Creating a great travel portrait isn’t always easy, but it can be incredibly rewarding and lead to memories that will last a lifetime. I sat down with Jennifer Spelman, known for her engaging and poignant street photography, and who led my Santa Fé Photographic Workshops tour of Havana, Cuba about her tips for making compelling portraits. From the philosophical to the practical, here’s what she had to say. (Every wonder how to choose a good travel photography tour? Click here for advice. )

Make Your Interaction a Gift

For most people, the hardest part about portrait photography is walking up to a total stranger and asking to take a photo. Jennifer believes it’s a lot easier if you try it with this approach. “Consider the interaction as a gift to the person you’re photographing. You don’t have to feel as if you’re taking something from them. If you do it right, it can literally be the most special part of their day. You’re not out to harm anyone, you’re out to glorify them, and that’s a really positive way to look at the experience,” she says.