The Perfect Shot: 12 Rules Of Portrait Photography

How to shoot a portrait? For this, it is quite possible to do without special equipment, the main thing is the naturalness of the model and its artistry. A relaxed atmosphere, a good mood, and mutual understanding between the photographer and the model are the keys to a successful portrait shoot. Defects on the skin absorb the confidence of the frame in the model but remember: there are no perfect people, but there is a smooth skin photo editor RetouchMe. And so that all the photos turn out to be successful, take note of some rules for shooting a portrait.

Rules for successful portrait photography

• If possible, try not to take “head-on” photos. It is not at all necessary for the model to look into the frame, on the contrary, the most interesting photos are obtained when a person is passionately engaged in his work, looks thoughtfully to the side, or observes something. After all, it is at such moments that a person does not strain, he looks natural.
• When taking a portrait, try to keep as few extraneous objects in the frame as possible (various furniture, other people in the background, etc.). Remove everything that is not related to the plot. An exception is the portrait subject’s hands — their location conveys the character and psychological state. One object in the model’s hands will look organic — a bouquet, a soft toy, a mobile phone, etc. — if it gives additional expressiveness to the picture.
• Close-up portraits are fascinating when only the face or even part of the face is in the frame. At least, the ears and top can be removed from the frame quite boldly. At the same time, the visual load on each element increases, and cosmetics, hairstyles, or unshavenness will be more noticeable.
• It is very rare to turn out successful photos in which the model is strictly in the center. The picture will look more natural if the person is slight to the left or right (the main thing is not to leave too much empty space).

• If you want to shoot a person at full height against the background of a beautiful sea or mountains, do not try to “kill two birds with one stone”: both the landscape and the person will not be successfully obtained at the same time. Framing the pictures so that the person turned out well and was the meaningful center of the photo, and the mountains or the sea acted as a background. The landscape can be displayed separately.
• It is not necessary to put it on the rack calmly: allow the person to relax and take a comfortable position. It will not be superfluous to learn poses for photos of girls, men, and couples, which can be found on the Internet or found on our website (Poses for photos).
• Before taking a picture, check that nothing ugly gets into the frame: pipes, fences, rotten boards, packages, and other junk, and also that “nothing grew” from the model’s head — no tree, branch, lamppost, etc.
• The picture should be balanced in composition: there should not be too much landscape, sky, or sea if it is not part of the artistic design. It will be ideal to observe the basic rule of composition when the picture is divided horizontally and vertically into three parts, and the main elements of the plot (head, eyes, mouth) are located at the intersection of these parts.

• Before taking a picture, make sure that the model’s clothes fit properly, are clean, and have no stains, lint, etc. You can recompose the frame to eliminate the failed areas.
• When taking a group portrait, place people as close as possible to each other so that there are no gaps between the shoulders. Tall people should be placed a little further, and children brought to the fore. The frame should be sharp across the entire field, and the shutter speed should be no more than 1/60 of a second.
• To get an interesting and dynamic shot, try to shoot not only in front, but also from the side, from above, and from below. In addition, this way you will be able to hide any flaws in your appearance.
• Depth of field is very important for portrait photography. Only a full-length portrait should be quite sharp, and even then not always. Portraits with a blurred background look very advantageous. When focusing, make sure that the eyes are in focus.

Useful tips for portrait photography

• Build a photographer and model contact. If you are filming a person, it is certainly significant how he himself will behave in the frame. And your task is to explain her task as accurately as possible. What emotion should the photo convey? What do you want to emphasize? You may even have to show the model a few poses and movements. And do not forget that a dry explanation will not replace the photographer-model contact. Try to get to know each other better, chat for a few minutes in a relaxed atmosphere, and pay a compliment. In general, do everything possible to make the model feel comfortable and relaxed. Believe me, the difference will be visible immediately!
• Use light correctly. Not every photographer has special lighting equipment. Therefore, it is worth using natural light as productively as possible. If you are shooting indoors, place the model near the windows. So you will get a soft light without sharp shadows. Do not be afraid to use reflectors (by the way, you can make them from improvised materials!). And also experiment with their color to get interesting effects in the photo.

• Choose a neutral background. When shooting a portrait, the main emphasis in the frame will, of course, be the model. Therefore, it is not worth distracting attention with unnecessary details of the background. Use a calm background. It can be colored or textured, but should not be too bright or distract from the model.
• Focus on the eyes. It sounds trite, but the eyes are really the mirror of the soul. That is why it is best to focus on the model’s eyes when shooting a portrait. Moreover, if the model is standing sideways, it is better to focus on the eye closest to the camera. And if she is facing the camera — on the bridge of her nose. With this method, the look is very effective and piercing.
• Do not be afraid to experiment. We openly declare — experiments in portrait photography are appropriate! Do not be afraid to connect your imagination and try different options for model poses, facial expressions, and shooting angles. And in general, everything that comes to your mind! So you will not only not let the model get bored, but also get interesting and extraordinary pictures.