How To Become a Successful
Portrait Photographer
How to Start
- There are many different areas in Portrait Photography - Family Groups,
Individual, Fashion Photography, Bands, kids - Try to decide which one you favour and concentrate on it.
Pre-Shoot Preparation
- Talk to the person or group you are going to photograph and get an idea of the type of shots they are looking for, If you have some previous work, show them. If not photographs in magazines are good to show. Give the person or group some ideas to get them going. They will appreciate your help and innovation.
On the Day
- One of the most important aspects of Portrait photography is the lighting. If indoors, whether in a studio or not you have the most control over lighting. Make yourself familiar with flash, reflectors, white balance.
If outdoors - recce the location first to see where the sun will be at a particular time. Reflectors may come in useful here.
- Try out different angles - don't just go for the obvious straight on look. Try left, right from above. Get them to lie down and shoot from above. Use the time well and be creative. As you do this more and more you will soon get to know what works well.
- Try different lenses - wide-angle, Telephoto, Zoom. Don't stick to the standard 50mm.
- Always make sure your pictures are pin-sharp with no ugly shadows. Try to ensure your subject was not blinking in the photo. Use reflectors to get the "catch lights" in the eyes. If shooting digitally review your shots regularly.
Final Thoughts
- Practice, Practice, Practice - Use friends and family as models. Build a portfolio to show potential clients.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different poses, lighting techniques, black and white and props.
- The key to portrait photographer is to build a relationship with your subject. Make them laugh, chat to them about what they are looking for, make them feel relaxed - tell them what you are doing. They need to enjoy it, so the pictures will have a natural look.
- Have Fun !!
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