7 Tips for Begginer's Portrait Photography

Without a doubt, portrait photography is one of the most common types of photography. It may seem quite intimidating at first- after all, you are working with a real subject and trying to achieve your desired results all at the same time. Here are 7 tips for shooting portrait photography as a beginner:

1. Get To Know Your Subject

Arguably the best thing you could do in order to succeed in portrait photography is getting to know your subject. It's important to find out their expectations regarding the shoot. What do they like, have they thought about what kind of shots or poses they would like to see? Typically, I like to ask people I am taking photos of to make a Pinterest board with some photos which they would like their own to look like. Of course, I don't duplicate them exactly by any means, but it gives me a really good direction regarding a final outcome of the shoot. It is also really important to get to know your client better through a friendly and casual chat as this may really relax them. Most people are not trained models and might feel awkward or unsure of themselves in front of the camera. It is your job to not only be reassuring but also guide them through this process and make them feel like they are doing an epic job!

2. Choose an Amazing Location

Do not underestimate the importance of location in regards to portrait photography. Of course, it is really important to shoot in a beautiful location from an aesthetic point of view, but moreover, it is vital in regards to the quality of light. For instance, you decide to shoot some summer portraits of a couple and you choose a sunflower field location. The sun is shining bright with a clear sky and not a cloud in sight. Sounds amazing, right? Actually, choosing a location with no shade is a big no-no in photography. Direct sunlight means unflattering shadows which fall on the face of your subject, high contrast and not to mention people who are squinting in order to protect their eyes from eternal damage.

Choose a location which is not only beautiful but will provide natural shade for the perfect portrait photos!

3. Get Inspired

My favourite thing about any type of photography is the surge of inspiration I get when brainstorming new ideas for photo shoots. I get a rush in my core as I begin to look for inspiration whether it be on Pinterest (my main source of inspiration), photography books, or look through the works of my favourite photographers. It's important to note down your ideas, so you never forget them. It's also important to look for inspiration in the little things around you, may it be fairy lights or a colourful painting.

If you feel stuck and have a creative block, try doing a brain dump on a piece of paper. Note down all the things that come to mind, without giving them a second thought. Look back at your paper and there is bound to be something interesting there which will give you that extra push!

4. It's All About the Eyes

Everyone knows the saying, "The eyes are the windows to the soul!" and my god, is it true when it comes to portrait photography! The way eyes are perceived in a photo can really make all the difference! First and foremost, make sure that the eyes are always in focus. This is especially crucial when you are shooting with a large aperture and the depth of focus is small. When the eyes of a subject are in focus, the photo will be more impactful, appealing and will help draw the viewer into the image. Secondly, for the love of all things photography, PLEASE avoid red-eye effect at all cost! If you have to use flash, make sure to bounce it off of something such as a ceiling of a wall. Use a diffuser or entirely move the flash off the camera. Just do something about it! Promise? Good.

When post-processing there are several tips and tricks that you can use in order to enhance the eyes of your subject even further. For instance, you can lighten the whites of the eyes or apply additional sharpening and vibrance. Be careful, however, as all of these techniques can lead to an unnatural looking subject if overdone!

5. Experiment With Lighting and Angles

Don't be afraid to experiment with lighting and angels! You should be mindful of your client's wishes in regards to lighting and the final outcome of the shoot as a whole, however in your spare time make sure to do as much experimenting as possible! Do something crazy and find out what you like and what you don't like. As a general rule of thumb, yes, you should use natural light and a reflector for outdoor photos and your horizontal panes should be straight, but hey so what?! Kick off your shoes and take a stroll on the wild side! You may discover that the "rule of thumb" is not for you and you may invent your own style which you are absolutely obsessed with!

6. Know Your Camera

You are inspired to do an epic portrait photography shoot. You do your research, you plan everything out, you are all prepared. Needless to say, you cannot bring your idea to life without one vital tool - your camera. Like any tool, you will get the best results out of it only if you know how to properly use it. You HAVE to know your camera well in order to achieve good portrait photography (or any type of photography for that matter.) Read the manual (yes, all of it) as it explains all the functions and settings which are necessary for accomplishing your desired results. It may sound insanely boring and tedious to read a whole manual, but trust me it will help! You should know the results of what will happen if you adjust your camera to certain settings and the only way to know this is by studying and putting all that into practice. However, if you REALLY don't want to read all that, here are the bare minimum basics that you should know (which I will discuss in a future blog post):

• RAW vs. JPEG

• Auto-focus: single shot vs. continuous

• Exposure: Aperture, ISO and Shutter Speed

• White balance

7. F-Stop Makes All the Difference

Aperture is so important when shooting portrait photography. Typically, it is best to use a wide aperture which is around f/2.8 to f/5.6. This way you can capture a shallow depth of field and the background behind your subject will be quite blurred, helping them stand out in the image. Fast lenses are the best for portrait photography though of course, they are more expensive. A wider aperture blurs out backgrounds detail much more effectively.

I hope these tips were helpful to you as an amateur photographer! If you would like to learn more photography tips for beginners, you are welcome to read my blog post on 7 tips for beginner photographers.