Do you know the difference between people photography and portrait photography? People photography is simply snapping pictures of friends without thinking of how it might turn out.
Portrait photography gets photos one step closer to looking like they were shot by a professional.
There are many elements to be considered in portrait photography.
One is the angle at which you take the photograph, the expression of emotion on the subject's face, and the lighting that will be used.
Just because you may be an amateur snapping photos at a family gathering, you still need the same basic knowledge which is used by professionals.
The first step to taking a quality photograph of a person is to study their face.
This is very important when determining the angle from which you will shoot.
Some people really do have a better side.
This could be because of blemishes, or a scar, or simply something about their face that is asymmetrical.
One example could be if one of a person's eyes is bigger than the other.
This will be noticeable when looking straight into the camera which will result in a horrible portrait, but shooting from an angle can enable the light and shadows to even out the features without taking away from capturing who the person really is.
Portrait photography is about capturing the personality of the subject or their essence.
You will want to make sure your subjects are relaxed.
If you want to become a professional portrait photographer, you may want to meet with your client before the session so you can learn about them beforehand as well as while you are taking pictures.
Be sure to notice the little nuances of their face since those add character to the portrait.
If they are friends are family then this is an easy task since you probably already know about their personality, making it easier to capture it on film.
Lighting is the second crucial step in portrait photography.
It is very common for photographers to prefer natural light over artificial.
With natural light, you will need to create the contrast with shadows and lighting for the effect you want.
This often requires compensating for the cameras lack of definition.
This can be accomplished by manually setting the camera's aperture.
Unless artificial light is in a studio, it is often too harsh and not directed properly.
Your subject will partly decide what light will be available.
Since you can only use whatever light you have, you will need to rely on the manual settings on your camera to perfect your portrait.
The background is another important element in a quality photograph and must work well with the lighting.
A professional photographer will pick a background that will not wash out the subject's clothing or their features.
There must be contrast or distinction between them and their background.
This is even important even when you are shooting photographs at home.
Be sure to pick a background that gives color to your subject and definitely not one that takes it away.
You will also want to make sure the background is not too busy.
A tree to sit on with mountains in the background may be a great portrait, but on the other hand it could take away or distract from the subject.
The subject needs to be a part of the picture and not outside of it.
The quality of your photographs is also determined by the type of camera and film you use.
Once you understand your subject and use the techniques that the professionals use such as lighting and angles, you will be able to create a portrait that is near to professional if not professional for your family and friends for any occasion.
Anyone can snap a picture, but wouldn't it be great to create a portrait?