Samir Kamble

This collection is arranged in alphabetical order and is by no means complete. We encourage you to post comments as to which portraits we’ve missed, that you feel should be part of this collection.

We hope that this collection inspires you, makes you gasp and even smile. We want you to come away with a sense of what made each portrait unique and memorable, and incorporate these concepts into your own portraits.

Afghan Girl

This photo was taken as part of the National Geographic “Green Eyes” project, tracking the genetic trait of green eyes passed down through the Mongols of Genghis Khan’s time. The subject was Sharbat Gula and a retrospective on her life done by National Geographic can be found here. Date: 1985. Photographer: Steve McCurry, National Geographic.

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Six principles in making people like you:

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.

I think we’ve all met someone that pretend to be interested in you but you can sense that they really aren’t. There doesn’t seem to be anything genuine about these types of people. We tend to label them ‘phoney.’ This is probably one case where fake it until you make won’t work. So, how do you become genuinely interested in other people? You’ll want to ask them questions. Learn what they do, what they like. Everyone likes to talk about him or herself. Get them to talk about their dreams!

2. Smile.

Not much to add, here. When you walk into a room with a smile on your face, you might as well be carrying a people magnet.

3. Use a person´s name.

Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language. Just like in the old romantic movies: “Oh, John… John!” “Oh, Mary, dear Mary!”

4. Be a good listener.

Encourage others to talk about themselves. When you do this with a sincere and genuine interest in the other person you cannot fail to encourage that person to feel appreciated and valued. This is a key trait of anyone who has mastered people skills.

5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interests.

Again, this principle stresses making time to listen to others to find out what is of interest to them. Let their interests guide the direction of the conversation and you will enjoy a solid rapport that encourages friendship.

6. Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

This cannot be faked for long. Look for the good in others and respect other viewpoints, beliefs and lifestyles. Even ones that do not make sense to you. This flexibility is important if you are to respect the other person.