Learning doesn’t need to be a difficult process. All you need is a bit of practice, patience, and a few insider tips up your sleeve.
It doesn’t matter if you’re only beginning with portrait photography or are a seasoned expert - there are plenty of ways you can improve your portraits. Whether it’s by altering your perspective, fixing your aperture, or using lens filters - we’ve put together a list of tips to keep in mind for your next photoshoot.
Want to learn how to take better portraits? You’ve come to the right place.
What Is Portrait Photography?
Let’s start with the basics - what is portrait photography?
When we think of the term ‘portrait photography‘, our mind often drifts to those bland corporate headshots on a white background - though this style is much more elaborate.
Portrait photography can be a great creative outlet for both models and photographers, giving you the chance to work closely with your subjects to portray real emotions. That being said, it’s a lot easier said than done. But, with a few basic tips up your sleeve, taking amazing portraits can become simple.
How To Take Better Portraits
Are you ready to improve your portrait photography skills? Learn how to take better portraits with these 5 simple tips below.
Find The Right Location
As you’re planning for a portrait photoshoot, one of the most important things you’ll need to do is choose the right location. Though with so many potential locations to choose from, what is the ‘right’ location?
To narrow down your search, try creating a moodboard with your model to find a mutual style and scene. Once you have a scene in mind, you can begin searching for a location that meets your criteria - whether it’s the rainforest, beach, country, or just a simple studio shoot.
Before locking in a location, consider visiting beforehand at the time of day you intend to shoot. This will give you a much better understanding of the layout and lighting, which will make you better prepared.
Connect With Your Subject
As important as the location is for your portrait shoot, your subject deserves most of your attention - after all, they’re the spotlight.
Throughout the photoshoot, you should focus on creating an environment and relationship where they feel comfortable. After all, being photographed can feel quite unnatural and stressful.
With a good level of trust, your subjects will have the confidence to be their authentic selves - which will come across in your images.
So, how can you help your subjects relax before a photoshoot? Try making small talk with them before the shoot. Get to know them and also share some more information about yourself. Discuss with them the specific shots you’d like to capture and get them excited about the photoshoot.
Experiment With Perspective
Another great way to elevate your portrait photography is to start experimenting with intriguing perspectives.
Rather than simply shooting at eye level with your subject, consider shooting at completely new angles to find better compositions. You could do this by getting lower, finding an aerial angle, shooting through objects, or getting some distance from your subject.
There’s no right or wrong answer here - it’s all about trying new things and seeing what sticks.
Fix Your Aperture
Especially if you’re noticing that your portraits are looking a little ‘busy’ in the background, one of the best things you can do is to lower your aperture.
Shooting with a lower aperture will create a shallow depth of field, generating more blur in the background. This will minimise any distractions and pull all the focus onto your subject - which is ideal when shooting portraits.
If you’re not sure where to start, consider shooting on a wider aperture - specifically, between 2.8 to 4.
Try A Lens Filter
If you’re looking for ways to help make your portrait photography stand out, consider using a special effects lens filter. These accessories are mounted on the front of your lens and are designed to create eye-catching effects that you simply wouldn’t be able to create in-camera.
They’re great for adding blur in your foreground and producing customised, eye-catching characteristics to your images.
Some popular special effects lens filters include kaleidoscope, linear prism filter, and centerfield split diopter filters.
The Best Lens Filters For Portrait Photography
Are you looking for a special effects lens filter to level up your portrait photography? We’ve made a few suggestions below.
Freewell 95mm Centerfield Split Diopter Filter
Firstly, we have the Freewell 95mm Centerfield Split Diopter Filter - a popular lens filter for anyone hoping to take their portrait photography to the next level.
Featuring a +2 diopter strength with a gap in the middle to create an alluring blur effect - this lens filter will draw all the focus on your subject whilst giving your images more depth.
Freewell 95mm Linear Prism Filter
Another favoured special effects filter to try for portrait photography is this Freewell 95mm Linear Prism Filter.
This filter allows you to create multiple replications of your subject, which helps to draw more focus to them. It’s best used with an aperture of 2, 2.8, or 1.4.