Portrait Photography

Portrait Photography, or portraiture, is the specialized genre of the artform focused on capturing personality and expression of an individual or group. While most commonly used in reference to photographs of people, it can also apply to pets and wildlife.

But what makes a good portrait? What separates a portrait from a snapshot? We’re here to help. From conceptualization to lighting strategies to gear recommendations, we’ve condensed professional expertise into easy-to-read guides to inspire and elevate your portraiture.

Whether you’re working in the controlled confines of the studio or contending with the elements outdoors, we have recommendations to help you get the job done. Learn about the best lenses, cameras, studio equipment, and more.

There’s a saying among photographers that the best camera for the task is the one you have available. While partially true, there’s no denying the advantage that comes from using pro-level gear. But it’s not the gear that takes the pictures, it’s the photographer.

All lenses give us the ability to change settings like aperture, which controls the amount of light that enters our camera. A byproduct of this setting is an alteration to the area of apparent focus in our image, known as depth of field. The wider our aperture, the narrow our depth of field will appear, creating that dreamy blurry background we often desire.

Not every lens can reach these fast aperture values though, nor is aperture the only factor altering our depth of field. It is merely a part of the equation alongside factor such as focal length and subject-background distance. Gear alone won’t make for better pictures, but it can help. What will really improve your results is a mastery of the gear and an understanding of how settings will affect our images

Where do we begin when starting our portraiture journey? There’s much to cover, and this is the place to learn the basics of shot composition, from where we focus to how we position elements within the frame.

What are we trying to achieve with our portraits? How can we effectively convey where our audience should look? Once we’re prepared with the tools and the skills to use them, we’re ready to tackle these more creative elements of our portraits. At the core of the issue is how we situate objects in the frame, a concept known as composition.

There are a few key considerations to making a good portrait. Of course, we want our focus to be on the eye or eyes of our subject, but don’t neglect where they sit in the frame. Putting our subject smack dab in the middle of the frame isn’t always ideal. A good composition generally follows a base rule known as the rule of thirds. This assumes that our frame is broken up into thirds, and the points where these sections intersect are points of visual interest.

Composing an image with just one subject is relatively easy once we get a hang of the rules, but what if we have multiple? Portraiture extends beyond the individual, covering families and groups of all sizes. Sometimes, adjusting for groups can be as easy as tweaking our settings or using a different lens as covered above. However, there’s much to cover, so let’s learn some new techniques.

Lighting is where photography meets sculpture, giving depth and shape to your subjects. From off-camera flash to classic three-point setups and beyond, here’s where you’ll find the knowledge base to flatter, glorify, or interrogate your subjects.

What is photography without light? We may have the best composition and the technical elements in our image mastered, but nothing can fix bad lighting. It may seem overwhelming, but understanding lighting direction, intensity, and temperature is essential to capturing quality images. Ambient, or natural, lighting can be simple yet dramatic, though we’re at the mercy of Sun angle and weather.

For greater control of light across the board, we’ll need to implement artificial light sources. Speedlights, LED panels, or studio strobes are all capable tools for the task at hand. These setups provide greater control, especially when we take our flash off cameras and pair it with light-shaping tools known as modifiers.

Whether you're getting started with headshots or a seasoned editorial photographer, there’s always new techniques and approaches to learn. With technical proficiency and artistic vision, we’re ready to broaden our skillset and take on more challenging tasks like posing.

Just because it’s the norm doesn’t mean it’s the only option. Experimentation in photography is essential to staying creative and expanding your versatility as a creator. While portraiture is all about light, direction, and of course, the subject, there’s no one lighting technique nor one method of directing your subject.

To take your portraiture to the next level, open up to new ideas and techniques. Don’t get caught in a creative rut and instead, extend yourself outside of your comfort zone. Try new lenses, lights, light modifiers, and be open to failing. You’ll find that what you once considered to be failure, is just another way of doing things.

The work of the portraitist doesn’t end with the shoot. Effective workflow management, combined with post-production techniques, can be the difference between a striking portrait and lifeless likeness. Explore studio efficiency, skin tones, and client services here.

As we develop our skills, there will come a need to streamline our process. Whether it be to save time during a shoot or after, there are many tools at our disposal. We can connect our camera directly to a computer, laptop, or tablet to review our images as we shoot for full-resolution previews.

Tethering is only one piece of the puzzle. Much of the work involved in portraiture occurs after the photo has been taken. Post-production is where we truly make an image shine, either by way of small touchups or adjustments to color and brightness. No matter how seriously you take your craft, there’s always room to improve efficiency.

Looking to make your passion into a career? We’ve got some helpful advice to boost your brand.

Let’s be honest, making great photos is the easiest part of running a photo business. Anyone can learn how to take pictures, and in time, become a skilled photographer. Once we master our camera and our post-production workflow, there’s still the question of our final goal. What are we doing with our photos once we take them?

You may just wish to share your images online with friends, family, or on your website. You may also desire to turn your hobby into a side hustle or career. No matter what the goal, you’ll want to build an audience, and subsequently your brand. Your work could be simply stupendous, but if you don’t know how to properly promote your brand, you’ll struggle to find clients.

If you’re looking to go pro or to expand your already growing career as a professional photographer, there’s much to learn. Even if you simply do it for the love of the game, many of these business tips can improve your visibility. In a market dictated by algorithms, it is essential to be authentic and consistent in your approach.

Excellent portraiture goes beyond mere likeness, unveiling the subject by telling their story. We can read about the art of portraiture, but without practice, we’ll never improve. Transform your approach and understanding of the subject in front of you.

With the tools, skills, and knowledge to succeed, we just need to practice. As with all things, the more portraits you take, the better you will become at it. Experiment with different lenses, lighting setups, and work the subject. Before you go, we have some tips and techniques from the pros to inspire you. Learn from them and try their techniques in the wild or make some adjustments to find your own style. There’s no one right way to make a portrait