Portrait Photography

A portrait is a representation of a person, where the focus is on a person's face depicting their expression or mood. The photographer must realize the photo is about the subject. In order to portray the subject in an appealing and accurate manner you must make them comfortable. The more comfortable the subject is the less posed the shot will look. If the subject is doing something that they enjoy the photographer can capture some natural shots and candid expressions.

To emphasize your subject, use shallow depth of field to keep your subject in focus and your background out of focus. The photo must be composed well, this will draw the viewer’s eyes to the right places and an interesting setting will also make the portrait more interesting.

Make sure there is good lighting, either natural or artificial light. Creating a silhouette of the subject can create emotion and make the portrait photograph more powerful. Lighting is essential to a well-shot portrait.

Always consider the colors that are within the shot. If the photo is taken in color, try to choose a color that compliments the subject. A darker background will provide contrast and help the subject stand out.

The straight-on shot of a person is the typical portrait pose, but to make your photos more unique, try different angles. You could get below or above the subject or try turning the camera in a different direction than straight on. Being creative can turn into something very interesting.

In a portrait, eye contact can create a connection between the subject and the viewer and can enhance the portrait. There are several ways to capture the subject’s eyes that can leave a lasting impression on the viewer. First, having the subject look off camera. If the subject focuses on something outside of the frame it can intrigue the viewer because they imagine what the subject is looking at. Next, looking within the frame, where the subject is looking at something or someone within the frame. The viewer now has a second point of interest and this creates a relationship between the subjects.

Using a prop to enhance a photo can be tricky. If the prop adds a story, while not taking too much emphasis away from the subject, it can be beneficial. 

Learning to take a good portrait is essential to any photographer. Capturing the best moment requires some persistence and skill, but the learning the basics isn't too difficult and can improve the quality of your portraits.