Portrait photography is an art. This is the way a photographer can use images, or even a single shot, to provide a powerful story. While skills for capturing good shots can be learned, capturing expressions, emotions, and human elements requires a lot of practice.
If you're just starting to delve into this wonderful way of storytelling, there are some basics you should know about portrait photography. If you want something more advanced, you can check out these detailed portrait photography tips.
But in this article, let's start with the basics and the most important things. Here are some things you should do to take portrait photos.
Master the Light
Just like everything in photography, use natural light whenever possible. Soft light is best for portrait shooting, so do not place your subject in direct sunlight to avoid strong contrast between bright and shadowy areas. If necessary, use a reflector to reflect the light onto the subject to soften the light.
If you're shooting indoors, place your subjects next to a window for subtle natural light and position them at an angle towards it. This is perfect for shooting soft light for soft portraits.
Only use a flash when absolutely necessary. When using flash, it is best to use a diffuser or softbox to avoid casting harsh shadows on the subject.
2. Focus on your eyes
People are not wrong when they say'the eyes are the windows of the soul '. In portrait photography, the eye is the most important feature of this subject due to the ability to express emotions. The eye is incredibly expressive, and it is key to capturing the human connection with the subject.
Keep your eyes sharp in focus on your portrait. Blurry eyes can really break your shot, even when everything else is in focus. If you're shooting the subject at an angle, focus on the eye closest to the camera.
Focus on the aperture when taking close-ups where the face takes up most of the frame. Whereas it's easy to miss focus in close-up portraits, here anything less sharp is obvious. Focusing on the iris will help you avoid the problem of blurred eyes, which can ruin your images
3. Build a theme
Good composition goes a long way. In portrait photography, composing your subjects can help emphasize the attention paid to them, highlighting their unique features. More importantly, how you build them and what you include in your frame can add "props" to your story.
Therefore, location plays an important role in your portrait photography. Whenever possible, do research to find where you can add features to your image. Choose the location that makes sense to your subject, a location that enhances your storytelling with images. When you choose a location, look for spots with unique, unique features, such as arches, geometric shapes or unusual buildings to make extraordinary portraits.
If you want to learn more about choosing a session location, check out these tips to choose a good place to go for portrait photography.
4. Play with distance
The distance between you and the subject plays an important role in portrait photography. If you want intimate shots that focus on the emotion and personality of the subject, take a closer look. When you want to use your surroundings to enhance your story, use a wide field of view to capture the various atmospheres of the environment.
When you include more of your surroundings in the frame, be careful not to move the focus away from the subject. Using a larger aperture creates a smaller depth of field, allowing you to keep the focus on the subject while also including the surroundings.
5. Capture human elements to tell stories
Anyone can take a good portrait, but not many people can tell a story in one go. The key to delivering a story with a portrait is capturing the element of the person, which can be seen through the activities they are doing, or the emotions and personalities they bring to the table.
Acclaimed portrait photographer Steve McCully emphasizes the importance of finding and capturing human connections in portraits, and you can see that his work never highlights this. It's not just McCurry, but other portrait photographers like Philippe Halsman and Henri Cartier-Bresson share the same perspective when it comes to relationships.
Being in front of the camera can be unsettling and stressful, and encouraging them to be themselves can be tricky. This is why it is important to engage and connect with them from the beginning. Break the ice and have a real conversation first, taking the camera away if necessary. Once you build trust with them, it can be easier to capture their true selves.
Portrait photography is all about capturing the humanity of your subject and showing it in an image to tell their story. With a lot of practice, coupled with good interpersonal skills, you'll be a good storyteller with a camera.
