subject: How Interest, Location, And Lighting Can Improve Your Portrait Photography [print this page] Have you ever wondered how you can develop your skills as a portrait photographer? Aside from good equipment and technical skills, you should know that one of the most important aspects of portrait photography is to be interested and appreciative of people in general.
It is very essential that as a portrait photographer, you are curious about meeting different kinds of people, and learning a variety of things from them. During a photography session, you have to learn about all the necessary aspects of your subject's life in order for you to bring the best out of your subject through your shots.
With practice and appreciation of your subject, you will eventually capture the most artistic expression of your subject through a single shot. Never fail to lose your interest in your subject; do not get yourself too occupied with other concerns, and give your undivided attention to your desired subject.
Aside from interest, the location plays an important role in the overall beauty of your portrait photographs. It is not necessary that you create your own photo studio; it is enough that you focus on a desirable environmental location that could match the theme of your portraiture. Portraiture will work best if you will enlarge the resulting image to at least 11x14 inches. With regard to the quality, you should use a low ISO setting, prime lenses, a tripod, and a mid-range digital SLR.
For photo studio, you may use a controlled or monochromatic background to achieve the best results. To eliminate all the unnecessary elements in your frame, all you have to do is to focus your attention on your subject, and use a controlled background. You may also use a monochromatic background because it helps in getting rid of any distracting element surrounding your subject.
Lastly, controlled lighting helps in unleashing the most artistic expression of your subject, which is why you need to ensure that your lighting is properly executed. You may use a soft and off-camera to achieve a flattering light for your portraits. Note that there should be no unnecessary shadows in your portrait so that it would look more appealing and honest. However, if you are going to take portraiture of your subject outdoors, it is important that you do it during an overcast day. If it is sunny, you need to use an electronic flash or a reflector in order to fill in the shadows under your subject's eyes.
