Portrait photography is the life blood of its industry. It has been around since the camera was invented and its popularization. It is a challenging type of photography that requires the photographer to have ea good knowledge of lighting and composition techniques as well as the ability to understand human nature. Here are some good tips to get you started on how to set the mood of a portrait.

Portrait photography is not about capturing the physical beauty of a person. The main purpose is to reveal a person’s personality and to create stunning imagery. The reason that many people are interested in portraiture may be that every face has its own supply of unique, ever changing subject matter. I hope these tips help you with your journey into portrait photography.

1. It is extremely important that the photographer spends the time to get to know their subject and get a feel for who they are.

Alex Lee recommends Meeting and Talking with the Client before a Photo Session. ‘As a portrait photographer, I need to know my client, knowing their background, desires, pains, and motivations helps me create distinctive portraits.’

You usually only have a short period of time to get to know your subject and learn their personal style and form of expression. The longer that you have known someone the better their photographs will be. However, if you just walk into a photo session and hope to take great pictures without knowing your subject they will most likely be boring.

2. Alex Lee suggests that a portrait photographer should Give Freedom to Their Subject. ‘I give complete freedom to my client in term of clothing, makeup, and hairstyle. I give suggestions and recommendations, but will leave the decision to the client.’ This will contribute to capturing the essence of a person.

3. Any photographer knows that a subject will never sit still; as well you may not want them to look so posed. It is imperative that you start shooting at the correct time.

PhotographyTips.com helps you to choose When to Begin Taking Pictures ‘Different people have different techniques for doing this, one of which is taking a picture while the subject is planning on smiling and then take another couple while they are recovering. Or another way would be to tell a funny joke where they can’t help but genuinely laugh and smile.’

4. One of important elements in portrait composition is background. Remember that the background must compliment the subject. The subject needs to be separated from the background.

Philip Greenspun has a helpful tip on Creating a Controlled Background ‘You don’t have to build a special room to have a controlled background. There are all kinds of clever portable backdrops and backdrop supports that you can buy or build. If you absolutely cannot control the background, the standard way to cheat is to use a long fast lens, e.g., 300/2.8, that will create a soft background. Fast telephoto lenses have very little depth of field.’

5. Alex Lee recommends Using Wide Aperture and there are two reasons why: ‘I use this to enhance my images, by selecting where I want to focus. I love focusing on the eyes. I like to see the eyes shine. Another benefit of the wide-open aperture is the soft gentle feel of the photograph. The depth of field can be very selective.’

6. Malek Tips believes that Fast Shutter Speed is Vital. ‘Facial expressions can change in an instant, so make sure you can snap quickly before the moment is lost forever’.

7. You must remember to shoot portraits from many different points of view certain angles work nicer than others.

Kodak advises shooting from Eye level. ‘It’s the way we most often look at the world, so it conveys realism. Too low an angle in a close-up exaggerates the size of the nose, mouth, and chin. Too high an angle exaggerates the size of the head compared to the rest of the body.’ Still, Digital Photography

School has a fantastic tip on Photographing People From Different Angles. ‘Experiment with getting down as low as you can or find a way to climb above them and you might just find yourself discovering a new angle on your subject that adds that special something to how they express themselves in an image.’

Just remember the final angle is left up to you.

8. Kodak has a good tip on Subject placement. ‘When a person moves across your camera’s field of view, the final image usually has much more impact when the subject is off-center. Leave the open space in the direction in which the subject is headed. Similarly, if a subject is looking off to the side, it’s best to leave more space in that direction.’

9. MalekTips recommends Considering NOT Filling the Frame. ‘If you are an amateur photographer, or even one experienced with digital photography but not in the possession of an image-stabilizing and leveling device such as a tripod, it is hard to take perfectly straight photos.’

10. Kodak has a good tip on shooting Vertical Portraits. ‘The majority of people pictures are horizontal in format probably because it’s easier to hold a camera horizontally. The horizontal format does work best for most group pictures. However, a vertical image can be very effective for pictures ranging from full-length portraits to tight facial close-ups. The unexpectedness of a vertical format can also give an image added impact.’

11. Many photographers believe that the best pose for a portrait is a natural pose. Others don’t agree so much.

Titus from Photozo has a useful tip on 1-2-3 Rule Regarding the Body, Head and Eye Placement. ‘I frequently see portrait images breaking the 1-2-3 rule regarding the body, head and eye placement. In portraiture you can guarantee your subject a very boring and static image by having the body in the # 1 position, the face in the # 1 position and the eyes also in the # 1 position.’