Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Portrait Photography - Tips And Methods

By Myra Stevens

People have been the theme of many popular photographs from time to time. Portrait photography focuses on portraying a person or a group with all their unique features.

A good portrait photograph achieves a non-conventional look by capturing the subject from an exclusive camera angle and in a mental state that is representative of the subject. However, portrait photographs are also done in the conventional style with a single person or the entire family as subjects, and these mostly end up in family albums.

A perfect close up with a clear focus on the person's face is what gives portrait images that discernible mark of elegance. This can be done by tuning camera settings to blur the subject's background so that his or her face receives optimum focus. This job of highlighting the face becomes simpler with a camera having a wide aperture. Whereas, when both the subject and the background are important, like an image taken with the person in a scenic landscape, then a normal aperture is more appropriate.

Unavailability of perfect light for a good photograph is a frequent issue confronted by the photographers. However, by adhering to some basic photography guidelines, a good portrait photograph can be obtained. One of the tricks is to make the individual sit near the window such that the light entering from it falls on only part of the face. To make sure that the remaining part of the face does not appear dark, a reflective medium such as a white sheet can be used. However, portrait photography is best shot in studios as lighting can be regulated there.

One more thing that you must keep in mind is that the more comfortable a subject is during the shoot, higher the chances are of getting a perfect portrait photograph. Technical wizardry in photography will yield results only when the subject is comfortable and at ease, and displays his or her real self before the camera.

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