Portrait Photography Techniques

By Richard Stevens

Individuals have been the theme of many popular photographs from time to time. However, portrait photography isn't just about capturing a face; instead it is about making one person or a group of persons come alive in a image by showing them in their true form.

A good portrait photograph beats the convention and is able to capture mental states and angles of a person like never seen before. However, typical family or single person portraits are also done and they are fit for family albums.

The most significant aspect in a portrait image is the close up, and the countenance of the subject must come out prominently in it. This can be done by tuning camera settings to blur the subject's background so that his or her face gets the maximum focus. This job of focussing the face becomes easier with a camera having a wide aperture. Whereas, when both the person and the background are equally significant, like an image taken with the person in a beautiful landscape, then a standard aperture setting is more appropriate.

Paucity of perfect light for a good image is a frequent problem faced by the photographers. However, by following some common photography tips, a good portrait photograph can be clicked. A facial profile of a subject sitting by a window looks unique and appealing, particularly when daylight illuminates a side of the face. The other side of the face can be lighted up by using something reflective like a white piece of sheet or board. However, However, portrait photographs shot in studios under regulated lighting often come out better than those clicked in natural light.

Another significant factor that affects a portrait photograph is the comfort level of the subject when he or she poses for the image. If the subject doesn't feel comfortable while being clicked and doesn't give a natural expression, then even the highest quality camera and lighting methods will fail to do justice to the portrait.

About the Author:

0 comments:

Post a Comment