[Revealing character] can't be done by pushing the person into position or arranging his head at a certain angle. It must be accomplished by provoking the victim, amusing him with jokes, lulling him with silence, or asking impertinent questions which his best friend would be afraid to voice.
Philippe HalsmanWhen you ask a person to jump, his attention is mostly directed toward the act of jumping and the mask falls so that the real person appears.
Philippe HalsmanMost people stiffen with self-consciousness when they pose for a photograph. Lighting and fine camera equipment are useless if the photographer cannot make them drop the mask, at least for a moment, so he can capture on his film their real, undistorted personality and character.
Philippe Halsman