Portrait Photography

Portrait Photography is one of the best know and most requested types of photography. A portrait usually refers to chest and up or waist up photos of a subject taken in the “portrait” layout. This is the most common type of portrait done by portrait studios. Portrait photography is all about making your subject look good but also bringing out his or her personality.

To do that, the photographer needs to establish a rapport with the subject so that he feels comfortable and relaxed with you. The more relaxed the subject is, the more likely to have a natural expression in the portrait.

Try to capture the subject personality in the photos. Sometimes this may mean snapping a shot when they have the expression you are looking for but weren’t necessarily expecting you to shoot. Many times, these turn out to be the photos that the subject is most happy with. And if not, there is always the delete option or they can choose not to purchase or use those photos.

Lighting is very important in capturing portraits so be sure you have adequate light. If taking a photo outdoor, you most likely will need a reflector to be sure not to have unwanted shadows on the face. If it is a studio shot, be sure to have even distributed light that emphasizes the features that you want to emphasize.

Since the purpose of a portrait is to showcase the subject, mot portraits are taken in a studio with a solid light colored background. Be sure that your background is free of distracting elements and flatters the subject.

 Many photographers made a good living taking portrait photos. Many business people and organizations need headshot or portrait photos of their employees. Independent business owners may need them for their own business cards, ads or websites. Real estate agents are a good example of those who need portrait or head shot photos.