Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Portrait Photography Techniques

By William Stevens

People have been the subject of various famous photographs from time to time. However, portrait photography isn't just about capturing a face; instead it is about bringing a person or a group of people come alive in a picture by depicting them in their splendour.

A well done portrait photograph doesn't adhere to convention, and presents the person in a state of mind that makes the picture striking. However, photographs of one person or of entire families are also taken by photographers, and these are normally stuck in family albums.

A proper close up bringing the individual's face into prominence distinguishes a truly professional portrait photograph from one that has been casually clicked. This can be attained by adjusting camera settings to blur the person's background so that his or her face receives optimum focus. A bigger aperture used in a camera can give ideal results for this purpose. One the other hand, it is judicious to shoot with a normal aperture if emphasis on the background is as important as on the person, which is mostly true in outdoor photography.

Lack of perfect light for a good photograph is a frequent problem confronted by the photographers. But a good portrait photograph is simpler to take if certain basic rules are followed. A facial profile of a person sitting by a window looks extraordinary and appealing, particularly when sunlight illuminates a part of the face. To ensure that the remaining part of the face does not appear dim, a reflective medium such as a white sheet can be used. However, However, portrait photographs clicked in studios under artificial lighting often come out better than those clicked outside.

The last but perhaps the most significant aspect of portrait photography is to make the subject feels at home. If the subject doesn't feel at ease while being photographed and doesn't pose naturally, then even the highest quality camera and lighting technology will fail to do justice to the portrait.

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