Portrait Photography—How to Get It Right

Few items are more cherished than portraits of beloved friends and family members. After all, a quality portrait is more than a mere snapshot; it is an image that is intended to capture the very essence of someone’s personality!

The problem is that professional portraits tend to be expensive—beyond the reach of some of us. And when you try to make portrait shots yourself, you soon discover that far more is involved than just pointing and shooting. This is because a good portrait includes not only the subject but also the lighting, the background, the setting, the pose, the facial expression, and the color.

Even so, if you have a camera and are willing to apply yourself to learning a few basic techniques, you can make satisfactory portrait shots. How? To answer, we will ask some questions of a professional portrait photographer who has over ten years of experience in this field.

• First of all, what is the secret of getting someone to smile for the camera? Make sure that your subject is in the mood to be photographed! Let us say, for example, that you want to take a portrait shot of a little girl. If she is tired or hungry, she will be difficult to work with. Besides, fatigue will cause tension in her face and eyes, which will detract from the picture. So encourage her to take a nap and have a light snack before the photo session begins.

It also helps to interact with the person. Be upbeat and cheerful. Relax her by conversing, but don’t try to get her laughing hysterically. This causes the eyes to squint and brings blood to the face. Try photographing a variety of facial expressions. The more photographs you take, the better your chances are of getting the look that best characterizes that person.

• What about dress and grooming? In group portraits, color harmony is desirable. If, for example, you are taking a picture of a family, suggest that they wear compatible colors. Or perhaps have them all wear the same colors. Remember, though, that large people look best in dark colors and that thin people look best in light colors.

You must also pay attention to detail: Does the clothing hang straight, with a minimum of wrinkles? Does the necktie hang straight? Is the hair neat? Your eye may not spot stray hairs, but the camera will! If the subject is a woman, is her makeup properly applied?

• What about people who wear glasses? Because of glare, this can be a problem. First, look through your viewfinder to see if there is any unwanted glare. If so, have the subject turn the head slowly until the reflection moves away from the center of the eye or disappears. Sometimes, having the subject lower the chin will help—but be careful not to create a double chin!

• Does it matter what appears in the background? Absolutely! A busy background cluttered with power lines, roads, or automobiles will only detract from your photo. So look for a background that might enhance or add interest to your subject, such as a tree, a flowering bush, a wood fence, or even the side of an old barn.

• What if you are taking the picture in an indoor setting? You might try seating the subject on a chair or a sofa in front of a light-colored wall or an indoor plant. It is particularly interesting to portray the individual at work or engaged in a favorite hobby or activity, with tool bench, desk, or sewing materials in the background.

• What if you can’t find an attractive background? Try putting the background out of focus. This works best in outdoor portraits where you can place the subject at a distance from the background. You do this by adjusting the f-stop, or the size of the lens aperture. A lower f-stop number, such as f5.6, will put your subject in clear focus but will blur the background.—See photograph 1.

• Any tips on composition? First of all, it helps to mount your camera on a tripod; then you can concentrate more on composition. Generally, portraits are either full-length, three-quarter length (from the waist up), or close-up (head and shoulders or just the head). (See photograph 2.) Any lens between 105 and 150 millimeters will be ideal for portrait shots. If you cannot adjust or change the lens on your camera, try moving in closer to your subject or backing away until you get the image you want. By the way, it makes good sense when framing a shot to allow some space above the head, around the sides, and below the feet. In this way you avoid chopping off the head, the feet, or the torso should you have the photograph enlarged. You see, the more you enlarge, the more of the image may be lost, depending on the photograph’s frame size.

One handy guideline is what is called the rule of thirds. This involves placing your subject’s face or eyes one third of the distance from the top, bottom, or side of the picture. (See photograph 3.) However, sometimes it does work well to have the eyes in the center of the portrait.

• What about posing the subject? Have your subject face the camera in a relaxed position, either sitting, standing, or reclining, but turned slightly to the side. If the face seems too round, have the model turn the head or body slightly so that only half the face is illuminated. The half in the shadows should be the closest to the camera. This will make the face look narrower. On the other hand, if you want to make the face appear fuller, have the person rotate the head or body until the light illuminates the whole face.

Pay particular attention to the hands. They should seem relaxed and should be in a position that is natural for your subject, such as resting gently on the chin or the side of the face. If the person is standing, avoid the all-too-common mistake of having the arms hang by the side with the hands pointing straight down. It’s better to have the hands holding something or resting in a natural pose.

• Any tips for photographing couples? Try having them tilt their heads slightly toward each other. It is usually best to avoid having them both at the same level. You could try to place them so that the eyes of one person are at the level of the other person’s nose.—See photograph 4.

• Let’s talk about lighting. When is the best time of the day to take outdoor photographs? Late afternoon. The air is usually calm, and the color of the light is warmer. Try positioning your friend so that the sun’s light illuminates one side of the face, with just a triangle of light showing on the side of the face in shadow. This will prevent the person from squinting. If you want to take a profile shot, move your camera position to the shadowed side of the face. By the way, make sure you shade your camera lens from the sunlight.

• What if the light is too harsh? Try placing your friend so that the sun is behind him.

• Won’t that put his face in the shadow? Yes, but you can use your flash to fill in the shadowed areas. Some cameras do this automatically. Another solution is to have a friend act as an assistant. He or she can hold up a reflector or a large piece of white cardboard and bounce some diffused sunlight onto your subject’s face.

• What about indoor lighting? You can use natural light by posing your subject next to a window. A sheer curtain can serve to diffuse the light. If necessary, you can use flash fill-in or a cardboard reflector to brighten up areas of the face that seem too dark.—See photograph 5.

• What if there isn’t enough available light? In such situations you will have to use your flash. Try placing your subject in an area that has a white side wall. Tilt your flash so that light bounces off the side wall. With the light coming from the side, you will have more control over how much of the face is illuminated.

Admittedly, it will take some trial and error to get good results. But the basic principles of portrait photography are simple. With careful planning and attention to detail, you can, even with the simplest of cameras, create a good portrait—one that you and your loved ones will cherish for years to come!