The popularity of digital cameras continues to explode; however, easy and understandable tips for how to take better photographs continues to be elusive. Knowing how to pose subjects, use backgrounds, and compose shots certainly makes the difference!

Portrait is defined as, “A likeness of a person, especially one showing the face, that is created by a painter or photographer, for example.  ” In the area of portrait photography there are some guidelines that you should consider when you go to take photos of people.

CLOSE-UP PORTRAITS

These usually have the subject’s shoulders and head or less. They are framed around the face. These are the most common and best at capturing expressions and glamour shots.  For these it is very important to have the light coming from a good angle. To accent wrinkles or small details you should have the light coming from the side or from the top.

For close-up portraits you should use a wide aperture (low f/stop) to make the background out of focus and therefore less of a distraction. Professionals commonly use a fixed telephoto lens that’s 90 mm or higher for portraits in order to de-emphasize the subject’s nose or any other unflattering feature. It works because at that distance the nose or any other feature does not seem closer to the camera than the rest of the face.

UPPER BODY OR MIDRANGE PORTRAITS

These are easier to capture because the subject is probably more relaxed because it’s less personal. These include a little more of the background than close-ups. These are commonly used for both single subjects and multiple subjects. This is the kind of portrait used to mark occasions such as graduation, yearbook, birthdays and other parties. The ideal lens would be about a 90 mm fixed telephoto or more wide angle depending on how many subjects there are.

ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAITS

These are the portraits that let you into the life of a subject. They might include the whole subject in a scenario or the subject participating in some hobby that they enjoy. These are best for telling a story to the viewer about the subject. They are almost always used by photojournalists to look into the lives of interesting people. They also make great Black and White pictures.

Use this information to develop what kind of portrait style you would like to take… Dare to explore … Be creative… Learn the art of painting with Light & FEEL it with your EYES !

Here are some  kids photos  shot at Pixels Studio @ 28 Nagore  Road.  Enjoy !