Portrait photography is very different from all other types of photography. In order for you to master this format, we have collected for you 6 rules for portrait photography for beginners that will prevent you from making the most common mistakes.
1. Technique
Any camera is suitable for shooting portraits. The advantage of a SLR camera is a quick response to commands, a change of optics that allows you to vary the shooting modes, the ability to shoot in manual mode, which means that you have many opportunities for solving your artistic tasks and the ability to shoot in difficult conditions (for example, in dark premises).
Good portraits can be taken compact cameras. But it's better if your compact has a zoom (the longer the better - the background will blur more, the proportions of the face will be better).
For reflex cameras it is recommended to use lenses with a focal length of 50-80 mm (in some cases up to 135 mm). With a focal length less than 50 cm, you will get distorted proportions of the model. When shooting a portrait, preference should be given to portrait lenses with soft-focus optics.
Soft-focus optics allows you to hide skin irregularities and focuses on the main elements of the portrait (eyes, mouth, forehead), gives a sense of volume due to smooth declines in sharpness from the main to the less important.
To even out the brightness in the frame and highlight the shadows, it is sometimes necessary to use a flash or a reflector.
2. Settings
Portraits are usually shot with a shallow depth of field. A small depth of field means - an open aperture, i.e. small aperture values (better from about f 2.8). If you are shooting with a compact, shoot at the maximum zoom position.
What will it give? The subject will be sharp and the background will be washed away. We must not forget about the distance at which you shoot and that the depth of field depends on this distance. Of course, it all depends on your artistic goals, but in a classic portrait, the eyes should be sharp and preferably the rest of the face of the person being portrayed. If you are shooting two or a group of people and you want the whole group to be in focus, you need to stop down the aperture (f 8 - f 11 and more).
Exposure when shooting portraits should not be too long. People can't move or breathe for a long time. If the shutter speeds are too long, the photos will not be sharp. In addition, long exposures cause tension in the filming. At short shutter speeds, you capture the moment and everything that was intended is in sharpness (eyes, ...). This is especially true for children who cannot sit quietly in one place. The faster the shutter speed, the more likely you are to get a sharp shot. We already wrote that it is better to shoot children at shutter speeds no longer than 1/250 s, for adults you can use more long exposures. It is important that you have enough light to shoot. It is optimal to shoot on the street or at home by the window.
Try not to raise the ISO. Shoot at ISO 100 whenever possible.
The focus in a classic portrait should be on the eyes (not on the nose, not on the forehead, or anywhere else). It is best to put the camera in manual focus point selection mode and choose the point that falls on the eyes of the model.
3. Light
In order to get not a flat, but a voluminous face in a photograph, it is best to use light falling a little from the front and side (front-diagonal lighting). In principle, good results can be obtained with side lighting, but with side lighting it is best to use a reflector (which, for example, can also serve as a white wall of a house) or an external flash. It is best to shoot outdoors in the morning or early evening. If you shoot at noon when the sun is at its zenith, the overhead light will produce deep shadows and very sharp contrast.
With the help of backlighting, you can get a silhouette if you shoot, for example, in the evening. If you want to highlight your face, you will also need a reflector or external flash. Front lighting will flatten the face and should be avoided.
At home, it is best to shoot with light from the window (if possible, not from the sunny side). Transparent curtains will help you make the light diffused and softer.
4. Shooting point
Usually any photo begins with the choice of a shooting point. That is, from a close distance or from afar, from above or below, to the right or left, the model will be taken. The shooting point mainly determines the composition of the shot.
The scale of the image will depend on the distance. As we have already mentioned, there is no need to reinvent the wheel in photography. The scale of the portrait has long been determined fine arts. By scale, portraits are divided into full-length, generational, bust (chest) and fragmentary.
Bust portraits are the most popular. They allow you to convey the appearance and “look” into the eyes of the person being portrayed, convey the peculiarity of his face (external similarity). With the help of a bust portrait, you can try to convey and inner world person.
A bust portrait should be taken with a telephoto (portrait) lens from a distant point. Otherwise, there is a risk of distortion of the shape of the face and loss of external resemblance.
By removing the shooting point, you can get a half-length portrait. Most often, half-length portraits are taken while sitting. Hands also participate in the half-length portrait. You have to be very careful with your hands. With the help of the position of the hands, you can determine the mood of the portrait. The position of the hands should be absolutely natural. To keep your hands relaxed, you can give the person being portrayed some thing in their hands.
Generational portrait back in more sets the task of showing the proportions of the figure. Try to shoot generational portraits not statically, but in an energetic turn and with an active gesture.
We move away from the shooting point and further away from the face of the model. In a full-length portrait, you can show the proportions of the figure. It is better to shoot in height without standing - it is very difficult.
When shooting bust portraits, it is best to shoot from the model's eye level. Half-length portraits are taken from the level of the chin. When shooting a full-length portrait, shoot from the waist level (crouching).
5. Composition
AT portrait photography all the classical rules of composition apply, which we have written about more than once. Special attention should be drawn to the background. It should not distract from the person being portrayed. Do not shoot portraits against contrasting, bright, or colored backgrounds. Calm, plain backgrounds that do not distract attention are best suited.
Do you remember the composition rule that says you shouldn't place your main subject in the middle of the frame? This rule applies here as well, but in a portrait it is very important that the frame is balanced. That is, there must be something in the frame that balances it. It can be just an abstract background.
When filling the frame, it is very important to consider the direction of the model's gaze. That is, if a person looks to the left, then on the left there should be enough space for a look. The gaze should not rest on the edge of the picture. The mood of the picture depends on the direction of view. The shot can be made more interesting if the model is not looking at the camera, but somewhere else.
6. Working with the model
Very often we see tense faces and forced smiling people in the pictures. Most people see the camera and start "posing". This rarely gives a good result, as portrayed during posing, as a rule, tense up. Good photographer The portrait painter must be able to reveal the inner world of a person, and this is possible only when the model is relaxed and naturally unconstrained. We have already written that every photographer has his favorite genre in photography. A portrait photographer must love communicating with people and be able to win over a person.
Shooting is best to start with a casual conversation. When the person relax, you can start shooting.
At the beginning of shooting, you can say that you are not shooting yet, but simply choosing a shooting point and setting up a technique, trying a new lens, i.e. take test shots. Often at this time you will be able to remove the best shots. Interesting shots are also obtained during breaks, when the model is tired, stops “posing” and relaxes. Here you can again say that while the model is resting, you are again testing the technique and choosing an angle for further shooting.
All this, of course, does not apply to professional models who know how to work in front of the camera.
Most often, to create a portrait, photographers choose to shoot in a studio or indoors with a monotonous background. However, this choice is rather boring and uninteresting. There are much more attractive places where the background can create a certain emotional atmosphere and the photographer is given more opportunities to play with angles and plans. Thanks to a well-chosen location, you can get really impressive portrait shots.
What should be the location for taking a portrait
In principle, you can take a portrait in any place you like, whether it is a river bank or a city park. However, if you want to get a real personality portrait, then it is better to ask your model what she likes to do, her interests, hobbies and work. It could be fishing, horseback riding, sport games and much more. Spend some time chatting with the person being portrayed and find out as much as you can. useful information. Then you will be able to choose a location for shooting a portrait that would be closely related to your main character and would have some meaning for him.
Choosing a place that will mean something will emphasize the individuality of the person being portrayed. In addition, in a familiar atmosphere, a person will feel much more relaxed and self-confident than in a studio where he came for the first or second time. And the mood of the model, as you know, is not the last factor in creating a successful portrait.
When choosing a suitable location for shooting a portrait, however, do not forget that the background is, of course, important, but it should not look too bright in the frame so as not to distract attention to yourself. The subject should always remain the central subject in the photograph. If in the photo the viewer’s attention is more attracted to beautiful background plans and landscape, then this is an unsuccessful portrait. Don't let the background overshadow the person in the frame. Avoid shooting locations with a lot of distracting detail and bright, heterogeneous backgrounds. The background should be interesting, attractive, but nothing more. It should only emphasize the beauty and individuality of the person in the frame.
It is also best to avoid busy places in the city center, as you will have to constantly wait for the right moment when passers-by pass by to shoot. In addition, it is unlikely that your model will feel relaxed in such conditions. For portrait photos, we recommend choosing quieter, more secluded places, away from busy streets.
Snow as background Of course, the most best option- this is taking pictures in a park or even outside the city, where there are few people and you can safely prepare for shooting. In addition, you will get a beautiful background. Getting out into nature, do not forget about the vagaries of nature. It is desirable that there is a place nearby where you can take cover if it suddenly starts to rain. However, in some cases, bad weather can be your assistant. When photographing under a canopy, you can use heavy rain or snow as the perfect backdrop.
Natural light for portrait photography
According to many professional portrait photographers, it is better to shoot people outdoors to take full advantage of natural light. If you have such an opportunity, we recommend getting outside your apartment or studio, trying to shoot portraits in nature. Choose a well-lit area as the shooting location. It is only desirable to photograph not at noon, when bright rays create hard shadows on the face of the model.
The best option for shooting in natural light is in the morning or evening hours, when the sunlight becomes softer and more pleasing to the eye. But if you still have to photograph during the daytime, when there is not a cloud in the sky, then use some place in the shade - under the foliage of trees or in the courtyard of the house, closed from direct sunlight.
When shooting in a studio or apartment, you can also use natural light by placing your model near the open window. Don't forget to use reflectors. You can always add some artificial light if necessary. Remember that wherever you are photographing, good, high-quality portrait shots require soft, diffused lighting. It will create a pleasant black and white pattern on the face and figure of the model.
Scale, angle and frame filling
An important point when creating a portrait is to maintain the correct scale, which is determined, first of all, by the distance from which you will photograph your model. The selected location for shooting should allow you to shoot a portrait from a distance of at least two meters. If it turns out that the lens, when shooting from two to three meters, does not provide the scale you need, move closer to the subject. But carefully follow the perspective - from some point, depending on the focal length of the optics, it will begin to noticeably distort. However, you can shoot as is, and then crop the resulting images in the process of processing. True, this is fraught with some loss in photo resolution.
If you have a telephoto lens with a zoom at your disposal, then it is advisable to choose a shooting location where you can photograph a person from a relatively long distance. Shooting with a telephoto lens with a "zoom" will allow you to get a more familiar perspective. The portrait in this case usually looks better, with the correct proportions of the face and figure.
Choose the right angle and shooting point But, you should not go to extremes and shoot with a zoom from a distance of several tens of meters, because then the perspective can practically disappear, the face of the person being portrayed will become too wide and flat. Portrait photography from a distance has another advantage - you will be much more comfortable working with the background. The background is easily blurred, you can safely remove unnecessary objects and details by cropping.
One of general principles in portrait photography says that the frame must be completely filled with the subject. The absence of free, unfilled voids in the photographic image allows you to focus the viewer's attention on the main subject. The place you choose should allow you to shoot from the right distance to completely fill the frame. Of course, this rule should not always be followed. After all, sometimes the environment around the person being portrayed is also interesting, it allows you to emphasize the individuality of the model, which we talked about at the beginning.
At the shooting location, you should have complete freedom in terms of choosing the angle and shooting point. This means that you should be able to move away or get closer to the person being portrayed, try to take pictures from different angles. After all, standard shooting at close range at the level of the eyes of the model often violates the proportions of the figure or face. Photographing from unusual angles and from different distances can bring you truly successful, priceless shots.
All of us, creative people, with something we begin our journey. With small but confident steps, we are moving towards the fulfillment of our dreams, mastering more and more new horizons.
Someone very wise voiced the idea a long time ago that it is better to move forward uncertainly and slowly than to stand still confidently.
So, when you, carried away by the world of photography, re-shot all the locations in the city several times, and even in the terrible cold, you suddenly understand - it's time to move on.
"Studio photography" , " studio light”, “photo studio” - you pronounce these words and see how the novice photographer begins to get lost. But the devil is not as terrible as he is portrayed.
Throw away your insecurities friend, we are here to help you cross that threshold!
So, what is important to remember, what to watch, and how to behave in the studio? We are ready to answer these questions. Go!
1. Choose your studio wisely.
And this means that this should be done based on the nature of the shooting and your needs as a photographer.
Basic error: booking a photo studio on the first recommendation of a photographer friend, without finding out the circumstances.
There are enough varieties of studios: interior, daylight studios, pavilions with only pulsed light, aqua studios, and of course those that combine all these characteristics.
Before you pay for the studio, find out at least its area, ceiling height, study its equipment, and whether its use is included in the rental price. Why know the area of the studio? If you have a camera with a crop factor of 1.5 and a portrait lens in your arsenal, it will hardly be convenient for you to shoot full-length portraits in a pavilion with an area of 15 sq.m.
2. Read the rules for renting and working in the studio.
And it is advisable to do this before shooting.
Basic error: ignoring the rules, which leads at least to the inconvenience of work, as a maximum - to the impossibility of shooting.
Of course, it's important to know whether to bring a change of shoes, but even more important is how much money you or your client will lose if you cancel the shoot. And some studios limit the number of people that can be in the studio at the same time; require additional payment for the use of props and for the work of an assistant.
3. Ask for help.
Basic error: confidence that you can do everything. As a result, the resources spent on shooting, the result of which did not meet anyone's expectations.
If suddenly, before shooting, something prevented you from reading about what equipment is generally found in studios and how to approximately use it, then an assistant will come to your aid. He will briefly tell you what's what, turn on everything for you and even (!) Correctly expose the whole world to you. Questions about moving props and furniture around the pavilion are also for him.
But there are situations when the assistant's work is not included in the rental price, and you really like the studio. What to do? There are several options here:
- bring along a photographer friend who knows everything;
- rent another studio, but return to the one you like when you become more confident in your abilities;
- not listen to anyone, study the gadgets of working in the studio around the clock for two weeks before shooting, and show everyone the class.
4. Keep track of time.
This is really very important.
Basic error: you think you can do everything. But as soon as you join the process, and then the administrator reminds you that your time is running out.
All of us, when we dive headlong into the process of creating masterpieces, forget about everything around, not to mention the clock. Calculate how much time you need for preparation, directly for shooting, others organizational issues and fees. This, of course, will sound unfair (you paid exactly for an hour of rent), but it is better to finish shooting ten minutes before the end of the paid time. This will allow you to calmly get together, clean up after yourself and not even forget anything.
5. Relax.
Item for those who love to experience.
Basic error: you can't hold the camera in your shaking hands :)
We understand and know like no one else that something new is always something very exciting. But in this case, it will be great to interfere with the rhythm of work.
How not to turn your first studio shooting experience into a series of “ expectation-reality”? Guys, just make it a rule that you always need to prepare for filming. Let go of all the worry and do what you do best.
If you love what you do, the result will not be long in coming. Develop, work on yourself and conquer new pedestals.
Learn to choose the right location for taking portraits. Place the subject in natural conditions for him - a relaxed atmosphere will allow you to fully reveal the personality of a person, which will be a guarantee of excellent shots.
One of the most important aspects of portrait photography is choosing the right location to shoot. Based on the chosen location, you will decide on the necessary lighting, props, what clothes to wear, and what poses to take.
Shooting in a studio with a single-color background is quite popular, but it will cost you a lot, and there are already plenty of such photos. If you turn on your imagination and find unusual places, you can get much more interesting shots.
Choose an expressive place
It's very easy to choose a shooting location based on convenience. For example, if you live near a leafy park, it would be very tempting to use that as your main location for filming. Of course, this can be an attractive place, but it does not necessarily turn out to be the best.
Choose an expressive shooting location, a location that will reflect the personality of the subject.
Always remember that every subject is unique and has its own unique personality. You need to understand what that individuality is and try to reflect that in every portrait you take. And choosing a suitable location for shooting is important part this process.
Take some time to get to know your subject better. Find out what his hobbies are, his favorite places, and include it in the photo. For example, if your subject is an avid rider, take a photo of him in the saddle; if he is a surfer, head to the nearest beach.
Choose a location that means something to your subject, and you'll get photos filled with personality, as people will feel like fish in water, relaxed and natural.
Use natural light
Most professional portrait painters recommend only natural light, in fact, some of them flatly refuse to work in any other conditions. If possible, favor brightly lit natural scattered light places.
Choose places with a lot of soft, natural light.
When shooting outdoors, it is very important to avoid the midday sun with its direct rays, as it casts very hard shadows. Look for some shade, such as from a spreading tree or a canopy, where the sunlight is softer. An alternative option is to shoot in the morning or early evening when the sun is not as bright.
When shooting indoors, try to position your subject as close as possible to a large window so that it is as well lit as possible. Depending on the equipment available, lighting can be supplemented with artificial light if necessary.
Consider Shelter in Advance
When shooting outdoors, there is always the possibility of bad weather. There are times when only a miracle helps you not get wet through. But rather than hoping for something unclear, it is better to think in advance about a shelter in case of bad weather.
Anticipating bad weather means you won't be caught off guard and filming won't suffer, and sometimes even benefit.
Pick up shooting locations that have some hideouts nearby, such as a bridge, a cafe, etc. They can come in handy during short downpours and keep you, your gear and your model dry. This is especially important when everything has already been paid for!
Find a quiet place
Some of the worst places to shoot portraits are crowded places like big cities, public parks. You will constantly have to wait for people passing by to leave the frame, perhaps even answer questions from passers-by. Moreover, it will be much more difficult for your model to relax.
Shoot in deserted places, this will allow you not to be distracted by anything, and your model will relax.
In fact, finding an isolated deserted place is not as difficult as it seems. If the shooting must take place in the city - do not use the beaten paths, just go somewhere a few hundred meters and you will find a place where no one will distract you.
It is better, of course, to avoid big cities and rush to deserted beaches, grassy fields and wooded areas. Such locations provide a great background for portraits, they are usually deserted and allow you to experiment without looking back with different poses and shooting angles.
Don't let the shooting location detract from the subject
Choosing the right location for shooting is fundamental when shooting portraits. But it's always worth remembering that the place is not your main object, so don't let it pull the blanket over you. View the resulting shots while taking a photo. If your attention is more attracted by the surrounding place, and not by the subject, then you are focusing on the wrong one.
The environment should never detract from the subject.
The simplest and most effective technique is to open the aperture wider. This will blur the background, reduce its effect on the photo, create depth and draw attention to the subject.
Selecting a location for shooting takes some time. And yet, one must always strive to find appropriate place. As a reward, you will be able to tell a whole story through your photographs, capturing the character and personality of your subject.
Working in a studio is usually quite different from working on a location, especially when it comes to shooting portraits. It's easy to focus on a model's face in a location, but the environment also contributes. In addition, there is a lot of sophisticated lighting equipment in the studio, and the photographer must create the light himself, and not adapt to the existing light.
Therefore, working in the studio often scares novice photographers, bringing them almost to a nervous breakdown. Here are 10 studio shooting tips that can really help you.
1. Think of shooting in the studio like bowling.
When shooting in the studio, the model should not change its position, and you should only move forward or backward. You can't move to the right or left as you might disturb the lighting pattern. The same applies to the model. Instead of taking two steps to the side, ask the model to turn around.
2. Use clockwise direction
Often the model and the photographer get confused in directions, because for her your right is left, and vice versa. So it's really very easy to get confused. At the same time, turning clockwise or counterclockwise is the same for you and for the model.
3. Where is the right, where is the left?
Clockwise orientation helps to some extent, but sometimes you still need to tell the model which way to move, and for this you need to know how to say it correctly. Among professional photographers It is customary to indicate the sides from the position of the model, since she does not have to think where to go, but immediately execute the photographer’s command. It is very important to immediately agree with the model about this, especially if this is not a professional model.
4. Lenses with a fixed focal length
There are and always will be arguments for using zoom lenses in the studio, but if possible, use primes. They are usually sharper and brighter. The standard portrait lens has focal length about 80-200 mm. If you are using a camera with a sensor that is smaller than the film frame (crop), do not forget about this when choosing a lens. For full frame Canon cameras photographers prefer 85mm f/1.2 and 135mm f/2 lenses, and for crop cameras 50mm f/1.2 and 50mm f/1.4. Nikon photographers prefer 85mm f/1.4
5. Be at the right height
Use the correct camera height to shoot various portraits, otherwise you risk getting the wrong perspective and distorted proportions. For a close-up portrait, hold the camera at the model's eye level. If you are shooting a bust portrait, hold the camera at chin level. For a half-length portrait, this will be the level of the chest, and for a full-length portrait, this will be the level of the abdomen. Although, for some creative shots, you may need to lie on the floor altogether or use a stepladder.
6. 1/125 and forget it!
Camera settings for shooting in the studio are quite simple. Set the camera to manual mode, set ISO 100 or 200 (if your camera doesn't have 100) and shutter speed 1/125 s. Due to the fact that flashes are used, it makes no difference what shutter speed to use, 1/100, 1/125, 1/160 or even 1/200 s.
7. Use a flash meter
In modern cameras, the exposure metering system is very developed. But in the studio, she will not be able to help you. You won't be able to determine how much power you need to light up the background or hair, for example, until you take test shots. With a flash meter you can set light scheme immediately and correctly. Just because you can read a histogram on a camera doesn't mean you shouldn't use a flash meter. This will save you a lot of headaches due to lighting.
8. Focus on the eyes
Regardless of the aperture and depth of field you choose, the eyes are what tell the story of a portrait. Attention should always be on the eyes, and they should always be in focus.
9. Custom white balance
We constantly require you to use custom white balance, and for good reason! Light modifiers such as umbrellas, softboxes, plates, snoots have little effect on the color temperature and color of the light. Therefore, setting a custom white balance before shooting will provide the most accurate color reproduction.
10. Try only one light source.
The famous fashion photographer Helmut Newton was famous for using only one light. This, plus changing the angle of the light, can create truly dramatic and stunning photos. If you have a lot of light sources - this does not mean. that they all need to be used. Try a simpler approach to lighting by working with a single source instead of multiple ones.
Studio portraits are quite difficult to perform. We hope that these 10 tips will help you and inspire you to create new beautiful photos and further improvement.
Loading...