Portraiture is a special genre of photography that requires a photographer to be inventive, communicative and pay special attention to camera settings. Today we’ll look at a few techniques and practical tips that will help make your shots more expressive!
Take care of the unity of the color scheme
Color is a powerful tool that largely influences the viewer’s perception of a photo. The shot should have a harmonious palette of shades. This gives the frame integrity and makes it pleasant for the human eye. Even if at the moment of shooting building a color composition is not possible, decide in advance what should be the post-processing of the photo. For example, at the link https://retouchme.com/service/change-skin-color-app, it is easy to change the skin tone of the model to perfectly fit into the scene.
Choose the right lens
Lenses with a focal length of 70mm or more are considered the classic choice for portraits. They allow you to shoot close-ups without fear of optical distortion, as well as create beautiful bokeh. The longer the focal length, the less background will get into the frame. But if the lens is too bulky, the photographer will have to move far away from the model, which complicates communication.
If you want to show the surroundings, take a waist portrait or even a growth portrait, or make a group photo, you can use medium-focus and moderately wide-angle lenses: 50 mm or less. They capture more of the surrounding space, and a certain distance from the model reduces distortion.
Less detail
Take care to keep details from being overpowering. Variegated clothing, a garish background, a painting, or a lamppost peeking out from behind can undermine a portrait. Of course, you can create portraits in the background of bright graffiti or with the use of extravagant costumes, but for this, you will have to use a whole arsenal of tricks: from bokeh to additional light and increased exposure. Carefully assess the composition of the shot, asking yourself “Does this element need to be in the photo?”. If you can do without it, feel free to remove it from the field of view – you can do this also during retouching.
Image orientation
Single, and often even paired portraits look more attractive in a vertical orientation, as they are guaranteed to emphasize the model(s). Exceptions: close-up, desire to show a textured background, original frame composition, group portrait. Photos of this kind usually look more favorably in a horizontal orientation. To choose the best option, you should take several similar shots of different plans, and later choose the best option or crop it at the post-production stage.
Customize your camera
To shoot good portraits, the photographer must be well-versed in camera settings. Aperture priority or manual mode is optimal. Set the ISO value to the minimum (100-140) to eliminate noise in the photo. However, for short shutter speeds, you can experiment with higher ISO values. Autofocus and pre-focus by pressing the rear button will help you get the emphasis right.
If you don’t have to catch a shot during active movement, it’s best to forgo continuous shooting in favor of single-frame shooting. For a single portrait with a bokeh effect, use an aperture of f/2-f/4. For group shots, use f/5.6-f/8.
If you’re going to shoot handheld, use a shutter speed of no more than 1/200, but when using a tripod, you can set the shutter speed to 1/15 (a little shorter for a child portrait). White balance should be adjusted based on specific conditions. It is desirable to adjust the camera settings as little as possible during the photo session (of course, if it will not spoil the pictures). This way, post-processing will take the least amount of time, as you can apply one preset to all or most of your shots.
Control the angle
Truly spectacular portraits usually boast an unconventional composition or angle. To go outside the box, you can place the model above or below the viewer’s “eye level,” and reflect the dynamics of the image with “half-movements” or half-turns of the body/face. Pay attention to the semantic and symbolic depth of the frame – real masters strive to reflect the whole story in each photo or a separate photo session.
A portrait can be enriched with natural or artificial textures, lines, and props to give it a special rhythm and depth. At the same time, it is important to make sure that all the details used are related to the story and emphasize the model.
