Portrait Photography - Some Useful Pointers

By Chuck Wilson

Lots of times, individuals have been the theme of many prize-winning photos. It isn't just about capturing a face though. It is more about making a person or a group of persons become "alive" within a photo, by depicting them in their grandeur.

A well clicked portrait image doesn't follow convention, and displays the person in a mental state that makes the picture distinctive. However, these photographs are also clicked in the conventional style with one person or the whole family as subjects, and these usually find their place in family albums.

The most significant aspect in a portrait image is the upclose shot, and the countenance of the subject must come out sharply in it. This can be done by tuning camera settings to obscure the person's background so that his or her face receives optimum focus. This task of focussing the face becomes simpler with a camera having a larger aperture. Whereas, when both the subject and the background are equally significant, like a photograph taken with the subject in a scenic landscape, then a normal aperture is advisable.

Photography is all about falling of light into the photographic medium; thus inadequate light has always been a photographer's cause of concern. However, by adhering to some common photography guidelines, a decent portrait photograph can be obtained. A facial profile of a individual sitting by a window looks unique and appealing, particularly when daylight illuminates a side of the face. The other side of the face can be lighted up by making use of something reflective like a white piece of glossy paper or board. However, Studio lighting can also be modulated to fit the light requirements for high quality portrait photographs, and thus a lot of photographers prefer to click such photographs inside studios.

Another important factor that affects a portrait photograph is the comfort level of the subject when he or she poses for the photograph. Technical sophistication in photography will yield results only when the person being photographed is comfortable and at ease, and displays his or her natural self before the camera.

Capturing A Fantastic Portrait Photograph - 30452

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