Essential Elements Of Portrait Photography

Most photographers love photographing people—but they will also readily admit that there are a lot of challenges to making great portraits. In this book, professional portrait photographer Bill Israelson explores the skills that lie at the heart of a successful approach to portrait photography. First, he helps you set your overall objectives for the image and your depiction of the subject, which will determine the equipment you’ll need. Then, he lays out a simple six-step process designed to help you achieve your objectives(from location selection through lighting and posing) and create a great-looking portrait of any subject in any situation. Delving further into the process, he presents individual chapters dedicated to meeting the unique challenges of creating portraits outdoors, in the studio, and at indoor locations. Concluding with tips for editing your images, Israelson charts a simple course to more appealing, more flattering portraits!

Creating an idealized image of a subject is a portrait photographer's job. However, the approach is not quite formulaic. From one subject to the next and one day to the next, there are different goals and scenarios—on Monday, you may be tasked with photographing your subjects under cloudy skies on a beach; on Tuesday, you may need want to downplay your client's wide hips in the studio; on Wednesday, you may want to create dramatic lighting for an actor's portfolio—on-stage. Every day, there is a unique challenge to meet, often under varying conditions. So, how do you make a magically good portrait during every shoot? In this book, Bill Israelson shows you how to tackle the problem of creating a great portrait of your every client. Beginning with a discussion on equipment essentials, breaking the discussion into two topics—gear for studio work and portable equipment for location work. Next, you'll learn simple posing strategies for making women, men, kids, and groups looks their best in any presentation. You'll learn how to position the body from head to toe to maximize assets and downplay common problem areas. Lighting is the backbone of every image. In the studio, you have complete control over every facet of the lighting—from its hardness or softness to its color temperature and direction. On location, the basic principles of good lighting still apply—but the quality and quantity of light is subject to change. Israelson shows you how to harness the available light and supplement it when needed to create saleable images every time. With straightforward, jargon-free text and a wide range of image examples, this book will help you quickly learn how to improve your portrait results to create client-pleasing portraits every time.

Flattering, natural posing is one of the key elements in successful portrait photography. In this book, you'll learn how to enhance your posing skill and achieve top-quality results.

Featuring techniques and images from more than 40 of the industry's top photographers, this resource shows the best methods for lighting and posing individuals, couples, and groups, both on location and in the studio. Details are included on how to pose subjects, elicit expressions, create dynamic compositions, and utilize traditional lighting setups. Whether a photographer shoots weddings, group portraits, executive images or a little bit of everything, this book serves as a how-to guide and an idea file. Fully updated with all new images and covering the newest digital technology and latest software versions, this resource is an indispensable guide for photographers.

There are many aspects to professional photography: composition, camera angles, exposure, color balance, posing, and lighting— just to name a few. However, while each of these aspects of photography is important in the creation of a professional portrait, lighting presents a special challenge that is part art and part science. When the two come together effectively, the results are stunning; when any one aspect of the recipe falls short, the result is a poor exposure or a downright unflattering look. On the artistic side of the scale, lighting is one of the primary tools for setting the mood of the portrait. It can communicate a sense of bright, airy ease or sharp, dramatic tension—or anything in between. Determining what look is right for the client (and for their intended use of the resulting portraits) is a key decision. From there, the photographer can begin to use light to sculpt the subject’s features, minimizing problem areas or accentuating the subject’s best features through the selection of light modifiers and the positioning of the lights themselves. Moving to the technical side, outdoor lighting present particular challenges—but also some significant advantages. Outdoors, photographers shoot at least partially with natural light. While this is (most of the day) an abundant light source, it is largely out of the control of the photographer. The light can change from moment to moment as clouds pass between the earth and sun. It also changes continually throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky. Since he can’t completely control the light, the photographer must be prepared to adapt his subject’s pose and position to create flattering results with the light as-is. Alternately, the photographer can “tweak” the lighting by augmenting the sunlight with flash or reflectors—or even softening it, using scrim or other diffusers. (Of course, this leaves another major concern: the background. Even if the light on the subject can be perfected, rarely can the photographer also control the light on an area as large as the background—making it a major concern in the process of posing and lighting.) So, given all this, why would any photographer choose to make portraits outside? One advantage is that the lighting and scenes are free—making outdoor photography a great starting point for those entering the field. Even established studios, however, have found that clients simply like the natural, timeless look of outdoor portraits. This makes them strong sellers. Additionally, most portrait subjects are more at ease in natural light than when seated in front of bright, noisy studio-flash units—and relaxed subjects translate into better expressions, and better overall portraits. In this book, Smith takes you through the process or lighting outdoor portraits from start to finish, covering both the artistic and technical aspects of achieving success. Short one- or two-page lessons are amply illustrated to guide the reader through each phase. In many cases, before and after images—or image sequences showing variations and alternative approaches—are presented to facilitate learning. Readers are encouraged to have this book with them during practice sessions and work on replicating or refining the provided examples, creating a self-study course in the art of lighting for outdoor portrait photography.

In this e-book, you will learn everything you need to know about portrait photography, from the basics of composition and lighting to advanced techniques for capturing stunning images of people. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced photographer, this guide will help you elevate your portrait photography to the next level.

With techniques for achieving a flawless portrait, this manual shows how to create stunning, professional images in any setting. Tips on how to delicately discuss and evaluate a subject’s appearance and his or her specific concerns combine with examples on how subtle changes in lighting and posing can flatter subjects—by slimming the waist and hips, enhancing the bust, narrowing the nose, reducing a double chin, and concealing baldness—helping portrait photographers sensitively downplay perceived flaws. Also illustrating how the latest in digital imaging technology can fix problems, this up-to-date resource shows how to digitally eliminate acne, whiten teeth, remove braces, and fix unnoticed clothing problems. Techniques for processing RAW files and for optimizing JPEG files for quick, but consistent, shooting are also included. With hundreds of new images, before-and-after sequences, and informative text, this is the ultimate reference for creating beautiful, flattering portraits.

Do you want to improve your portrait photography or define your personal style? This is a no-nonsense guide by professional photographer Joris Hermans [jorishermans.com] to inspire portrait photographers or enthusiasts who want to improve their photos. In this book, Joris, founder of TheWorldAheadOfUs.com explains how he works, what gear he uses and what the important elements are for his portraits with lots of example photos and camera settings. Filled with personal tips and advice, this guide will help you to make better photos... An inspiration for you to get out there with new ideas...! Includes: - Example photos - Camera settings - Working methods - What gear to use and why - Tips & advice