Digital Portrait Photography and Lighting - Since the earliest portraits were scratched onto cave walls, we've developed increasingly sophisticated tools for capturing human likenesses.

Yet the motivation has changed little---to freeze a human image as an art form, a means of communication, a piece of personal history. Whether formalized with elaborate settings and lighting or snapped at the beach to hold forever the pure joy in a child's face, portraits preserve people.

Today's digital technology offers flexibility, economy, and almost limitless tools for perfecting your images, and these experts help you use it.

Discover the skills you need to move from serious amateur to professional photographer

Learn how a snapshot differs from a casual portrait

Identify what you want your portrait to communicate

Investigate lighting equipment, and how to use it in different scenarios

Use natural or mixed light to create unique effects

Explore composition, posing, and handling challenges

Handle props, backgrounds, color, location shooting, and studio shots

Work with groups, children, and pets

Perfect image-editing methods and final-touch processes that produce high-quality, professional images

Find resources that can help you in setting up your own portrait business