Portrait photography - tips for beginners! Portrait photography, learning how to take a high-quality portrait

Not all photographers work with models. The job of many photographers is to shoot ordinary people and our task is to make them look like models in the pictures. How to do this if our clients have no experience in posing or controlling their face in front of the camera? Here are seven tips to help your subjects feel like they're models.

1. Working with hair

We often don't think of hair as a part of the body that can be controlled, but it is possible! If you are filming a person long hair- then ill-lying hair will be the first thing that catches your eye in the photo. Not general rule to make the hair in the frame look "super". To different people fit different variants hair arrangement.

Let's say you're doing a simple portrait shoot without a makeup artist or hairdresser. The first thing to remember is that shoulder-length hair looks terrible. They give the model a wild look and something needs to be done about it. Here are six options for working with long hair.

The original "wild" version
All hair in the back
All hair in front
Hair on one side in front
Hair on the other side of the front
Hair collected

Option #1 should be avoided at all costs. All other options are applicable depending on the model and the effect you want to achieve. The existence of options 4 and 5 is explained by the fact that in life hair can look better on one side than on the other.

Usually you want people to look at the camera so that most of the face is visible. For this article, I chose option number 6 with collected hair, so that you can better see how the girl follows my instructions and nothing distracts. For many women, the "tail" - home version hairstyles, but she looks very nice in portraits, revealing her face.

2. Move your chin (or ears) forward

When a person is standing normally and relaxed, or even standing nicely and posing, a slight crease can be seen under the chin. This manifests itself almost regardless of thinness. If you tell people to tilt their chin forward, which sounds obvious to you, they are more likely to point their chins at you, which looks like a nostril shot (not very attractive). So instead, ask your model to move their ears forward.

"Before" and "after" the proposal to move the ears forward.

Same thing from the side. I sometimes call it "turtle" because it's like a turtle pulling its head out of its shell. It may be a little uncomfortable or unnatural, but the result always justifies these inconveniences.

The same technique performed by a man. He's fit and athletic, but his chin isn't photogenic enough in a natural pose.

3. Raise your hands

When people are just standing as usual, they often have their arms pressed to either side. This causes several problems. Firstly, they look awkward and uncomfortable in photographs. Secondly, the arms pressed against the body look thicker than they really are.

This can be corrected by simply raising your arms a few centimeters so that they do not press against the body. Or you can put your hands in some position, for example, resting on your thigh. In the figure above, the red line indicates the apparent size of the arm before the reposition. A line of the same length in the second figure shows how much thinner the arm looks when it is not pressed against the body.

4. Leave visual space around the waist

Everyone likes to look slimmer. One of simple ways The way you can make your client slimmer is to show their "natural" waistline without any additions. I mean visually isolating the waist so that it looks no wider than it is. My model is standing with her hands on her hips. The first photo shows not the best position. The arm behind the body is not visually separated from it and adds width to the waist. But if you move your arm a little forward, there will be space, so nothing will be added to the waist size.

The red line shows the apparent width of the hull in the first photo. It has been moved to the second photo to show how much the hand added. This rule doesn't just apply to hands. Anything in the background behind the model can create this effect. It can be, for example, other people, tree trunks, lampposts.

5. Rotate Shoulders

It's very simple but important advice. If a person stands exactly in front of the camera, he looks bigger. This is good if you are shooting a football player or a director of a large company, but not very suitable for shooting model portraits. Turning the model shows a more beautiful profile and looks slimmer.

The red line shows the width of the model standing straight in front of the camera. A slight twist results in a photo of the model still facing the camera, but with a slimmer profile.

6. Don't show the whites of your eyes

If you want to capture a distant, dreamy look away from the camera, don't ask the model to look into the distance. Point to a specific object behind you so you can control the direction of your gaze.

In the first shot, I invited the model to look towards the door next to us. You see mostly the whites of her eyes, that's not good. You want to see the iris, the colored part. I suggested she look out the window. A slight change in the direction of the gaze brought her eyes back to us and a more attractive portrait turned out.

7. Don't let your nose interrupt the contour of your face

This rule is a little more complicated, but also important. If you do not want to take a frontal shot, you ask the model to turn slightly to the side. Let's say you don't want to shoot a classic profile where only one side of the face is visible, and the model will turn about a quarter so that both eyes are visible. If you mentally draw a line along the side of the face, then this line should not be crossed by the nose.

If she turns too much, the nose will cross this line, ruining the natural contour of the face. This creates the effect of "Pinocchio" and visually increases the length of the nose. To avoid this, you should ask the model to turn slightly back to the camera so that there is some space between the tip of the nose and the edge of the face. You must not cross this line or the facial features will look disproportionate.

Putting it all together

Here is an example list that you can follow on your next shoot.

Her hair is pulled back over one shoulder and loose in front of the other.
The chin is pushed out to create a stronger facial line.
The arm is raised from the body.
The waist has no visual enlargers.
Shoulders turned.
The pupils are visible, not the whites of the eyes.
The nose does not cross the line of the face.

What are you doing to ordinary people turned out in photographs as models? Share your thoughts on the tips you read or your own tricks in the comments.

About the author: Ben Lucas is a Seattle-based portrait and wedding photographer. He strives to keep the best emotions of his clients whether they are brides, actors, chefs or even lawyers. You can follow his news at

The main idea of the portrait is to convey in the image of the captured person the feeling he experiences, his emotionality and exclusivity. This is exactly what should not be in the photo for documents, since they are for regular use. Portrait photography can be called the art of capturing the moment forever. People who have taken photography to the level of professionalism use portrait photography both in studios and at celebrations, so they should be able to do it with the highest quality.

For a portrait shoot to go as intended, there are a few things to consider. important points. For portrait photography, open air and a studio equipped for this purpose and even an ordinary room are equally suitable. Each of these types of shooting requires its own skill. On the street, you need to correctly insert natural objects into the composition, while in the studio the face is at the head of the picture, and the background is secondary.

Even studio portraits will be completely different from each other if the pictures are taken in front and in profile, catching the eye with the lens and directing it to the side. Also, not the whole face can get into the frame, but one look, lips, bangs with glare from the sun, etc. The combination of various objects with body parts also provides a huge field for the photographer.

A street portrait for experiments is given extensive opportunities for the play of light and various angles. In order to capture a face motionless, you need to reduce the shutter speed. And the aperture is set depending on the purpose of the picture. The play of the sun in the hair can be shot with a wide open aperture, and if it is covered, then the sharpness is deeper in the picture, which means it is permissible to increase the distance when photographing.

To avoid graininess and noise in the picture, you must set the very minimum in ISO.

White balance can be selected by automatic settings, or selected in manual mode M. Also, do not forget about exposure metering, applying it either to the entire frame, or evaluative or spot to the central part of the image.

portrait shot in studio

In the studio, you can play with light by redirecting its sources. For high-quality picture there must be at least three such sources. It is in this technique that film crews work when making films in indoors. The most powerful one replaces the light in the window. The light reflecting from the wall replaces the second light source, this is the fill light, the brightness of which is an order of magnitude weaker. The illumination of the person in the frame in order to distinguish between the background, shoulders and hair is carried out by a back light source.

For shooting in the studio, different aperture settings are used to change the depth of field and the distance from which it is taken. And since reducing the distance allows you to leave only an accented face in the frame, then what the background will be like becomes unimportant.

Staged family studio photos are returning to fashion, where relatives and even pets are nearby. But absolutely any shot taken from a strange angle, an unfamiliar environment can become valuable. Therefore, acquiring professional camera you should not use it on automatic settings, study the device, change settings, apply different light and mode and get high-quality pictures.

Photos for this article are taken from the section of our

For portrait photography, it is convenient to use telephoto lenses with a fixed focal length(fixes). These lenses have a number of advantages over others. Long-focus optics distort the perspective less, which is very important when portrait photography. In addition, you can evaluate the depth of field of the scene being shot on the depth of field scale displayed on the lens barrel. An important role in portrait photography is also played by the aperture ratio of the optics used. Autofocus on fast lenses works faster. In addition, a fully open aperture when shooting a portrait allows you to get pictures with a very beautiful blur of the background.

How to photograph a portrait: shooting rules

There are a few things to keep in mind when shooting portraits. important rules: to give expressiveness to the picture, you need to focus on the nearest eye of the model, and take the shutter speed no longer than 1 / (for example, for an 85 mm lens - 1/85). In the first case, you will prevent the appearance of an unexpectedly sharp nose or chin in an overall unsharp portrait of the model. In the second - guaranteed to avoid the general blur of the picture due to too long exposure. Strong digital noise generated by the matrix at high sensitivity values is undesirable. Use ISO values between 100 and 400. The camera must be set to semi-automatic or manual mode shooting.focal>

Now let's take a quick look at the main types of metering that your camera uses.

Center weighted

With this method of exposure metering, the light level of the entire scene is measured first, and then its center point. The result is an average value, taking into account additional data received from the central region. Because the model is usually in the center of the frame, this prime-reading scheme makes center-weighted metering the preferred choice for portraits.

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Spot metering captures the exposure of only a very small part of the image (1-5%) and ignores the lighting in the rest of the scene. This area is usually in the center of the viewfinder. However, some cameras allow you to select other areas of the frame for metering and meter off-center. Spot metering - a good choice for high contrast or backlit scenes, but use it with care when shooting portraits, remembering to target the area that will form the midtones of the final image.

zone

Zone metering is a type of measurement that receives data from several various areas within the shooting scene to calculate the average value for the entire frame. This is useful for general low contrast scenes.

Consider an example. Note the complex lighting and tanned skin of the model. The use of zone metering (Example 1) led to an unsatisfactory result: part of the face turned out to be very overexposed. At the same time, by exposing a picture using spot metering (Example 2), you can get a more acceptable option, comparable to the result obtained using center-weighted metering (Example 3). This is due to the lighting conditions, which only an accurate choice of exposure will help you cope with. This example does not mean that you should always use either center-weighted or spot metering for portraits. It all depends on the specific lighting conditions and features of the complexion of the model. Dark, tanned skin reflects less light than lighter skin tones.

Example 1 Matrix metering

In many cases, you can achieve the desired result by adjusting the exposure. To increase the overall brightness of the picture, you need to make a positive compensation for the exposure, and to reduce the brightness - negative.

Portrait Lighting: Using the Flash

There is a common misconception that flash used outside of a studio makes an image "flat". This is true, but only if it is wrong to use its capabilities. Much worse when precisely because of bad natural light the portrait is inexpressive and boring.

To illustrate the above, consider the following example (Example 4). Natural lighting with cloudy weather quite dull, which affected the colors of the photo. However, using even the built-in flash (Example 5) made it possible to highlight deep shadows on the face and clothes. At the same time, the picture itself became more expressive and did not lose volume. Much greater opportunities are provided by an external flash, which, by adjusting the power of the pulse, allows you to gently illuminate the eyes of the model without overexposing the rest of the face. So, as shown in the example (Example 6).

Shooting Indoor Portraits: Lighting

When shooting in a poorly lit room, using a flash is indispensable. An external flash allows you to direct and adjust the power of the light pulse. In preparation for shooting, it is important to correctly set the ISO value and adjust the flash power. Setting the wrong settings (too low ISO or not strong enough flash) can result in an unwanted change in the color temperature of the picture. On the other hand, shooting at too large values sensitivity can lead to strong overexposure in the photo.

When shooting with flash, try to use reflective coatings (whitewashing the ceiling, walls, etc.). Direct the light pulse in such a way that not direct, but reflected light hits the model being photographed. Try to minimize the inevitable shadow effect either by blurring the background (Example 7) or by changing the angle of the model being shot (Example 8).

Portrait photography or simply a portrait is a photograph of a person or a small group of people (), in which the face is the predominant element. The purpose of this view is to demonstrate the similarity, mood and personality of the object. Typically, the face is in focus in the center of the picture, but some shots also include other parts of the body. There are portraits taken for non-professional purposes, just to keep memories. But there are also those that are made commercially for posters, billboards, CD covers, book covers and so on.

Whatever your goal, you'll love tips on how to take great portrait photos. And if you are new to this field, then the following 12 tips below will be useful to you in creating bright and memorable pictures.

1. Define a goal

Before you take a picture, you need to determine its purpose. The perception of the photo by other people will depend on what you were trying to show. You need to decide whether you want to get a wider picture of the face or just a part of the face at an angle. You also need to decide in what position the face should be: vertical or horizontal. For example, if you are taking a portrait of a child, you can take a horizontal portrait. For example, such portraits can often be seen on children's postcards or on greeting cards.

2. Choose a model

Depending on what kind of shot you want to get, be smart about choosing a model or object. It could be anyone. If you are working for a commercial project, it would be better to choose an eye-catching model that looks friendly. Not necessarily the model does not have to be sexy and brightly made up. What matters is how he or she looks into the camera and how the model can express emotions and convey the main idea.

3. Choose a location and background

Find the perfect location to shoot. Be careful with your choice. Keep it as simple as possible. Avoid a background that has a lot of small parts because it will distract from the main subject. For commercial photography, a solid background is ideal.

4. Choosing a pose

Before you start, you should think about the right posture. This will help make the shooting of the scene more energetic. Stopping the shoot just to think about the right pose will only tire the model and waste time. So, before you start shooting, take the time to plan creative and interesting poses. This will make you feel confident and energetic. It also depends on you how to properly adjust the model's pose to convey the desired emotions.

5. Shooting different emotions

It is not necessary to photograph only simple smiles. on the face should be varied. In some shots there may be a smile with teeth, in others there is only a slight hint of a smile. Some shots may look serious, some may look mysterious. There are portraits that look sad. Try to capture different emotions.

6. Use props

Using props can help your model feel relaxed and at ease. It can also add drama to an image. Props can be of great help in telling a story. It can give a photograph an interesting or mysterious look. You may notice that shots that use props are perceived differently by viewers.

7. Candid look

A photograph will tell more when it is candid. It is not enough to shoot the model in the right pose, you also need to give the picture sincerity. You can do this by allowing the model to turn away from the camera so that her attention is not interrupted by the camera and the moment itself. You can ask the model to focus on an object, such as a flower or something else. In this way, you create the feeling that the picture was taken without artistic direction. This gives the image a more interesting look.

8. Experiment with different lenses

Try different lenses when taking portrait photos. Thanks to this, you will receive a completely different results. Try shooting with a 50mm and a 24mm lens and you'll immediately feel the difference.

9. Use the environment

There are many ways to use the environment to create an impressive shot. For example, a model can lean against a doorway or lean on a table to help make a good shot. See with a creative eye. Using the environment can make your shot stand out.

10. Experiment with different lighting

You can give the same photo a completely different effect with different . You can use a lot of lights to make the model look bright, or not enough to make it look a little darker. You can also search for " " (time before sunset) to provide a golden glow on the skin. Indoors, you can place your model near a window to give it soft indirect light.

11. Fill in the frame

A portrait photo can look unique in contrast to what we usually see on various social networks. You can fill in the frame to focus only on the subject's face. It helps to attract more attention to eyes, lips, and hair. Of course, filling the frame makes the picture clear and beautiful.

12. Use different shooting angles

Along with various lighting and backgrounds that can be applied, you can also use different points shooting. This can make the image more interesting. It may even affect general perception images, highlighting some parts of the object. Look for a shooting angle that would make the shot attractive. Find the right point and shooting angle for great shots. For capture environment You can use a wide-angle lens around the subject.

There are rules and regulations for portrait photography developed over the years, but after looking at numerous works, one can make a bold conclusion - the best portraits are those made with violations of certain rules and laws!

Change perspective Of course, shooting a model with a camera located strictly at eye level is correct and logical, but if you try to add some variety when shooting a portrait, you can get interesting shots. For example, you can stand up taller model and remove it from above or sit down, the main thing is to find the angle from which the model will be most interesting.
Model view direction Here, too, you can choose the most successful and interesting position.
-In classic portraits, the model looks directly into the lens and creates the illusion that she is looking at you. There is some connection. However, if you look beyond the frame, as if into the distance, the portrait takes on a different meaning, looking at this photo, you wonder what is there, in the distance. If, at the same time, you also give more space, the picture will cause more interest than the usual, standard production. It would also be acceptable to capture emotions on the face of the model, but you need to make sure that there are no distracting objects and objects in the background.
- If the model's gaze remains in the frame, you can direct it to any object or object. For example, a girl looking at salutes, a child looking at a toy, etc. Thus, a secondary semantic center is created, as if you are telling some kind of story to the person looking at your photo.
Composition in photography And there are rules here, for example, the “one-third rule” (try to avoid dividing the frame into symmetrical parts. It’s better to visually divide the frame into three parts and, for example, place the sky in the upper third, and everything else in the lower two-thirds. Similarly, you can vertically split the frame into three parts). But you can also get great results in portraits by placing your model in the center or on the very edge of the shot. Violating the rule of "free space for the model's view" can also achieve interesting results. In general, the rules for constructing a composition can be counted from a dozen, and through experiments and trials, each master as a result necessarily receives works worthy of admiration.
Lighting experiments Lighting is another "trump card" with which you can achieve extraordinary results. Hide something, highlight something. For example, side lighting will create a mood, add some mystery, hide the secondary and highlight the main thing. Lighting is an element of unpredictability and it gives unlimited possibilities when taking portraits.
Combining long exposure with flash, you can also achieve impressive, unusual results.
Additional semantic center By adding an object to your frame, you can create another semantic center that can make the frame more advantageous. It may happen that you divert the viewer's attention from the main semantic center, but you can try to add variety, add meaning to the story told through the photo.
Experimenting with posture There are situations when the standard approach to the formulation of the model does not bring the desired result. Perhaps a little imagination, such as an unusual pose or even a jump, and you will achieve a completely different picture. Even if at first glance the pose is unnatural, this is not a reason to abandon experiments.
Shoot sincerity, shoot feelings and emotions Of course, not all people like to pose for photographers unless they are professional models. Therefore, sometimes, in order to make a good shot and not see a “frozen” face when shooting a portrait, it is necessary to place a person in the atmosphere familiar to him. At work, at home, with family. In this case, you need to take pictures in series, to catch successful emotions and feelings. Ask the person to experiment with the face, let him move, do something, speak, laugh... In such situations, a telephoto lens will be very useful, which allows you to photograph long distance when the person can't see you. This is especially suitable for shooting children. And then you will get extraordinary pictures, with sincere emotions, and it is possible that the person himself will be surprised to see himself in them ...
Come closer - in the frame part of the body Get close enough or use a telephoto lens with your camera so that you can only take a picture of a particular part of the person's body. Portrait - it can be separate eyes, hands, mouth, or even just a torso, you can leave enough space for the imagination. Sometimes what's left outside the frame will say a lot more than what's in the frame.
Depth of field There is also another version of the previous method, it consists in drawing attention to a certain part of the face or body by defocusing on the rest of the details of the frame. Defocus can be applied to clothes, other parts of the body, hands. You can even leave only one part of the body in focus. Following this advice, you leave the viewer space for the imagination, but also focus on something specific according to the idea.
Shooting in bursts Often, in order to choose one, the most magnificent, out of hundreds of frames, you need to ensure this choice for yourself. And this is only possible if you take a series of pictures. Take your time, experiment, look for good angles and it will all pay off for you!

You have probably come across a situation where the studio seems to be good, both the camera and the light, but you don’t like the person looking at you from the picture, he doesn’t look like the original ... What is the reason and how to achieve exactly the perfect shot when shooting a portrait. It happens that a person does not recognize himself in the picture, he imagined himself completely different, and the photographer showed him an unusual side, noticed something. And it is this “something” that can become a highlight.

A real photographer, a specialist in portraits, will try to learn about a person during the time that they are together, understand him and "open". After an hour of a photo session, the photographer knows more about the client than he does about his sister. Then the picture will be unforgettable!

Using a series of shots, at least 50, you have the opportunity to choose one, the most successful. Therefore, the main thing is to shoot in series. Artistic success can be achieved if you understand that the most important thing in portrait photography, it is the client himself. If you are so busy that you are not able to think about others, then do not count on a good result.

There are two things you need to remember when working on a portrait. The first is the background. Of course, it is necessary to focus on the main thing, and this is the object itself. But a gray nondescript background will not decorate your picture. So try to find a compromise here. It is necessary to ensure that photography is a work of art in itself. This will help you low setting ISO, lenses, and tripods, digital camera at least in the mid-range price range.

Second important element portrait shooting - lighting. It is necessary to achieve shadows on the parts of the face that need to be hidden and vice versa, using reflectors (umbrellas), diffusers to illuminate the right places. In the event that it is not possible to use special devices, and there is no finance for their purchase, you can cheat. The object can be placed in a lighted park, next to a large window, on which a white reflective sheet of paper is placed.

Don't forget a tripod because you'll have to use slow shutter speeds. The best light for portraits is soft and off-screen. Big window, facing north - that's it. In this case, almost no shadows can be observed. If you shoot outdoors on a cloudy day, even better. But if the day is sunny, you need to make sure that the use of a reflector and a flash will remove the shadows under the eyes.

Have you ever wondered, “Why are some people considered photogenic and others not?” And of course, every photographer asks a different question - how to use the photogenic character when shooting and how to compensate for its absence? This will help regulations portrait photography Every Portrait Photographer Should Know

To immediately answer these difficult questions, you do not need to convene a council and spend hours on endless discussions. Photogenic is not so much appearance a person, how much his sense of self and behavior in front of the camera lens. Most often, people who do not like themselves or are accustomed to consider themselves non-photogenic are pinched on the set, because they are afraid of a poor-quality result in advance. All this, of course, is reflected in the photograph. The task of the photographer in this case is to break down the wall between himself and the model, help the person on the other side of the lens feel comfortable, and then find positions, angles and lighting that will bring out his best and unique features. And it's great when the result brings satisfaction to both the photographer and the model.

Keep in touch with the model during the shooting

As we have just noted, the secret good photo is more than technical aspects, light and camera. It all starts with the interaction between the model and the photographer to create comfortable atmosphere for both. Typically, this involves some kind of exploration of your character, their interests and personality. You should know everything from hobbies, which can be a great conversation starter, to specific factors, such as favorite music, which can make a person relax, sing along or dance.

If you're shooting a person you don't know yet, look at the rest of the portraits you can find and be careful - everyone has favorite things, colors in clothes, poses, facial expressions, and even a good location when shooting. And these are the things that you, as a photographer, definitely need to consider.

If you know a character or he trusts you, everything is also not so simple - after all, even the most open people are sometimes pinched and shy of the camera. Therefore, do not neglect the opportunity to create a pleasant environment in which the model will be easier.

When the day of shooting comes, you need to be prepared and have a clear plan - both for the environment and setting in which the portrait will be shot, and for the settings with which you are going to shoot.

If you are shooting indoors or in a studio, check out the available options for backgrounds and indoor lighting. Will it be possible to use natural light in the frame, or will you have to rely entirely on lamps and softboxes? Will clean walls be available, or draperies that can be used as a backdrop, or will the interior become the environment.

If shooting outdoors using natural light, consider the time of day, the direction of the sun, and how and where you plan to position the model. Always remember that early morning and mid-afternoon (2-3 hours) - best time for portraits with natural light. But filming at noon, with the most harsh light and shadows, on the contrary, is better to avoid. It's a good rule of thumb to check weather forecasts - cloudiness, for example, can help create a portrait with soft shadows, like a natural reflector.

Ideally, the model should be facing the sun, or at such an angle that the lighting accentuates the features, but, on the contrary, smooths out unpleasant shadows. When composing a portrait, it is essential to look behind the model and note details such as distracting backgrounds, objects that break the composition, and so on. While on the camera display or in the viewfinder, such things are easy to miss, so you just need to learn and get used to.

Monitor camera position and lens focal length

So that these words do not sound lengthy, we will explain them in more detail. When we take a picture, we transfer a three-dimensional, 3d image into a flat 2d space. Therefore, depending on the focal length and the position of the camera and lens, you can either emphasize or hide imperfections. And of course, this will be reflected in the final picture. The number of individual characteristics of each of the millions of faces is limitless: it can be bright eyebrows, specific noses, double chins and much more. From this it may seem that it is almost impossible to take a perfect or even successful shot, but this is not at all the case. It is with the help of the location of the camera relative to the model that you can choose the most successful angle.

Depending on whether you want to shoot a portrait from a closer distance, you want to create a beauty shot, or you want to capture a character in a natural environment doing what they love, you will have to choose the approach to shooting. Especially when shooting portraits, it must be taken into account that the object or part of the face that is closest to the lens will appear larger than the rest. This effect is even more pronounced when using a wide-angle lens. Therefore, when shooting portraits, wide angles are not recommended.

Again, this characteristic needs attention when shooting characters with specific large noses. The longer the focus of the lens, the flatter and more compressed the elements will appear. The face, in this case, will be rounder, and the nose - shorter and more harmonious. That is, a telephoto lens with a focal length of 200mm, located a little further, but aimed directly at the face of the model, will create a more pleasant effect than a regular 85mm portrait lens.

The eyes are not without reason called the mirror of the soul, in portrait photography a lot can be conveyed through the look of the character, therefore, when shooting, often attention and emphasis is placed on the eyes. Similarly, focus is important - if the image is sharp and bright, but the eyes are out of focus, the essence of the picture is lost.

With the help of a glance, you can convey both the mood and the idea of the frame, thanks to its direction, you can build a composition. In short, the possibilities are only limited by the imagination of the photographer.

AT Sony cameras there is a very handy feature - -Eye AF, which allows you to focus on the character's eyes. In addition, flexible focus points can be used to position the focus on the eye. Thus, regardless of the depth of field, the eyes are always in focus.

Don't be afraid to move

Photos can tell a story, and even if you like classic portraits, sometimes you can push the boundaries. There is always an environment around the subject of photography that can also be used. Thus, by zooming in and out, moving further and moving closer, you can change the mood and atmosphere of the frame.

If you are photographing children, for example, you should not do this from the height of your own height. On the contrary, by removing them from their level, one can achieve greater effect realism, convey their personality and make the photo more personal. The same thing works with adults - looking at a person at their own height is one of the tricks that will help you frame your own psychological connection with the character and reflect his personality.

If you want to achieve special effect, you can shoot from below, and from above, and from the side - everything will depend only on what kind of story you are trying to tell.

Don't overlook white balance settings

The tone and appearance of your subject's skin plays a very important role when creating a portrait. Appearances are deceiving to the untrained eye, so a camera's white balance can easily be deceived by the surroundings. Reflection from walls, clothing or greenery, even daylight can play a crucial role in balancing the frame. Therefore, you should not completely rely on automatic cameras - a mistake can cost time and productivity.

You should always have white balance cards, filters, and calibration tools in your arsenal. They will help to build the right balance in any situation.

If you're working in low light conditions but still want your character to stand out, the available light can be realigned to match them with a collapsible reflector. The reflectors are available in white, silver, gold or black, and we have already written about their specifics in more detail.

Feel free to use their capabilities when shooting portraits.

In situations where the available lighting does not allow for an eye-pleasing white balance, a quite affordable shooting setting is to convert the image to black and white. It also adds a vintage effect to the portrait. In addition, in a black and white frame, the background colors will not distract attention from the emphasized outline of the character at all. That is, all attention will be focused on it. You can shoot a portrait in color in, and convert it to black and white after, this will make it possible to additionally twist the settings and achieve the desired effect. In this case, you can connect creativity and emphasize everything that will give the character character.

Shoot in RAW format

We often say that RAW is the most profitable format for shooting. No matter what type of footage you're aiming to capture, this format will deliver best quality and great opportunities for post-processing. They weigh more than others and will require more free space on the memory card, but the benefits in this case greatly outweigh.

In essence, RAW files can be described as a kind of negatives of film photographs. Once you download them directly from your camera, you can edit them to add contrast, pull colors, tone, and more without affecting the original. The JPEG format that all cameras shoot is a compressed format in which the quality is reduced. And quality is lost important information. For tasks such as social networks, for example, JPEG photos are more than enough, although it is worth remembering that every time we reduce and change such a frame, we lose data. So, if we are talking about serious photography, about albums, printing, and so on, we mean that the work will begin with a RAW photo.

Find inspiration.

And in the end it is worth mentioning that it is always useful and always worth looking for additional inspiration. You can find it both in the works of famous photo artists, cinema, literature, and simply in your own mood, surrounding objects and people.