5 Tips To Master Portrait Photography
It requires lot of patience and practice to become a master in the art of portrait photography. Â Here are top 5 tips by expert photographer Sam Crawford, which will instantly improve your portrait photography skills and take it to a higher level.
IT’S ALL ABOUT ADAPTING TO THE LIGHT AVAILABLE
Light is a standout among the most essential components to remember while capturing portraits, particularly how the light appears on the subject's face. Availability of light can be the determining factor in making or breaking your picture. Coordinate with the individual you are shooting to tilt their head towards the main source of light, regardless of whether it's a room light or the sun. In case, you're making the subject to look towards the sun, ask them to see towards a direction that won't make them squint or cause discomfort for them. You won’t like individuals squinting while you’re shooting.
GIVE PROPER INSTRUCTIONS & DIRECTIONS TO THE SUBJECT
Let's be honest, many individuals have low confidence or are even unhappy with being before the camera. Giving proper directions or instructions to the individual you are shooting can help them to be more comfortable. Make sure that your instructions are simple, basic and positive. In case your subject doesn’t know any pose, then help him or her to strike a pose. Maybe you can tell the person to lift his or her chin to get a better view of their face. Avoid giving hard directions or rude instruction.
SEARCH FOR A CLEAN BACKGROUND THAT CONTRASTS WITH YOUR SUBJECT Backgrounds are quite crucial in creating desirable portrait pictures. The important part of the background is to give proper context to the surrounding where the individual is posing and make them stand out. Finding a spotless background that gives contrast to the subject is important.
CONCENTRATE ON THE DOMINANT EYE
If you're capturing images with shallow depth of field then this step becomes quite essential to follow. Make sure to concentrate on the dominant eye of the subject, especially the one that is nearest to the camera. Remember, if the dominant eye is out of centre, your photograph will end up looking a bit off. This can damage even a good portrait.
KEEP THE LINES STRAIGHT
Twisted horizon lines can make the portrait captured by you a weird appearance, so make sure to keep all the lines straight. The same applies for surrounding elements like doors and the edges of walls. In case, if these sorts of lines aren't straight, it can make the portrait to look tilted, which ruins the whole idea an appearance of the image.
WHAT’S MORE!
By following these basic, yet professional tips by Sam Crawford you can improve your portrait photography skills remarkably!
Sam Crawford Photography
Level 7, 822 George St, Chippendale 2008 info@samcrawford.com.au 0410718555
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