In order to get started with portrait photography you will need to understand what a portrait is, what the different styles are and what basic equipment and knowledge you will need.
Portrait photography is the art of capturing someone’s likeness in a photograph. There are many types of subjects including individuals (from a newborn baby to an elderly grandparent), couples, and even pets. There are many different types of portrait styles ranging from casual to formal, glamour to lifestyle, and even traditional or contemporary.
If you are shooting portraits for a client they will usually have a style in mind and they will pick their clothing and will most likely be responsible for styling their hair and applying makeup (if necessary). Discuss with them what type of portrait they would like. Choose backgrounds and props that are appropriate. A general rule is to keep things simple and let the person be the main focus of the image without distractions.
You need not invest in large amounts of equipment to begin with. The only thing you need is a camera. However, as you progress you will probably want to purchase a tripod, a flash with a swiveling head and a reflector. A studio full of lights is not something you must have to produce great portraits. Learn how to work effectively with natural light whether it be outside or indoors using a window with a reflector. A flash with a swiveling head is useful indoors for bouncing the flash off the walls or ceiling to produce softer results than straight on flash.
Posing can be the trickiest part of portrait photography. Each type of subject will require different posing. Formal portraits call for traditional posing, whereas casual portraits can be either traditional or more fun and creative. There are many rules for posing and even more ways to break them that will turn out excellent results. There are some basic guidelines that you should usually adhere to. Men and women should be posed in poses that best suit their gender. When posing men, have them tilt their head slightly toward the lower shoulder. Women should tilt their head toward their higher shoulder. Most people will naturally tilt their head the right way. Almost everyone will benefit from being turned to a 45 degree angle from the camera. When photographing children you should get down on their level so you are not taking pictures of the top of their head. Pets can be photographed from more extreme angles for creative shots. They won’t be concerned about whether or not their image flatters their facial features like a person will be.
The most important thing is to practice often. The more you take portraits the better you will get. It is helpful to study posing, lighting and background choices of portraits taken by master photographers.
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