningful conversations and connections beyond simple small talk. Some of the most interesting people I've met, I've met by shooting them. Building rapport becomes a lot easier when you're trying to get someone to laugh for a photo. Thanks to portrait photography I've grown to appreciate people's differences and idiosyncrasies a lot more.You control the pace of the engagementOne of the scary things for me about social settings is the fear of being put in uncomfortable positions where I'm not sure how to act or respond. With portrait photography, typically the model is looking to you for direction and will frequently match your energy. This is one of the few social opportunities you get where you can dictate the pace and flow of the interaction. If you're looking to learn to get out and be more comfortable with talking to people ,this is the perfect place to practiceIt's very rewardingIf you become good at it, there's few greater feelings than showing someone a photo that allows them to see themselves in a better light than before. The jaw drops and wow's you receive from showing someone an unedited photo on the back of you camera releases a hell of an amount of endorphins, plus earn the respect of those around you.Portrait photography isn't for everyone, but I'd urge anyone who's staying away from it to try it sometime. True, you may encounter some people who aren't the most pleasant to be around and thus may not get the advantage of some of the things I listed above, but maybe brushing off people you don't like is a valid lesson in itself. I think everyone should try portrait photography to some degree via /r/photography https://ift.tt/2BaFPv4