Below you’ll find photography techniques to enhance your photography and turn good portraits into amazing portraits:
- Bring your own lighting. The camera flash doesn’t always provide the light you need. Some flash, especially if used in a close-up headshot, can wash out persons face appearance. Off-camera flash is useful for changing the lighting conditions to enhance contrast and control the shadows in your portraits. Natural light can be great for outdoor portrait photography but direct sunlight may be overpowering. External strobe lighting is useful to underexpose the available light and use your own to create the perfectly lit shot.
2. Diffuse light source. When selecting an environment, consider that a soft, diffused natural light from an indirect source is best for shooting portraits. Direct, harsh light or a full sun can cast unwanted dark shadows or create unnatural skin colors. Use a diffuser like a soft box or a white sheet to help soften the light.
3. Use telephoto lens. A 50mm lens is considered a mid-range telephoto lens many portrait photographers like to use. However, this length creates a familiar and ordinary scene. Use a longer lens, like 80mm to 200mm range, to produce better image compression without distorting the pixels. A longer focal length can bring your background closer to your subject, increasing the bokeh effect (background blur) thus creating a more dynamic image.
4. Alter the aperture. A wide aperture will produce a shallow depth of field, blurring the background and focus on subject. However, if you have more than one subject a smaller aperture will keep everyone in focus.
5. Find a different position. You can bring new perspective to your photos by breaking the rule of thirds and shooting at angles that aren’t so neatly composed, or even at your subject’s eye level. Try taking shots at different angles and distances around your model. Shoot from an aerial viewpoint or from the side, change up your model’s poses, or even try a candid shot to figure out the most flattering angle for their portrait.
6.Try props. Shoot through objects in your foreground, like foliage or architecture, for a more dynamic element to your composition. A longer lens can help blur the objects in front, centering the focus on your subjects, adding an interesting aesthetic component to your shot. Shooting through transparent objects can produce unique patterns or reflections, while shooting through something like a fence can provide interesting framing around your subject. Capture your subject through store windows or between branches for a more dynamic composition.
- Use gels. Gels can help change the mood or alter the color temperature of your portraiture. If your photo shoot is producing unnatural skin tones or odd color casts, you may have to adjust your light temperatures. If you’re shooting on an overcast day, you might want a color temperature orange (CTO) gel to make the environment warmer. Conversely, if your images appear too warm, you might want to apply a color temperature blue (CTB) gel to cool it down. The type of shot you’re going for will determine the temperature you need, so plan for your environment accordingly.
