The digital camera has led to increasing numbers of people taking to photography. They love to be out there happily snapping away, and many of the pictures they take are of friends and family. Portraits, head and shoulders pictures, are some the most popular pictures these amateur snappers love to take. And while they may appear easy to take, many people make a thorough mess of them.
Armed with a camera, most people take pictures that are too close, or too far way from their subject. Heads go missing and the whole thing is out of focus. If you want to avoid these photographic disasters the best thing to do is to learn the basics of portrait photography.
With a digital camera the problem of missing heads shouldn't be too difficult to solve. Always use the LCD screen to help compose the shot. Ensure everything you want to capture is centred in the screen as the photo produced will be exactly as you see it in the LCD screen.
Unless you are trying to take a professional style close up portrait don't worry about the background. In fact you should use the background to produce a really interesting shot. Now, I'm sure the person whose portrait you are taking is very interesting in their own right, but by allowing the background to add context to the shot the photograph will be enhanced and will really tell a tale about that person and their environment.
If you try and pose the person you are photographing, the picture will lose its spontaneity and the subject will look stiff and awkward. Just take the picture on the spur of the moment. If the subject suddenly moves out of range or you do not like the way the picture has worked out your digital camera allows you to erase it and you can try again.
One of the best tips in taking portraits, either posed or spontaneous shots, is to ensure that you fill the frame and use every available bit of space. Everything in the frame of the photo should add something to the portrait.
Another basic factor to consider when taking your portraits is the lighting. Most of us will I suspect be taking the majority of our portraits outdoors in the daylight so lighting won't really be a consideration. But, if you are taking the photos indoors than there some things you need to think about.
When shooting inside light beaming through a window can be an interesting aid as it can create attractive shadows. If the light is too bright, the shadows may be too dark, but they can be deflected by using a white card.
Another important tip when taking portrait photography is to focus on the eyes as they can reveal a lot about the person you are photographing. - 31989
Armed with a camera, most people take pictures that are too close, or too far way from their subject. Heads go missing and the whole thing is out of focus. If you want to avoid these photographic disasters the best thing to do is to learn the basics of portrait photography.
With a digital camera the problem of missing heads shouldn't be too difficult to solve. Always use the LCD screen to help compose the shot. Ensure everything you want to capture is centred in the screen as the photo produced will be exactly as you see it in the LCD screen.
Unless you are trying to take a professional style close up portrait don't worry about the background. In fact you should use the background to produce a really interesting shot. Now, I'm sure the person whose portrait you are taking is very interesting in their own right, but by allowing the background to add context to the shot the photograph will be enhanced and will really tell a tale about that person and their environment.
If you try and pose the person you are photographing, the picture will lose its spontaneity and the subject will look stiff and awkward. Just take the picture on the spur of the moment. If the subject suddenly moves out of range or you do not like the way the picture has worked out your digital camera allows you to erase it and you can try again.
One of the best tips in taking portraits, either posed or spontaneous shots, is to ensure that you fill the frame and use every available bit of space. Everything in the frame of the photo should add something to the portrait.
Another basic factor to consider when taking your portraits is the lighting. Most of us will I suspect be taking the majority of our portraits outdoors in the daylight so lighting won't really be a consideration. But, if you are taking the photos indoors than there some things you need to think about.
When shooting inside light beaming through a window can be an interesting aid as it can create attractive shadows. If the light is too bright, the shadows may be too dark, but they can be deflected by using a white card.
Another important tip when taking portrait photography is to focus on the eyes as they can reveal a lot about the person you are photographing. - 31989
About the Author:
Insight Photographers are expert Hull wedding photographers and portrait photographers Insight are located in HUll, East Yorkshire and provide a full range of services including weddings, headshots, portraits and commercial photography
