A Guide to Photo Shooting for Portraits
Posted by admin at 15:02 | Filed In Photography
Before delving into the how of portrait photography let us decide the primary goal of why people opt for a portrait. Portrait captures the time in itself. The rich and the mighty would earlier get portraits drawn of their own so that generations to come will view them. The emergence of photography has in no manner decreased the importance of portrait among people who appreciate it. While a photograph will not withstand the time, an oil painting portrait continues to be there for many generations at a stretch. So the principal goal of a portrait is to capture found memories of people, occasions etc.
As a new trend in portrait painting has emerged (reproducing portrait from photographs), this field has witnessed renewed vigour. Now more and more people are going for portraits being created out of their photographs through a less painful procedure and at a cost which is around a fifth of the price that one had to shell in the yesteryears. So, now people not only get portraits made of their own self, but also their friends, pets, house, family etc.
Since the photograph is the basic material for creating the portrait, the photographer can play a major role in the final output, i.e. the portrait. Here are some guidelines for the portrait photographer.
The choice of background is an important decision. And it is not that the background is to be focused at when shooting the portrait photograph. In fact, what is required is a neutral background so that the entire focus of the portrait must be on the subjects face. That is a difficult decision, you think. But there lies your skill as an ace photographer. A soft solid colour background would serve better than a crowded market place where there is fear of losing focus.
Now when you have chosen a neutral background, obscure it further. The effect of this is that a stronger emphasis is put on the subject. It is just like creating a movie where you have to show the protagonist as being distinct. Otherwise, he will fall within the crowd. The photo must be taken with a shallow depth of field. Use a zoom lens and shoot the subject from a short distance or by setting the aperture wider.
Eyes must be the focus of any good portrait. It is often told that the eyes tell it all. Try to learn what the eyes are telling. Is there some story that they want to tell? The photographer has the power to direct the portrait in the direction he wants.
Natural lighting is the best for capturing a good portrait photograph. The full colour range and the warmth of the skin are best visible in natural light. The object must be placed in such a way that the sun-rays hit the subject from the side. If the sun-rays hit at the back of the subject, it will appear shaded. If the same sun-rays are coming from the front, it will over expose the face and distort its natural colours.
Finally, take not one but many photographs of the subject, possibly in different poses (all natural). With a digital camera taking many photographs is hardly going to add to your cost. But this horde of photographs is going to give you a wider choice.
Kelvin is working with http://www.paintyourlife.com. It is not the monetary rewards but his genuine interest in the field of transforming portraits from painting that keeps him going. in these articles he comes up with tips.
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