Portrait photography - tips for beginners! Portrait photography.

For portrait photography, it is convenient to use long focal length lenses with a fixed focal length(fixes). Such lenses have a number of advantages over others. Long-focus optics distort perspective less, which is very important when shooting portraits. In addition, you can evaluate the depth of field of the scene you are shooting using the depth of field scale displayed on the lens barrel. The aperture of the optics used also plays an important role in portrait photography. Autofocus on fast lenses is faster. In addition, a fully open aperture when shooting a portrait allows you to take pictures with very beautiful background blur.

How to photograph a portrait correctly: shooting rules

There are a few things to keep in mind when taking portraits: important rules: to make the photo more expressive, you need to focus on the model’s closest eye, and take a shutter speed no longer than 1/ (for example, for an 85 mm lens - 1/85). In the first case, you will prevent an unexpectedly sharp nose or chin from appearing in an overall out-of-focus portrait of the model. In the second, you are guaranteed to avoid overall blurriness of the photo due to too long a shutter speed. Strong digital noise generated by the matrix when high values sensitivity, undesirable. Use ISO values between 100 and 400. The camera must be switched to semi-automatic or manual mode shooting.focal>

Now let's take a quick look at the main types of exposure metering that your camera uses.

Center-weighted

With this method of exposure metering, the light level of the entire scene is measured first, and then its central point. The result is the average value taking into account additional data obtained from the central region. Since the subject is usually in the center of the frame, this prime sensing scheme makes center-weighted metering the preferred choice for portraits.

Spot

Spot metering captures exposure data for only a very small portion of the image (1-5%) and ignores the lighting in the rest of the scene. This area is usually located in the center of the viewfinder. However, some cameras allow you to select other areas of the frame to meter and measure off-center. Spot metering is a good choice for high-contrast or backlit scenes, but when shooting portraits, use it with caution, keeping in mind that it should target the area that will form the midtones of the final image.

Zone

Zone metering is a type of metering that takes data from several different areas within a scene to calculate an average for the entire frame. This is useful for general scenes with low contrast.

Let's look at an example. Note the difficult lighting and the model's tanned skin. The use of zone metering (Example 1) led to an unsatisfactory result: part of the face was greatly overexposed. At the same time, by exposing the image using spot metering (Example 2), you can get a more acceptable option, comparable to the result obtained using center-weighted metering (Example 3). This is due to lighting conditions, which only accurate exposure selection will help you cope with. This example does not mean that you should always use either center-weighted or spot metering when shooting portraits. It all depends on the specific lighting conditions and the characteristics of the model’s complexion. Dark, tanned skin reflects less light than lighter skin tones.

Example 1: Matrix Metering

In many cases, you can achieve the desired result by adjusting the exposure. To increase the overall brightness of the image, it is necessary to make a positive exposure correction, and to decrease the brightness, a negative one.

Portrait Lighting: Using Flash

There is a common belief that flash used outside the studio produces a "flat" image. This is true, but only if you use its capabilities incorrectly. It is much worse when it is precisely because of poor natural lighting that the portrait turns out expressionless and boring.

To illustrate this, consider the following example (Example 4). Natural lighting in cloudy weather is quite dull, which also affects the colors of the photo. However, using even the built-in flash (Example 5) made it possible to highlight deep shadows on the face and clothing. At the same time, the picture itself became more expressive and did not lose volume. Much greater possibilities are provided by an external flash, which, by adjusting the pulse power, allows you to carefully highlight the model’s eyes without overexposing the rest of the face. So, as shown in the example (Example 6).

Shooting portraits indoors: staging the light

When shooting in a poorly lit room, you cannot do without using a flash. An external flash allows you to direct and adjust the power of the light pulse. When preparing to shoot, it is important to set the ISO value correctly and adjust the pulse power. Setting the wrong settings (too low an ISO or too low a flash) can cause an unwanted change in the color temperature of your photo. On the other hand, shooting at too large values sensitivity can lead to severe overexposure in the photo.

When shooting with flash, try to use reflective coatings (whitewash ceilings, walls, etc.). Direct the light pulse in such a way that the model being photographed is exposed to reflected light rather than direct light. Try to minimize the inevitable shadow effect either by blurred background(Example 7), or by changing the angle of the model being photographed (Example 8).

Usually, to maintain the “correct” scale, it is recommended to focus on the focal length of the lens. For portraits, it is recommended to use a focal length of 85 mm (plus or minus). All this is great, but this recommendation does not take into account the fact that different devices with a focal length of 85 mm will have completely different scales due to the crop factor. If at full frame 85 mm is a really convenient focal length for shooting a portrait, it’s not the most close up, then on a cropped image the scale of the picture will be completely different (the larger the crop factor, the larger the shot will be). On point-and-shoot cameras, 85 mm is generally the distance for photo hunting!

But what if you want to shoot a portrait with an 18-55 mm kit lens, which does not have an 85 mm focal length at all? This, by the way, is a sore point among beginners who want to master portrait photography.

Take a portrait from a distance of at least 2 meters! Compensate for the lack of scale with zoom.

Shooting from a relatively long distance with a “zoom in” offers a number of advantages:

1. A calm and familiar perspective. Try to shoot a person point-blank with a wide angle and get a photo where he doesn’t look like himself! The perspective is to blame for distorting the proportions of the face. The further we move away from the model (compensating for the decrease in scale by increasing the focal length), the less the perspective effect, the more “correct” the portrait turns out. But you don’t need to go to extremes - you shouldn’t photograph a portrait from 30 meters with the telephoto lens extended all the way, in which case the perspective practically disappears and the face becomes too flat and wide.

Besides

2. When shooting a portrait “from afar” it is much more convenient to work with the background. Firstly, it is easier to remove photo debris from the frame - unnecessary objects that distract attention (they are cut off by cropping). Secondly, the longer the focal length (the stronger the “zoom”), the more the background is blurred. Of course, in order to beautifully blur the background, it is desirable to have a fast lens. A kit lens at the long end with an aperture of 5.6 gives blur just for show.

It may happen that the lens, when shooting from two meters, will not provide the required scale. In this case, you need to choose one of three solution options (from bad to good):

Shoot from a closer distance. The simplest and affordable way, but you need to carefully monitor the perspective effect - after a certain point it begins to grow very quickly!

Shoot as is, then crop photos during processing. There will be some loss of photo resolution, but with today's megapixel counts this isn't a big problem. Plus - you can try several framing options and stick with the one you (and/or the model) like best.

Use longer focal length optics. The downside is that you may have to purchase it first. Plus - you will immediately get the desired scale of the portrait, and at the same time the background will be well blurred ("portrait" optics are designed just for this).

The role of the background

The background in a portrait is very important; its main task is to create the emotional atmosphere of the photograph. A monotonous background (for example, a bare wall) is boring and uninteresting. If photography takes place in nature, a wonderful background is obtained from leaves illuminated by the sun. The combination of the play of light and shadow on the leaves and bokeh (lens blur pattern) makes the photo more emotionally rich.

True, not all lenses can really blur the background beautifully, so that it “plays out.” This works best with fast primes with a focal length of 50 mm or more. The background blur of most zoom lenses is not that interesting - most of them are not designed for this. The principle works for lenses: the narrower the specialization, the better the result when used for its intended purpose. This is why many photographers purchase a separate lens specifically for portrait photography, a macro lens for macro photography, a good wide-angle lens for landscape photography, etc. A zoom lens in this case is a compromise solution. However, you can practice with a zoom, understand whether it is necessary and, if necessary, consciously choose a real “portrait camera”.

The following things enhance background blur:

1. Maximum open aperture. Portrait lenses allow you to open the aperture to 2, 1.4 and even 1.2! The depth of field at f/1.2 is a few centimeters. Everything that is closer and further goes into blur.

2. Increased focal length. Portrait lenses for crop have a focal length of 50 mm, for full frame - from 80 mm. The longer the focal length, the more the lens will blur the background at the same aperture value.

3. (this is often forgotten) Distance between model and background. The greater the distance, the further the background is from the focus point and the greater the blur. There is no point in trying to blur the background too much if the model is half a meter away from it.

What to do if it is not technically possible to greatly blur the background?

We figured out how to blur the background and what is needed for this. But what if we don’t have high-aperture optics or even have a point-and-shoot camera? What if you want to blur unwanted background objects, but you can’t? In our case, this can only be solved by choosing an angle in which unwanted background objects are outside the frame.

Important note! If the composition is poorly constructed, the background can cause harm. Agree, portraits with pillars sticking out of their heads or road signs the background looks extremely unprofessional! Therefore, make it a rule - when constructing a frame, concentrate not only on the model, but also on the background.

Where to focus when taking a portrait?

Let's assume we've sorted out the blurring. But the question remains open - what should be sharp? Someone will answer - “Of course the face!” Indeed, it is difficult to argue with this. And many novice portrait photographers focus strictly on the center of the face, that is, on the tip of the nose :) As a result, the nose is obtained in all details, and the most expressive part - the eyes - go into a slight blur. This makes the entire photo appear out of focus. Conclusion - sharpness in a portrait needs to be focused on the eyes.

But the trouble is that the face is placed frontally quite rarely; most often the portrait is photographed at some angle. In this case, one eye is closer to the lens, the other - further. In this case, the focus is on the eye closest to us.

Rule of thirds in portraiture

I hope there is no need to talk about the rule of thirds, you know about it very well. In a more or less close-up portrait, the eyes are located at about 1/3 level from the top.

It is customary to leave a little horizontally more space in the direction in which the model is facing. With a horizontal layout the principle is the same.

A guide from Akry will help you with framing.

Natural light in portrait photography

Many portrait masters believe that best light for portrait photography - natural. If you are photographing indoors, use window light. It is clear that the location of the window cannot be changed, but you have the freedom to choose the position of the shooting point, the model and the angle at which the light falls.

It is believed that in a portrait the most advantageous angle is half-turn (at 45 degrees) or “three-quarters” (at 22.5 degrees - between the frontal position and the half-turn position). Below is an example of a three-quarter portrait, the author of the photo is Semyon Orlov.

If you divide the face into two halves (along the line of the nose), then from a similar angle they will have different widths. Let's call the part of the face that is closer to the camera " wide". The other half, distant from the camera - " narrow".

It can be seen that the light falls from the “narrow” side (white arrow). This direction of lighting emphasized the volume quite well (the illuminated hair on the left played a big role in this). Let's imagine that the light comes from the direction of the red arrow. What do we get in this case? Only a well-lit ear, nothing more. Plus, the nose will create an unpleasant shadow. The photograph will lose all artistic value!

The model’s gaze can be directed either towards the lens or slightly to the side (as in last photo). Please note that in this photograph the gaze is directed towards the light. And we know that if there is movement of objects in opposite directions in a photograph (or at least a hint of movement), this contributes to the balance of the composition (at least this rule works great in landscape). In the portrait, as it turned out, no one canceled it either.

When taking portraits, do not use the built-in flash! Even when you really want to highlight the face of the subject, you should not resort to the built-in flash - it makes the face look flat, with glare and, often, with red eyes.

But what if the shooting takes place against the light (for example, against the background of a window just against the sun, in backlight?) We agreed not to use a flash, but there is a high risk of getting only a silhouette in the photo! With such a complex arrangement of subjects, how can you get detail on the model’s face? Many people think that there is no way to refuse such an interesting perspective.

But there is a way out! The first thing that will help is spot metering. We know that by default the device almost always uses matrix (integral, multi-segment - they're the same thing) exposure metering - over the entire frame area, based on the arithmetic average principle. In this case, the light background will have significant influence for exposure - the automation will decide that the lighting is generally good and will set a short shutter speed. As a result, the landscape outside the window will be exposed correctly, but the model will only appear as a silhouette.

If you switch the metering mode to spot or partial, the metering will be taken over a very small area in the center of the frame, which at the time of metering should be aligned with the model’s face (it is dark against the general background). In this case, the automation will set a relatively long shutter speed, at which the face will be well detailed. True, in this case, the landscape outside the window will inevitably fade into whiteness - the dynamic range of the matrix is limited, you must choose one of two.

However, there is a way to get both the face and background done at the same time! It is logical that for this you need to somehow “get” back into the dynamic range limit and reduce the contrast between the foreground and background. We won’t be able to dim the background, but we can add light to the foreground! For this purpose, a simple device was invented called reflector.

When folded, it fits into a small bag; when unfolded, it forms a reflective surface with an area of about 1 square meter. This is quite enough to illuminate the model with reflected light from the point we need. Examples of shooting a portrait with and without a reflector can be found in the article Shooting with a reflector. practical advice www.photokubik.com.

Height of the survey point

The height of the shooting point plays an important role. It is best if it is located at the model’s eye level. If you forget about this rule, then when shooting “top down” the photo turns out against the background of the ground (adults often take pictures of children this way from their own height - you don’t need to do this!), when shooting “bottom up” - the model gets a “double chin” "(models usually don't like this:)

The conclusion is simple - if you are taking a child’s portrait, sit down. If you are photographing a person who is taller than you, either stand on something or move further away and increase the focal length.

Conclusion

The topic of portraiture is extremely multifaceted and it is absolutely impossible to cover it all in one review article. As you know, the secret of successful photography rests on two things - technical part and creative. Portrait is no exception. Moreover, if the technical part of the portrait can be described, everyone must reach the creative part themselves. I am sure that the article dotted, if not all, then a significant number of i’s on the technical side of portraiture.

If you have any additions, please leave them in the comments.

Portrait is now one of the most common genres. People are photographed by both amateurs and professionals. The only difference is how they do it. In this lesson we will understand precisely this, often elusive, difference between an artistic portrait and an everyday one.

Portrait photography: plot, idea, mood

We have already discussed more than once that photography should carry a semantic or emotional charge, and tell some kind of story. Portrait photography in this regard is no exception: it is important for us not just to convey a person’s appearance, but also to tell about him, his character. The minimum is to show the mood at a specific moment in time.

What emotions does this photo evoke? Definitely positive! Bright colors work for this (remember the second lesson), soft light with beautiful shadows, as well as the pose of the model - she seems to be running along a path. As a result, the image took shape.

Taking a portrait -

The main thing is not to forget that photography is a complex in which everything is interconnected: background, color, light, a person’s facial expressions, his pose.

And this picture is the complete opposite of the previous one: the model’s tense pose, intense look at the camera, large number dark tones, as well as cold-colored smoke in the background - all this creates a dramatic, depressive mood.

Portrait photography -

You are already familiar with some components, and we will deal with the rest in this lesson.

Taking a portrait: composition features

In the second lesson, we discussed the rule of thirds and found out that in a portrait it is not always applied in a rigid form; it is often necessary to deviate from it. For example, it is believed that if a person turns his body in one direction, then he needs to leave more space there than behind his back - this will emphasize the dynamics of the turn.

However, this is not the only approach. If you do the opposite, that is, leave less space in front of the person than behind your back, then the frame will look more tense and dramatic. That is, this way you can emphasize the mood of the hero of the photo.

You probably remember about the types of plans in photography - close-up, medium, general. There are their analogues in the portrait:

How to photograph people: shoulder-length portrait.

Only the upper part of the body, approximately up to the chest, is included in the frame; cropping of the head is allowed to place the eyes on the upper third line. To convey a neutral height of a person, that is, one in which he does not appear small or tall, the camera should be placed at eye level.

How to photograph people: half-length portrait.

It's called that, but in reality the framing goes along the hips. Space is already left above the head so that the border does not put pressure on the head. Here the camera can be placed at shoulder level - this way the height will be conveyed without distortion.

How to take a beautiful portrait: full-length portrait.

As the size increases, more and more space should remain around the person so that the picture does not look cramped. Landmark - the eyes should be approximately on the top line of the thirds, maybe a little higher. The camera is located at chest level.

This division is conditional; there may well be intermediate sizes. One of the practical values of this knowledge is the versatility of shooting. If you are making a series with one person, then it is better to take photographs of different sizes in order to fully reveal both the person and the conditions in which he is located.

I would also like to add something about the height of the camera. The way this point is described above is not a rigid algorithm. You can film a person from below or from above. You just need to understand that, for example, lowest point filming will help convey confidence and arrogance. And the highest shooting point will make the image softer, perhaps even hesitant.

In addition, there are quite serious limitations on framing human body. For example, you should not cut at the joints - elbows, knees, as this makes the hands not look very beautiful. You need either higher or lower. Also, pictures in which the frame of the frame runs along the neck rarely look good; it is better to include the shoulders.

Taking a Portrait: Light in a Portrait

It is best to shoot portraits, as well as landscapes, with fixed lighting - the dynamic range of the scene is smaller, and due to the low position of the sun, it is easier to control the cut-off pattern by rotating the subject of the photo relative to the light source. It is important for us to achieve an effect where the cut-off pattern lies smoothly and does not have torn areas or strongly protruding shadows. This is most noticeable on the face, so it’s worth focusing on. For example, you can turn a person so that the face is illuminated and the shadows start at the cheekbone. The light will fall at approximately an angle of 45-50 degrees.

It is clear that 45 degrees is not the only possible angle of incidence of light. You can choose any other, the main thing is that the cut-off pattern lies evenly and beautifully.

Having half the face in shadow makes the portrait more dramatic.

When highlighting one cheekbone, it is important to ensure that it does not distract attention from the slightly shaded face.

When shooting against the sun, you also need to make sure that the faces do not turn out too dark.

Of course, it’s not always possible to shoot during regular hours. If you try to light a man midday sun, which is located high, then not very beautiful shadows form around the eyes - the so-called “panda drawing”. Or the shadow from the nose will go into the nose and climb onto the lip - this is also best avoided. To avoid these problems, you can turn the person away from the sun so that his face is in the shadow, that is, shoot in the background.

True, the background, if it is illuminated by the sun, will turn out to be overexposed - after all, the exposure should be set to the face, and the difference in brightness is too large. But this, in principle, is not considered a marriage.

In addition, you can take the hero into the shade - under trees or behind some building.

You just need to take into account that direct light has greater expressiveness than reflected light, since when shooting in the shadows there are almost no shadows themselves.

Don’t forget that you can shoot not only on the street, but also indoors - an apartment, a cafe, even an entrance. If the light is from a window, you get a very beautiful cut-off pattern.

In addition, I would like to remind you that light can affect the mood of a photograph. If you want the frame to be dramatic, then you need contrasting shadows and a predominance of dark tones.

And for a positive portrait, in addition to bright colors, you need soft light.

The use of shadows in the composition looks very cool. For example, you can find a place where the model will be illuminated, and the background will be in the shadow - this technique is called a light accent.

In addition, you can use lines of shadows, their projection onto the characters’ surroundings or onto themselves. All this makes your photos unusual and more attractive.

Portrait Photography: Posing

More often than not, you'll likely be shooting inexperienced models, people who haven't learned how to pose. It's not bad, it just makes you approach posing a little differently. It is one of the the most important factors conveying the plot and mood in a photograph.

There are several requirements for a person’s posture:

By the time you pick up the camera and start filming, you already understand what you want to shoot and what to show the viewer. And the pose should work for this! For example, the hero is cold, he is thoughtful or joyful. In ordinary life, in these cases, people take certain positions, and it is worth using them - so the viewer will be able to count and understand in what emotional state The person being portrayed is located.

In this photo, the pose clearly shows thoughtfulness.

Closed poses (for example, with crossed arms) are good for dramatic scenes, open ones for positive ones. It will be nice if you study sign language in order to independently lay the necessary emotional background, suggesting this or that pose to the person being portrayed.

If some action is performed, then you need to catch the peak moment - it will look clearer this way.

Someone crosses their arms on their chest, someone keeps them in their pockets - the pose must be familiar to the person, suitable for him. Otherwise, tension and unnaturalness in posing cannot be avoided.

"Magazine" poses are good for magazines and experienced models. It takes them a long time to learn to control their body in order to look beautiful. If you are photographing a person who is inexperienced in posing, then it is unlikely that you will be able to repeat what you saw in the glossy film. Therefore, it is better to choose simple, life-like poses.

Typical posing mistakes:

You should not hide your hands in your hair or behind your back - this will make them appear cut off. The same with pockets: at least your thumbs should be visible.
The neck is an expressive part of the body in a female portrait; try not to cover it with strongly raised shoulders.
If the hero rests his face on his hand, then his facial features should not be distorted.
It's better not to smile with half your mouth - it doesn't look very good. If you have any problems with your teeth, you can smile without showing them.
When doing a full-length portrait, make sure that the leg closest to the camera does not overlap the far one, otherwise the person will turn out to be one-legged.
It happens that inexperienced models smile, their body seems to be relaxed, but their hands betray internal tension, they are clenched - such things need to be noticed and corrected.
Looking into the lens is not always appropriate, try it different options. You just need to make sure that the person being portrayed does not turn his eyes too far away from the camera, otherwise only the whites will be visible.

Many people are unsure of themselves and worry that they don’t look good in photographs. In this case, the photographer acts not only as a photography specialist, but also as a psychologist who must prepare the person and promote him. How to do it:

Communicate with the person being portrayed: joke, talk about abstract topics, tell them what you want to do - this is liberating.
Be confident, even if you don't know how to take the best shot. Otherwise, the hero will think that the problem is in him and will be closed psychologically.
Offer to twirl in front of the mirror before shooting so that the person knows his best angles.
If you don’t know what position you need, ask to take a familiar one and go from there.
Every person has a temperament, a certain character - use it. If the person being portrayed in life is calm and unsmiling, then you should not try to hype him up into unbridled fun, at least not right away. It’s the same with positive people - it will be difficult to take a tough, dramatic shot with them.

Shooting a portrait: harmony of shooting location and clothing

It seems like an insignificant detail, but the combination of wardrobe and location can have a positive or negative effect on the subject of the photograph and the image being created. For example, will it be clear that a girl will look in evening dress, say, in the hayloft? I don't think so. But if you put it in classical architecture or the same interior, then the person being portrayed will look harmonious.

In this case, the man’s formal clothing is harmonious with the same strict, minimalistic environment.

If the model is wearing a light summer sundress, then the shooting location should be chosen to match it. It could be a green or blooming park, perhaps some kind of field with flowers.

That is, it is very important to ensure that the style of the shooting location and clothing are the same, then the hero will fit harmoniously into the shooting location. Moreover, you can look deeper and look for harmony not in style, but in the texture of clothing and its combination or contrast with the surrounding space.

In this case, the pattern on the clothes matches the color of the foliage and this gives the photo a harmonious look.

Eclecticism, that is, a mixture of styles, is possible, but there is big risk get an unclear frame. Or it will simply look “cheap” and intrusive. You need to be very careful here.

Portrait photography: creating an image

You have already studied enough tools that influence the expressiveness of photography and can help you shape the plot and mood: composition (not only the location of the object in the frame, but also its surroundings), close-up, color, light, posing (if we are talking about a portrait) . It is now important to think through all the photographs on all these points, not to miss the slightest detail. This seems difficult, at first you will forget something, but you need to strive for this. For example, let's look at this picture:

The photo has a very bright emotional coloring; the photographer managed to capture a very good moment. At the same time, despite the child’s facial expressions, the frame does not seem depressing, rather cute. Why is this so? This is where soft light comes into play, as well as light colors that minimize the negativity of emotions. Because of this, a feeling of fleeting mood is created; it seems that literally in a minute the child will be smiling.

This photo is a great example of how you can take a completely non-domestic shot at home. Why did this happen: firstly, there is amazing light - main character highlighted by it, while the background is already in the shadow, that is, an accent has been created. In addition, the action that the woman performs is very readable, there is no question about what exactly she is doing. And the environment and background are also very successful: it is clear that the action takes place in the apartment, but there is no overload or unnecessary objects. The rhythm of the books located behind the heroine played a big role in this. The result is a collective image of an elderly woman, in whom every viewer can recognize someone from her life.

Every aspiring photographer wants to learn how to photograph a portrait, because portrait photography- this is one of the most common and the ability to photograph beautiful portrait photographs will be useful both for amateurs who photograph only family and friends, and for professionals who make money from nice photos a lot of money. How to take a portrait will be discussed in our article today. Here we will present basic recommendations for the settings and composition of such a photograph.

Photo by: Evgeniya Taran

Camera settings for portrait photography

One of the nice things about portrait photography is the presence of a beautiful blurred background in the frame, which allows you to highlight the beauty of the model. To achieve background blur, or as it is also called, bokeh, you need to do as much as possible. The degree of opening of the diaphragm (aperture) depends solely on technical features optics you are working with. So, fast lenses are called that because they allow you to capture maximum light by opening the aperture.

You can control the aperture in semi-automatic aperture priority mode, or in manual mode. If you work in aperture priority mode, then setting its value manually will automatically adjust the shutter speed. By setting the aperture value in manual mode, you also set the shutter speed yourself.

To correctly set the shutter speed in manual mode, at a given aperture, you should use an exposure meter. Modern cameras are equipped with a built-in exposure meter, which is triggered automatically when operating in automatic modes. If you set the parameters manually, then you should know and navigate the exposure pairs, or make adjustments at random.

For ease of setup, we recommend that you remember this rule. In sunny, clear weather, with an aperture of f/16, a shutter speed of 1/100 sec will be optimal. When decreasing the aperture by one step, you should also increase the shutter speed by one step. If you have to shoot in cloudy weather or in low light, then this rule does not work and the ratio f/16 = 1/100 sec. will be incorrect, so the values should be adjusted depending on the conditions. Before you start burst shooting, make sure the settings are correct by taking a few test shots.

If we're talking about about shooting group portraits, then you should not set the aperture to the maximum opening, as there is a risk that not all participants in the portrait will turn out clear. It’s better to set the aperture to f/4.5-f/6, so the background will be blurry and the people in the picture will be captured well.

The focus must be adjusted to the subject's eyes. If the camera automatically focuses on your nose, forehead, or lips, focus manually. The focal point is the clearest segment of the frame and it is important that the eyes are as expressive and sharp as possible.

How to take a portrait? Composition

As for, the same classical laws of composition apply here - the rule of thirds and the rule of the Golden Ratio. In addition, you have a whole field for creativity and experimentation at your disposal. Be sure to try different pose options:

Experiment with angles and props.

Most photographers think that portraits are some kind of separate genre of photography. However, you shouldn't think like that. Holiday photos, documentary photography or family photo, everything where there is a person can be classified as portrait photography.

In this article, our expert Angela Nicholson looks at the most common portrait photography mistakes and explains how to avoid them.

Mistake #1. Shooting with a wide-angle lens.

A wide-angle lens can actually capture very distinctive portraits, which may appeal to some people.

A wide-angle lens exaggerates perspective, meaning that close objects appear much larger than those that are further away. Using a portrait as an example, this means big nose, sloping chin, distorted face and enlarged eyes.

To get the best results, you need to use a lens with a longer focal length and move further away from your subject. This will allow you to maintain the normal proportions of the person being portrayed.

Focal length 50mm or less can be good choice for a portrait in an environment, when the subject, for example, is at his workplace and you are not shooting at close range. A lens with a focal length of 70 - 85 mm is good for shooting chest and shoulder portraits.

Don't forget that on APS-C format cameras, a 50 mm lens will be equivalent in angle of view to a lens with a focal length of 75 - 80 mm, so a standard fifty-kopeck lens can be an excellent choice.

Longer lenses also work well, although they will require you to move further away from your subject and give you more room to work with.

Using a long lens allows you to enhance the blur of the background, which will give additional emphasis to the subject.

Mistake #2. Unsharp eyes.

As a general rule, eyes in a portrait should be sharp. This is especially important if you're shooting with your aperture wide open to limit your depth of field.

Shallow depth of field is great way direct the viewer's attention to the subject. Attention will be drawn to the sharp parts, which is why proper focusing is so important.

For a portrait, this means focusing on the eyes rather than the nose, for example.

If you let the camera choose the focus point for you, now you need to take control of this process and focus yourself. In the instructions for your camera you can find detailed explanations, how to select the desired focus point.

Also, if the subject is not moving, you can try manual focusing mode. In this case, it is better to put the camera on a tripod and use maximum zoom. You need to enlarge the eye area, as you will focus on them.

An added benefit of shooting from a tripod using Live View is that you can freely communicate with your subject, helping her relax and filming her discreetly.

Mistake #3. Depth of field too deep.

Shooting a portrait with a closed aperture is not always the case good idea. A harsh background will distract attention from the subject. Choosing a wider aperture, such as f/5.6, will give much better results.

Even if the background is not very blurred, but slightly, it still makes the object stand out from the surroundings, and the viewer's attention will be directed to the object.

If you want to blur the background more, you will need to increase the distance between the background and the model, for example, ask the model to move closer and move back to maintain the scale of the frame.

You can also use a lens with a longer focal length, as this will result in a reduced depth of field at the same aperture. But you will have to move further away from the model.

Mistake #4. Objects sticking out of the head.

A classic mistake when photographing people. It occurs due to the photographer’s inattention to the background; as a result, various objects stick out from people’s heads: lighting poles, tree trunks, road signs.

You can avoid this by shooting wide open to greatly blur the background, but it's easier to step back to keep unwanted objects out of the frame.

Mistake #5. The depth of field is too shallow.

While limiting the depth of field can be very effective, if you're shooting with an 85mm f/1.8 lens at its widest aperture, for example, the depth of field can be so shallow that only the eyes are in focus and the ears are already blurry.

This means you have to be very careful when focusing, and if you want a slightly larger area of the photo to be sharp than the contact lenses on your subject's eyes, try stopping down a little.

You can also check the camera screen at maximum magnification to check focus and depth of field. However, it can be difficult to judge depth of field on a camera screen, as out-of-focus areas appear sharper than they really are.

Mistake #6. Incorrect choice of shooting height.

The correct shooting height varies depending on the subject and the context of the image, but the best results are usually obtained when shooting from the subject's eye level.

With children, this may mean on your lap or even lying on the floor.

Conversely, if you want to emphasize how small they are, then shoot from above.

Many photographers caution against shooting portraits from below eye level, as this can highlight double chins and nostrils.

Traditionally, women and children are photographed slightly from above, asking them to look a little higher to highlight the eyes and make them look more attractive. These recommendations are still relevant today.

Mistake #7. Sharp Shadows

In some cases, harsh shadows are appropriate, but more often than not you'll want to soften them in a portrait.

If you are shooting in bright sunlight, find a shaded area. Alternatively, you can use a diffuser above the model's head to soften the light.

Using a flash, preferably off-camera and controlled via a synchronizer, can also work wonders to fill in shadows and add pop to an image.

Rapidly decreasing the intensity of the flash light with distance makes it possible to slightly darken the background, focusing attention on the model.

Mistake #8. Red eye effect

One of the dangers of using a built-in flash on a camera is that it is placed close to the lens, which can cause the flash light to reflect off the retina, causing red-eye.

You can reduce this effect by making appropriate settings on the camera so that it produces a pre-flash, which causes the subject's pupils to constrict. But the best cure is to move the flash away from the lens.

Mistake #9. Too many details.

While we want the eyes to be sharp in the portrait, we don't want to highlight any imperfections in the skin.

If you're shooting in JPEG, look for a neutral or natural color setting and use that. Avoid using modes that increase saturation, which can intensify colors and highlight, for example, blemishes on the skin.

It's even better to shoot in RAW and process the images well, paying attention to skin tone and its saturation (but without weakening it to the point that the person appears sick).

You can also spend a little time retouching to remove the most obvious imperfections, such as blemishes or pimples.

Don't sharpen in camera, rather do it selectively in processing, leaving the skin untouched by sharpening filters.

On the other hand, do not get carried away with retouching, so as not to turn the skin into plastic, so that the person does not recognize himself.

Mistake #10. Too far.

One of the most common mistakes beginner photographers make is shooting from a long distance without even trying to use the zoom lens.

In portrait photography, this means a lot of extra space around the subject, a lot of sky above it, a lot of ground below it, although a shoulder-length portrait would look much better here.

This doesn't mean that large-scale portraits with surroundings look bad, it just requires careful planning of the image and composition, which most people don't do.

While taking a closer shot often looks better, beware of going overboard and ending up with a passport-style photo, with tight framing from the neck up.