برچسب: Techniques

Portrait photography is a genre in photography where the photographer captures the subject’s personality and story. In order to capture effective portraits, the photographer needs to make use of the right light, background, props, attire and poses, as long as they are not candids where instant moments need to be captured. 

Portraits can be captured in any environment under any light situations and it depends on the story and mood you are trying to capture in the image. Here are a number of resources that cover everything you need to know about capturing authentic portraits, from lighting to different styles and types of portraits.

Portrait photography may seem like a boring genre for some people who have not actually shot portraits or gotten deep into that genre. When it comes to portraits, there are a number of types of portraits that you can actually shoot and in many creative ways. It’s not just a couple of types like professional, candid, wedding, event, etc. This article talks about 23 different types of portraits you can try today.

Most photographers rely on natural light for their photography and this also applies to a lot of portrait photographers. Natural light is beautiful and if you have a good understanding of light, you can manipulate natural light to your advantage to capture stunning portraits. This article provides tips that will be useful for natural light portrait photographers.

Professional photographers mostly tend to shoot portraits in studios because they can have full control over the lighting, background and other elements that contribute to the process. It also saves the photographer from scouting for locations which in itself can sometimes be a tedious task. Shooting portraits in a studio also requires taking care of a lot of things and this article provides a ton of tips for shooting studio portraits.

When we talk about natural light, we immediately think of grand landscapes, outdoor architecture, wildlife, outdoor, sports, nature photography, etc. Portraits can also be shot under natural light and they look really stunning if the light is used wisely. If there are times where your subject may require light to fill in shadows etc., you can use reflectors to fill in light. This article talks about the art of capturing natural portraits using reflectors.

Portraits can be shot either indoors or outdoors depending on the time of day, purpose of the shoot, the results that you are looking to achieve, the weather and so many other factors. When capturing portraits outdoors, care needs to be taken when choosing the location and the type of light (golden hour, overcast, midday, night, etc.). This article discusses some secrets to capture perfect outdoor portraits.

Portraits that have a black background can look very professional and lend a certain mood to the overall image. In order to get a black background in portraits, you can either choose a black background and use the light settings effectively to keep the background dark. Or, you can make use of the contrast between the light and dark and make the background dark, no matter what the colour. This article discusses how you can capture a portrait with a black background.

In photography, shooting with available light is a skill as it requires a good understanding of light and some creative thought on how available light can be used for the best images possible. The same applies when capturing portraits – they do not always require additional or artificial lights and can be shot beautifully with available light if well planned. This article discusses how to use available light for good portrait photos

There are times, especially indoors or outdoors when the sun is behind the subject and you need some light to bounce off something onto your subject for better illumination of your subjects in portraits. This is where bounce light comes in handy to fill in areas that are dark or need better illumination. Light can be bounced off walls, ceilings, reflectors, etc., and this article talks about some simple ways to bounce light to capture better portraits.

There are times when the available light is just not enough to capture sharp details and the right colours in your portraits. If you shoot portraits often, then it is good to have a speedlight to improve the quality of your photos. With a single speedlight, there is a lot that you can achieve. This article talks about using speedlights to capture some of the best portraits.

Having a camera, a good lens, location, subject and maybe a speedlight cannot help with capturing the best portraits all the time. In order for your portraits to be powerful and effective, you need to make use of compelling compositional guidelines that can take your portraits to the next level. Effectively placing the eyes and taking care of other factors when composing a portrait is important and this article talks about some fundamental composition techniques for portraits.

Couple portraits are something that are most sought after in the field of portrait photography. Capturing couples in their candid moments can portray the bond or connection that they have with each other, but it is also good for experienced photographers to know some classic methods for posing in order to get the best results. This article talks about poses for impressive couple portraits.

If you are someone who loves to capture portraits but are nervous to be in front of other photographers, or to capture photos of other people, you can capture your own portraits, which is self portrait. When capturing self portraits, you are working with yourself and you are both the subject and the photographer. You have the freedom to capture your personal moments without worrying about the fact that you have to pose in front of someone else. This article discusses how you can capture storytelling self portraits.

Portrait photography does not have to be done with posed subjects, looing into the camera in a perfect location. There are times when you may have limited resources and space, but portraits can always be captured using the available light, simple props lying around the house and sometimes some DIY filters or hacks. This article talks about 10 ways in which you can elevate your portrait photography.

If you are a street photographer, you can also capture stunning and powerful street portraits. Streets are full of moments, stories and colours and it is a great place to capture candid moments of people going about their daily lives. The right location, good use of light and some observational skills along with some patience will yield great street portraits. This article discusses tips on capturing stunning street portraits.

Further Reading