Take Great Pictures with These Portrait Photography Tips

14 Tips For Taking Perfect Portrait Photos

 

Have you seen portraits that are just so beautiful and full of life and wonder why your portraits always seem to come out plain and boring? There are two simple things to remember when taking a portrait: the subject and the setup. If you pay attention to these two things, you can get quality portraits every time.

I'll start with the subject first.

The Subject

1) Portraits Are About The Person

First and foremost, a portrait is about the person in the picture. It should reflect their style and interest. That way, people who see the photo can see who the person in it actually is or something about them. A good portrait is one that captures the subject. This means you should quickly develop a feeling of familiarity with the person you are shooting. This isn't hard to do. Just follow a few simple tips.

2) Act Like You Know What You're Doing

Act like you know what you're doing (even if you don't... as they say in show business, fake it 'til you make it). They'll be more comfortable with you if they feel you're skilled at what you're doing. Be set up when they're ready and don't be fumbling with things trying to prepare. Be sure to always show confidence.

3) Get Your Subject To Relax

Get your subject to relax. Open them up and get them to talk to you. Standing there stone cold taking pictures and not saying a word will make them very uncomfortable. Be pleasurable.
 
4) Study Your Subjects

Study your subjects. This involves not only talking to them and making conversation to find out what their interests are, but also watching them. A familiar mannerism or facial expression can show a lot of personality in one picture. You may also notice that the person becomes much more excited, interesting, and easy to photograph when they're talking about something they're interested in.

5) Use The Background To Give The Subject Personality

If your subject loves horses, why not photograph them with their horse? Having familiar objects adds a sense of personality to the picture, but also makes the subject more comfortable and at ease.

6) Go Beyond The Face

Don't just photograph the face. Hands and other parts of the body can show a lot of personality and mood.

7) Don't Pose Your Subject!

Don't pose the subject. No matter what the photographer at JC Penney did to you as a kid, don't do it to your subjects. Let them pose how they want to. This will give the photo a more natural and personal look.


Now let's take a look at the setup for your photos.

The Setup

1) Use Lighting To Accentuate The Subject

The other important part of the picture is the setup. A good portrait photographer should be able to use lighting and surrounding to accentuate their subject. A person may look wonderful, but you have to be able to see them properly as well. Here are a few simple tips to help:

2) Use Simple Backgrounds

A portrait is about the person, not the background. Use simple backgrounds that don't draw attention away from the subject.

3) Use Soft Lighting

The best lighting is from a window or softbox. Harsh lighting can create shadows that hide the face or eyes. Another good tip is if you're just photographing the face, have the subject hold a piece of white paper beneath their face to bounce light and reduce shadows.

4) Use A Telephoto Lens

If possible, photograph the subject from 10 to 15 feet away using a telephoto lens. This makes their facial features more pleasing by making the nose stand out less.

5) Use a soft focus lens

If you cannot focus softly, try stretching nylon over the lens. Or just soften the focus after taking the picture in Photoshop.

If you're using color, make the tones very soft and subtle. However, black and white can be a great look too.
Use a fast shutter speed to capture quick changes of facial expressions and body language.

6) Shoot From Eye Level Or Above

Shoot from eye level (especially with kids) or slightly above.

Shooting from an upward pointing angle doesn't make anyone look good.

7) When All Else Fails - Use Your Camera's Portrait Setting

And last but not last, If all else fails, use your digital camera's portrait setting. It may not be perfect, but for many situations you'll find that it will be good enough. 

Follow these few simple tips and you'll be shooting wonderful pictures in no time. Good luck!