In general, a portrait is a kind of quintessence of a person’s life or a certain period of it, reflecting thoughts, feelings, experiences, emotions, character traits, and even occupation. The first task of any portrait photographer is to show genuine interest, respect, and love for the portrait subject: this attitude is the basis of mutual understanding between photographer and model. It allows you to tune in to work with a specific person, feel his inner world, and after that – tell about him freely through the photograph.
It is not always the photographer has enough time to study the biography of a person, get to know him or her better, etc., so it is extremely important to pay attention to details, notice and register the subtle features: the way you squint, frown, smirk, raise your eyebrow in surprise, rub your palms… All this and much more, if seen through your lens in time, will become a wonderful means of expression, bringing the emotional background into the foreground and making your picture “alive”.
About technique
For portraits, it is recommended to use lenses that allow you to work at a focal length of 50-85mm – this is because a shorter focal length gives more distortion and facial proportions can be distorted. This is only a recommendation, but it depends on the photographer’s experience, creative vision, and the ability to bring it into reality. There are many examples of perfectly made portraits at a wide-angle, for example at 24 mm.
Photography With A Difference
Basic portrait photography can be pretty boring. These days, people are doing things differently to make a statement and ensure the photos are stand out. Take the use pf smoke bombs for example. Smoke bombs allow the photographer to create vivid colors against varying backgrounds that bring a different light and contrast to the face of the individual being snapped. Well-placed smoke bombs can give a completely different feel to the photo shoot. They’re great for creating contrast and also for helping you build a brand. Being known as the portrait photographer that does things differently can help launch your career.
Setting the accents
Very often the word “portrait” is taken to mean a portrait of a face or shoulders. Usually, the eyes are the center of the story, but if we are talking about half-length or full-length portraits, besides the face there is a lot of space in the frame and the photographer cannot do without basic knowledge of composition: artistic rhythm, perspective, the golden section, symmetry and asymmetry, frames, perspective, shooting point, etc. – all this and much more will help you to realize your idea, set the accents correctly and make the shot even more interesting.
Model’s image
Special attention should be paid to the costume of the person you are shooting. A correctly chosen image will enhance the emotion of the photo and emphasize the features of the model in the frame. Remember that the main rule here is the following order: in the first place the portrayed person, in the second – what he is wearing. The clothes must by no means draw the spectator’s attention to themselves, they are always an auxiliary element, that’s all. Optimal for almost any portrait would be a basic closet, consisting of things in which the person is primarily comfortable. If you, as product photographers, have the opportunity to influence the choice of clothing, never miss the chance to talk about your preferences and make your future work more harmonious in advance. The exception, in this case, will be fashion and beauty portraits: when working in these directions it is important to take into account the peculiarities and specificity of images, typical for these formats.