The beautiful orange freckles, a teary-eyed smile, a peal of uncontrollable laughter – Portrait photography is all and only about capturing the spectrum of human emotions in their most vulnerable state. Whether it is a child skipping fences in the garden or a sternly standing ‘man-of-the-house’ posing for a formal picture, portraits always capture the mood and thoughts of the people in front of the lens. And this concept of photography is the same for everyone, whether it is a photographer in Leeds or anywhere else in the world.
If you are only beginning to practice photography then remember, it might not be so easy to master this delicate art because you only get one perfect shot out of a thousand. However, with practice and learning a few smart techniques, you will be able to capture the true emotions of your subjects just the way you want.
Bring out your longer lens
Many photographers in the UK rely on a mid-range lens for their portrait shoots. However, since the invention of the first camera, our eyes are accustomed to the perspective of the mid-range lens shots, so we do not find anything interesting or new in those photographs.
Instead, use a longer focal length’s lens (200mm, 105mm, or 85mm) to create a beautiful portrait. In fact, using a longer lens will also create lesser image distortions and give you a more dramatic depth (background blur).
Find the Backlight
Though it is true that finding the perfect light sources takes practice and experience, but once you train your eye, you will be the master of portrait photography. Light is the essence and soul of photography, and being able to find the right light at the right time is what photographers train for.
Capture new angles
Capturing things in front of you is instinct but finding new perspectives of ordinary things is art. So challenge yourself and find beautiful angels instead of simply capturing from the front-view. This technique can be very well used to enhance the height and certain features of the subject more beautifully and prominently.
Reflections and silhouettes are beautiful
Capturing defined silhouettes and through reflective surfaces is one of the best techniques for beautiful portrait shots. For clicking the perfect silhouettes, it is important to find a very strong source of light, like the sun, studio lights or a window, and keep the object in front of it.
For reflections, you can look for polished surfaces like floor or glass, or you can go for the classic – a water puddle. Sometimes, mixing these two techniques can create fantastic results.
Take time to create compositions
It is very easy to be lazy and try and capture everything that fits the frame. But if you wish to have some great portraits at the end of your shoot, zoom in and try to frame a more imaginative composition.
Think about the aspect ratio, avoid keeping your subject in the center of the frame (rule of thirds), find converging lines to focus the viewer’s attention. These are some of the techniques that photographers take into consideration while capturing.
Enable flash on sunny days
It might sound counter-intuitive but the flash of your device soothes down the sharp glow and harsh shadows from the sun on your subject. By using a “fill flash”, your portraits will improve greatly with a balanced exposure.
Gradually, you will master your device (the mighty camera!) and then you be able to bring in every bit of creativity into your portraits. Using exposure compensation, setting apertures, shutter speed, and ISO will become much simpler then.
On your way to becoming a professional portrait photographer in Leeds, sometimes you will feel the monotony by watching and using the same techniques to capture your photographs and at those times, do not hesitate to break the rules you have learned to create something new and different. After all, first you master the rules and then you break them, that’s how the world moves forward with art.
