Portrait photographers are sought after more than any other type. This is because there are so many events or promotions for which a portrait is needed. People and their pets are portrayed often in formalized photo shoots. Birthday, engagement, wedding, holiday photos and more are sought after. Making these photos standout is the mark of a great portrait photographer. There are some key points to consider when creating portrait photographs.
In order to set the scene for perfect pictures there are some easy points to consider. First of all, there is the setting. Proper setting depends on the theme of the photos. Family photographs are often completed in an outdoor setting. Framing the participants in the beauty of nature adds to the pictures. It also allows unlimited space to work with. More formal appearances are usually completed indoors. Whenever a photo is taken, it is important to set up the space so that there are no distractions.
Composition comes into play when selecting the proper setting and balance in a picture. Participants will be better lined up and composed in order of stature. Decide the focal point, or the center most desired focus Work from this center focus on out with an imaginary vertical and horizontal grid.
Check the depth of the field. The subject needs to stand out as the best part of the photo. There must not be anything in the background to cause any distraction. Move in close to the subject, if practical. Keep the field shot in-depth. It is most helpful to use a 45-200 mm telephoto lens or a F1.7 20 mm pancake lens.
A larger aperture allows for a short field depth and helps to keep the focus on the subject. Setting the F stop to a large aperture, you can change the ISO setting. The shutter speed would need to be manually set. If there is ample lighting an ISO of 100 is doable. If the lighting too dark for this, try an ISO 400. Next, the shutter speed would need to be changed to adapt to these changes. It is an option to set the speed automatically. This can be accomplished by putting the camera in Aperture Priority mode.
Have fun with color and various color lens adapters. Consider the simplicity of black and white pictures. Take into account the saturation and brightness settings and experiment with a variety of options. If in doubt, you can always set the camera on automatic. This will set the camera to typical settings for the type of photos desired. Keep playing with the lighting all through your photo shoot. This is something which changes often, especially in outdoor settings.
One of the most important things to remember is that a relaxed subject is going to come through in the photo. Keeping shoots easy and fun makes for a smoother photo shoot. Ask for advice about what the subject prefers. Maybe there is some part of their physical makeup that they want to camouflage. With creating posing and angle testing, the end results will be awesome. Let the subject view how they look. Listen to suggestions they may have. They will be more relaxed and empowered.
Take a lot of shots. It can take multiple shots to get that perfect photograph. With a large variety of shots the chance of catching the personality is greatly increased. With a group of participants, this is even more important. By keeping all members of a photograph in sync, it will be easier to meet desired results. This is one of the reasons the “say cheese” expression started.
Most important is to have fun with your portrait photography. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed everybody will be. You might be surprised at what you see when it is all done.
