Portrait photography:
Techniques and tips
Portrait Photography 2 |
- Keep the composition as simple as possible and as complicated as necessary.
- (almost) Never shoot the subject straight on to the camera
- Environmental portraits include the background
- In a traditional portrait try to separate out the subject from the background as much as possible
- 1 main light, using soft, diffused light, such as a window with a curtain, or north facing window
- 1 secondary light source, which can be another light or a reflector
(Com)Posing tips
- Subject can face towards or away from the light source (broad or narrow lighting)
- Subject should usually be angled away from camera • Subject should usually have close shoulder lower than far shoulder
- Shooting subject from slight higher than shoulders is better
- Subjects weight should be distributed 70/30 on feet
- Photos should not be cropped through joints, hands or chins
- Except for artistic purposes, don’t shoot subject right against walls (lighting is key)