Portrait Portrait PhotographyPhotography

By Noemi RamosBy Noemi Ramos

TipsTips1)Alter Your Perspective;1)Alter Your Perspective; changing the changing the

angleanglethat you shoot from can give your portrait a that you shoot from can give your portrait a

realrealWOW factor.WOW factor.2)Play with Eye Contact:2)Play with Eye Contact: (a) Looking off(a) Looking offcameracamera –have your subject focus their –have your subject focus their

attentionattentionon something unseen and outside the field ofon something unseen and outside the field ofview of your camera.view of your camera.(b) Looking within the(b) Looking within theframeframe – alternatively you could have your – alternatively you could have yoursubject looking at something (or someone)subject looking at something (or someone)within the frame.within the frame.3) Breaking the rules of composition; 3) Breaking the rules of composition; TheTheRule of ThirdsRule of Thirds is one that can be effective to is one that can be effective tobreak – placing your subject either dead break – placing your subject either dead

centrecentrecan sometimes create a powerful image – orcan sometimes create a powerful image – oreven creative placement with your subject even creative placement with your subject

rightrighton the edge of a shot can sometimes createon the edge of a shot can sometimes createinteresting images.interesting images.

TipsTips4. Experiment with Lighting4. Experiment with Lighting Another Anotherelement of randomness that you canelement of randomness that you canintroduce to your portraits is the way introduce to your portraits is the way

thatthatyou light them. There are almost you light them. There are almost

unlimitedunlimitedpossibilities when it comes to using light possibilities when it comes to using light

ininportraits.portraits.5. Move Your Subject Out of their 5. Move Your Subject Out of their Comfort ZoneComfort Zone

(6)(6) Shoot Candidly PhotographShoot Candidly Photograph your your subjectsubject

at work, with family or doing something at work, with family or doing something thatthat

They loveThey love

(7)Introduce a Prop;(7)Introduce a Prop; Add a prop of Add a prop of some kindsome kind

into your shots and you create another into your shots and you create another point ofpoint of

interest that can enhance your shot.interest that can enhance your shot.

TipsTips8. Focus Upon One Body Part8. Focus Upon One Body Part – Get – GetClose Up Get a lens with a long focal lengthClose Up Get a lens with a long focal lengthattached to your camera – or get right in close attached to your camera – or get right in close

sosothat you can just photograph a part of yourthat you can just photograph a part of yoursubject.subject.9. Obscure Part of your Subject; 9. Obscure Part of your Subject; A A

variationvariationon the idea of zooming in on one part of theon the idea of zooming in on one part of thebody is to obscure parts of your portraitbody is to obscure parts of your portraitsubject’s face or body. You can do this withsubject’s face or body. You can do this withclothing, objects, their hands or just by clothing, objects, their hands or just by

framingframingpart of them out of the image.part of them out of the image.

10. Take a Series of Shots10. Take a Series of Shots Switch your Switch your cameracamera

into ‘burst’ or ‘continuous shooting’ mode andinto ‘burst’ or ‘continuous shooting’ mode andfire off more than one shot at a time. In doingfire off more than one shot at a time. In doingthis you create a series of images that could this you create a series of images that could

bebepresented together instead of just one staticpresented together instead of just one staticimage.image.