Since the invention of the first camera over two hundred years ago, portrait photography has long been one of the most popular genres of photography. And while the majority of people enjoy taking photos of others, and it seems simple at first, it’s a lot harder than it looks.
When shot correctly, portraits freeze individual moments in time and tell their stories. Of course, portrait photography captures people, but there’s so much more to a great portrait than just a person. They transmit emotions, teleport us around the globe, and intimately connect us with the subject.
With that said, if you are a beginner photographer interested in portrait photography, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we share a handful of simple yet effective tips that will increase the quality of your portraits. By implementing them into your photography routine today, you will see immediate results, and your friends and family will be blown away by your images.
So, what are we waiting for? Let’s dive in and discover four simple portrait photography tips for beginners guaranteed to improve your portraits overnight!
Check out the video above by Bach Photography to learn more portrait photography tips and how you can quickly and easily improve your portraits.
Table of Contents
- Portrait Photography Tips: Get to Know Your Subjects
- Portrait Photography Tips: Use the Right Lens
- Portrait Photography Tips: Be Creative
- Portrait Photography Tips: Partner With a High-Quality Printing Company
- Final Thoughts on Portrait Photography
Portrait Photography Tips: Get to Know Your Subjects
Photo by bodnar.photo via Shutterstock
One drastically underrated aspect of portrait photography is the relationship between the subject and the photographer. The better you know the person you are shooting, the more comfortable you both will be during a photo shoot, and the better the pictures will turn out. This is why it’s critical to take the time to get to know and connect with your models before working with them.
In some situations, such as street and travel photography, you rarely have time to get to know your subjects. And sometimes the two of you won’t even speak the same language. However, a smile and a quick hello go a long way in these cases. They will instantly lower your subject’s guard, which will shine through in your photos.
Portrait Photography Tips: Use the Right Lens
Photo by oscargutzo via Shutterstock
Another top portrait photography tip for beginners is to make sure you are using the correct lenses. When selecting a portrait lens, the lens type (zoom vs prime), focal length, and maximum aperture are the primary things to consider. Price will also factor into your decision, so if you are on a budget, I recommend checking out the amazing selection of used lenses at MPB.
In other types of photography, zoom lenses are the most sought-after lenses, but most portrait photographers prefer working with prime lenses. This is because they often feature higher-quality glass and have large max apertures (low f-stop number). The best focal lengths for portrait photography are 85mm, 50mm, and 35mm.
Portrait Photography Tips: Be Creative
Photo by Olga Evans via Shutterstock
This seems like a “duh” tip, but due to the popularity of portrait photography, it can be challenging to make your photos stand out. That’s why our next portrait photography tip for beginners is to be creative and have fun with it! Different ways to be creative include playing with light, using props/outfits, and taking advantage of today’s post-production tools.
There are tons of ways to get creative using light, whether you are using natural lighting, a lighting kit, or creative lens filters. One of my favourites is to create contrast using shadows, as shown above. Next, props and clothing are a great way to add a fun and unique look to your images. Lastly, editing your portraits is a fantastic way to make your images pop! Learn the ropes of a program like Photoshop, watch some editing tutorials, and watch the quality of your portraits improve drastically!
Keep Reading: A Beginner’s Guide to Portrait Photography Angles
Portrait Photography Tips: Partner With a High-Quality Printing Company
Image Credit: Shiny Prints
Our final portrait photography tip is to ensure you always print your portraits from a high-quality, trustworthy source. There are endless places that claim to deliver excellent quality prints, but unfortunately, not all of them live up to their promise. And as a beginner photographer, the last thing you need is to have your portraits ruined by a shabby print job.
Fortunately, there are some fantastic outfits, like Shiny Prints, that offer beautiful prints without breaking the bank. That’s the exact combination you want when you’re starting out in photography!
Shiny Prints specializes in metal prints, and, boy, do they do a bang-up job…
As I discuss in my video below, I was blown away by the quality of my metal print from these guys. From the color rendition to the contrast to the sharpness, this print was stunning. The quality of the metal and the craftsmanship that went into making it were completely impressive, too!
This focus on one substrate means that you get a better product. Sure, some companies offer paper, metal, acrylic, canvas, and other types of prints, but sometimes the focus on a million different products means they aren’t as good as they could be. It’s a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none situation.
But since Shiny Prints is a metal-only outfit, they’ve honed their craft, developed innovative techniques for creating prints, and found their niche as one of the best metal print companies. That’s the kind of expertise and proven track record you want when you entrust a company with printing your images!
So, if you’re at the point where you want to see your best photos as large-format prints, now is the time to visit Shiny Prints. I’ve gotten numerous prints from these folks over the years, and I’ve been nothing but impressed. I think you will be, too!
Final Thoughts on Portrait Photography
Photo by NDAB Creativity via Shutterstock
As you can see, so much more goes into creating gorgeous portraits than just your camera and subject…
Pre-production, production, and post-production all play huge roles in the process and affect your final results. So, remember what you learned above the next time you are taking photos of people, and you will find that the results you get are vastly improved.
All that’s left to do now is to grab your camera, find a portrait subject, and start shooting!
Our articles might have affiliate links and the occasional sponsored content, but don’t sweat it – if you buy something, we get a little kickback at no extra cost to you, and we only hype products we truly believe in!
Learn More:
- 3 Techniques That Will Completely Change Your Portrait Photography
- Beyond the Selfie: Creative Portrait Ideas to Elevate Your Travel Photography
Hero photo by Prostock-studio via Shutterstock
