Portrait photography is one of the most popular genres of photography, with good reason. Good portrait photographers are able to capture the personality and emotion of their subject.
For our 2nd Kreative Klinik on photography, Ninno Jack Jr explores the subject of portrait photography and discusses the tools, tricks, and tips you’ll need to create the best human portraits.
According to Ninno, a true portrait portrays the personality of the subject. It tells a story about their environment, their profession, their culture, or how they’re feeling in that particular time and place. It’s all about the person in the photograph.
Important Elements of Portrait Photography
FACE: A lot of portrait photography is so much about the face. However abstract they might be, they have so much character to them. The eyes somehow describe what is going on in the rest of the body. Eyes are the center point of portrait photography. Not only are eyes visually interesting, but they also help communicate mood. If you want to be creative with a portrait, focus on the eyes.
STORYTELLING: Portraying a story through images. The set ,mood, feel, posture of the subject etc depict a story of sorts. Always be aware of everything in your frame and how it contributes to the story you are trying to tell.
PERSONALITY: It shows their expression, or conveys their personality.
To achieve a connection with the subject, it helps to build a rapport with the person you’re photographing first, to make them feel more comfortable in front of your lens.
STUDIO SETUP: Normally for studio setup, you will determine the kind of light you need by focusing on their eyes. Lighting helps you frame your subjects. In photography, there is no such thing as good light or bad light. There is only appropriate light.
For portraits, any lense can work but prime lenses are better. Make sure you have good gear to get great portraits.
EDITING: Sometimes, it is impossible to take a perfect shot no matter how hard you try. So a few edits here and there will help you achieve the perfect portrait. Make your images flawless but realistic.
Compose our images with intent, choose the appropriate light, and wait for the moment.