Portraits - CVHS Photography

Blue Steal Zoolander

A portrait is a photograph of a person that displays the expression, personality, and mood of the subject.

The focus of the photograph is usually the person’s face.

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Portraits:

same person, different looks

Changes in lighting, clothes, make-up, hair, props, location,

body language, facial expression, aiming, angle, and distance

can greatly alter the portrait.

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7 Tips for Great Portraits

1. Eyes MUST be in Focus
The eyes are the window to the soul. When shooting straight on the persons eyes MUST BE IN FOCUS. Your subject doesn’t always have to look straight at the camera. Portrait shots where your subject looks off-camera, up or down, or to one side.The subject looking away with their eyes can create a completely different emotion from looking straight on.

2. Subjects respond to you

If you wa

nt a nice relaxed portrait then it’s essential that you take a friendly, relaxed approach to your subject, try to make the shoot fun. Many subjects feel a little awkward or uncomfortable. This will show in the photo if they are uncomfortable

You don’t need to turn into a stand-up comedian, but a smile won’t go amiss. It’s also a good idea to explain what you’re doing and why as you go along or just start asking them questions. Stick with positive words! Telling someone they look stiff only makes it worse.

3. Backgrounds
A simple, uncluttered background is usually recommended for portraits. To much “clutter” in the background distracts from the subject. Look around the frame and make sure that there’s nothing in the background that’s going to scream out at you once the shot has been taken – a lamp stand or tree sticking out the subject’s head are classic examples.

Horn coming out of head

Tree coming out of head

4. Aperture
When shooting portraits, it’s best to set a wide aperture (around f/1.8-f/5.6) to capture a shallow depth of field, so the background behind your subject is nicely blurred, making them stand out better. Prime lens (pancake lens) is the BEST for these type of photos.

5. Creative compositions Don’t be lazy with your compositions. Use rule of 3rs. Have a lot of negative space. Framing. Climb on a chair and shoot your subject from high.

Props People relax immediately when a prop is introduced. Pick a flower, give them gum, ect. You don’t have to have the prop int he photo but it is guaranteed to get them to relax. Props can also show a bit of the person’s personality