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Portrait photography can be quite satisfying. It’s a way to illustrate the best aspect of a person, and compose a picture that communicates something completely unique.

The 1st secret of quality portrait photography is to examine your subject.

This sounds obvious but take a flick through many of the pictures you may have of your friends and family and find out if there isn’t a certain similarity to them all. Uncomfortable positions, uncomfortable expressions, blank looks, self-conscious smiles, head and shoulders, police line-up photos…]?

Everyone has some individual aspect that should really be photographed. It doesn’t need to be gorgeous skin, a refurbished nose, pouting lips, stunning eyes. There should be some attribute or quality within the particular person which speaks of his or her personality the best.

Sound challenging? It’s not as long as you you follow some fundamental principles.

Make Use of Top to Bottom Composition.

Rotate the camera on its side. A portrait image commonly encompasses the head and upper body and on occasion may include the hands. These work best in a vertical arrangement. Framing horizontally wastes empty space on both sides of your person and can ruin the “feel” of the picture.

Strive to Influence Precisely How your Subject  is Presented.

If it is a semi-formal portrait you may have a say in the clothing. Solid, dark or light shades perform the best. Stripes, checks, swirls, and patterns confound the viewer’s eye. Strong colors can can overwhelm the skin tones. A scoop or vee cut usually is much better than a round cut. For older women or men, conceal the shoulders, for young women leave them exposed.

Use] whatever available light you have to create a good result.

Endeavor to locate your subject in a place where there is gentle light coming chiefly from one place. This ordinarily gives added attention to the eyes and produces a “moody” feel. You can use a reflector from the other direction to bounce the light in case the contrast between highlight and shadow is just too hard. You can make a quick reflector making use of light weight aluminum foil on a piece of cardboard.

Do Not Use a Flash Directly at the Subject.

Flash light is lighting in it’s most mundane incarnation. Quite rarely it will raise a photograph into amazing life, but generally the use of available lighting is much better. Flash has the inclination to make the portrait seem to be dreary and disturbs any mood or sensation of trust you have developed with your subject.

Work With a Telephoto Zoom Lens. 105-135mm is typically best. (Wide angle lenses are definitely out.)

Help Subject to be Seated.

This enables them to settle back and enables you to steer them more readily. Lead your subject.

Look for Your Subject’s “best side”.

People genuinely have one. Get one shoulder turned in the direction of the camera so one side is favored a touch. Look at that specific pose other ways and figure out what one is better.

In a portrait image, you’re addressing minor movements and shifts of placement and angle. Attempt to achieve the shot from a little higher than the subject to open the eyes a bit more. Perhaps try dropping the shoulder closest to the camera, position head upright or at an engaging angle. Lower the chin a tad.

Some people come across best whenever they smile and some do not. You will get more insightful expressions and subtleties without a smile. Ask your subject to consider something they love. This can spotlight the eyes and call attention to the mouth lines.

If you have included the hands in the picture, you should definitely look at them. Hands can now and again look awkward or maybe unattractive. A lightly closed fist is commonly neutral. Let the hands rest on the knee or in the lap and find out what you have. Crop them out later if they aren’t effective.

If you are taking candid portraits the majority of the same steps are pertinent though in these particular shots it’s important to remember to change position to search for the better angles.

Click here for more detailed black and white photography techniques and candid photography ideas.

Portraiture can be very rewarding. It’s a chance to show the best side (literally) of someone, and create a photo that communicates something unique.

The first rule of good portrait photography is LOOK at your subject.

This sounds obvious but take a browse through all the shots you have of your family and friends and see if they don’t have a sameness about them. Cut off head and shoulder shots, uncomfortable posing, goofy expressions, mug shots, empty staring, frozen smiles..?

Each person has some unique quality that deserves photographing. This doesn’t mean it has to be a $2000 nose job, pouty lips, bedroom eyes or perfect skin. But it should be some quality that best communicates the person’s individuality.

Sound difficult? It isn’t if you follow some basic tips.

Do Not Use a Flash Directly at the Subject.

Flash is light at its most boring. On rare occasions it can really lift a shot into dazzling life, but most of the time using available light is better. Flash has the tendency to make the image seem bland and breaks any mood or sense of trust you have created with your subject.

Use a Telephoto Lens. 105-135mm is best.

Wide angle lenses are definitely out.

Use Vertical Compostion.

Tilt the camera to one side. A protrait photograph generally encompasses the head and upper body and sometimes includes the hands. These work best in a vertical format. Framing horizontally wastes space on each side of your subject and can ruin the “feel” of the image.

Dress Your Subject Up if Possible.

If this is to be almost a formal portrait photo you may be able to suggest what clothes. Dark or light, solid colors work best. Stripes, checks, swirls, and patterns confuse the viewer’s eye. Bold colors can overwhelm the skin tones. A scoop or vee cut is usually better than a round cut. For a man or older woman, cover the shoulders, for a young woman leave them bare.

Try to use whatever available light you have to create a good effect.

Try to place your subject in a postion where there is soft light coming mainly from one direction. This can give a moody feel and usually gets the eyes more attention. You can use a reflector on the shadowed side to ‘bounce the light’ if the contrast between highlight and shadow is too strong. You can make a simple reflector using aluminum foil on a sheet of cardboard.

Pick the Person’s ‘best side’.

People actually have one. Have one shoulder slightly turned towards the camera favoring one side. Try the pose the other way and figure out which is best.

Let Your Subject be Seated.

This helps them to relax and helps you to be able to direct them more easily. Give your subject directions.

In a portrait photo, you’re dealing with minor movements and shifts of position and angle. Try to get the shot from slightly above the subject to open up the eyes. Lower the shoulder closest to the camera, get the head straight or at an engaging angle. Lower the chin a little.

Some people look best when they smile and some don’t. Often you achieve far more interesting nuance and expression with no smile. Ask your subject to think about something they like. This will bring up subtle lights in the eyes and shifts in the mouth lines.

If you have included the hands in the shot, make sure you check them. Hands can sometimes look awkward or even ugly. A fist that is lightly closed is usually neutral. Position the hands either in the lap on on a knee and check how the shot looks. Cut them off later if they don’t work.

If you’re shooting candid portraits the same tips apply but in these shots you have to move around to get the best angle.