[Photography] Polarizing Filters: What Are They and Why Do You Need One?

The post Polarizing Filters: What Are They and Why Do You Need One? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

What is a polarizing filter? And what makes polarizers so special?

In this article, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about polarizers. I’ll explain what they are, what they do, and how they can help improve your photography. I’ll explain when you might want to use a polarizer, and I’ll also highlight certain situations where a polarizing filter is a very bad idea – so you know exactly when to use one the next time you’re out in the field.

If you’re ready to become a polarizer expert, then read on!

What is a polarizing filter?

A polarizing filter is a piece of glass that goes over your camera lens and reduces haze, reflections, and glare. It also darkens blue skies.

Without getting too scientific, light waves that bounces off water, leaves, glass, and other reflective materials become polarized, which means they vibrate in a special way; polarizing filters are designed to block this polarized light from reaching your camera sensor.

Most photographers use circular polarizing filters, which screw onto the lens and can be rotated to amplify or reduce the polarization effect. So by turning a polarizing filter in one direction, the photographer can block out reflections, and by turning the polarizing filter in the other direction, the photographer can ensure the reflections are clearly visible.

Why are polarizing filters useful in photography?

Polarizing filters are known for three highly visible effects:

1. They reduce reflections, so you can photograph through glass and water.
2. They reduce glare, so you can capture more saturated colors.
3. They cut down on polarized light in the atmosphere, which causes skies to turn a deep, dark blue.

In certain situations, these effects are a big deal. For instance, if you’re photographing a beautiful rocky tidepool, a polarizer can eliminate pesky reflections and reveal the beauty underneath. And if you’re photographing a desert landscape at noon, the polarizer will turn the hazy blue sky into a darker, more evocative color.

In fact, polarizers are used for landscape photography all the time, because you’re often faced with reflective water and foliage. Don’t like the reflections in the water? Use a polarizer. Want to capture more saturated fall colors? Use a polarizer.

And many other genres of photography use polarizers, too. Cityscape and architectural photographers use polarizers to reduce reflections in glass windows and car windshields (though note that polarizers don’t reduce reflections and glare off of metal surfaces, such as the sides of buildings).

Basically, whenever you’re faced with unwanted haze or reflections, you simply screw a polarizer onto the front of your lens. Then, by twisting the polarizer, you can block out the offending light and get much deeper, saturated colors and reduced reflections.

How to use a polarizing filter: step by step

Polarizers are wonderfully easy to use.

First, when you find a scene that requires reflection or glare reduction, simply screw your polarizing filter onto the front of your lens.

Next, look through the camera viewfinder, then slowly rotate the polarizer. As you rotate the glass, watch the areas of your composition with obvious reflective elements.

After a few moments of rotation, you should see the reflections start to fade. Continue to rotate the filter until the reflections have disappeared (or have reached a level that you like).

Then leave your polarizer as it is, and proceed to adjust your other camera settings for the proper depth of field, exposure, etc. Note that you should always set your exposure after applying the polarizing filter, because a polarizing filter blocks out light, which in turn requires exposure compensation.

Another key fact: Polarizing filters don’t always work perfectly. Depending on the angle of the sun and the quality of the light, you may notice significant changes to a polarized image – or you may notice no changes at all.

For the greatest effect, try to keep the sun at a 90-degree angle to your lens. A common trick is to make a finger gun with your thumb and index finger. Then point your thumb at the sun and rotate your index finger in a circle (as if your thumb is the axle and your index finger is the spoke on a bicycle tire). Wherever your index finger points will experience the strongest polarization effect, whereas other areas of the scene will experience the polarization effect to varying degrees.

The problem with polarizers

Now that you’re familiar with the polarization effect, you might be wondering:

Why don’t I just use a polarizer all the time? Can’t I keep it attached to my lens, then rotate it as needed?

The problem is that, in addition to their benefits, polarizers have several drawbacks.

First, polarizers reduce the amount of light that hits your camera sensor and this impacts exposure. Every time you add a polarizer to your lens, you lose light, which means you need to use a slightly slower shutter speed, a slightly wider aperture, or a slightly higher ISO. This is rarely convenient, and in certain situations, it can be a non-starter; what if you’re photographing in low light? A polarizer may cause you to miss the shot thanks to a too-slow shutter speed.

Second, polarizers don’t impact an entire scene equally, especially if you’re using a wide-angle lens. Wide-angle lenses portray so much of the scene that you’ll often get some areas that are highly polarized, and other areas that are much less affected. This can look strange – like blue banding across the sky – and so you may want to avoid using a polarizer in certain wide-angle landscape situations.

Third, while quality polarizers work well, there are plenty of poorly made options out there that will produce unpleasant color casts and reduce image sharpness. So if you do buy a polarizer, make sure it’s a good one. Don’t compromise, even if it means paying $100+ for a nice filter.

When to use a polarizing filter

While you shouldn’t use a polarizer all the time, here are a few situations when it’s a good idea to screw on that filter:

When photographing water

When photographing a scene with water, you’ll often get unwanted reflections, and a polarizer can make all the difference.

For example, when I was snorkelling off the coast of Indonesia a few years back, I took a series of photos without my polarizer. The water looked murky, plus it had a big, unpleasant reflection on the surface.

But when I used my polarizing filter, everything changed; the water become a crystal-clear, bright-blue color, and the shots had far more impact.

Of course, you shouldn’t always apply a polarizing filter to water shots. Sometimes, you’ll want to maintain reflections in a scene – think of a mountain reflecting in a quiet lake – in which case you should leave the polarizer in your bag.

But more often than not, if water is featured in your scene, a polarizer is a good idea.

When photographing a blue sky

The color of the sky can change dramatically with a quick twist of the polarizing filter. A pale blue can turn to a vibrant, deep blue color, though the extent of the effect does depend on the sun’s position.

(Also, a polarizer can cut out a lot of the smoggy haze that you’ll find in city scenes.)

When you’re photographing a landscape on a clear day, it’s often a good idea to at least try using a polarizer, especially if you’re shooting when the sun is high in the sky. The effect is quite striking, and it can even be the difference between a mediocre shot and a great shot.

When photographing trees and leaves

When you think of reflective objects, “leaves” probably isn’t the first item that comes to mind.

Yet leaves are actually quite reflective, and this reflectivity can seriously reduce color saturation.

A circular polarizer is particularly useful when capturing fall colors – professional photographers use polarizers pretty much non-stop when photographing the autumn landscape – because it cuts down on reflectivity and glare, which consequently increases color intensity.

When photographing reflective glass

If you like to photograph buildings or cars, a polarizer can be a big help, assuming you want to emphasize the building/car interior.

Glass is pretty reflective, but a polarizer can do a very nice job of removing those reflections.

(Of course, there are times when you’ll want to keep reflections for an interesting effect. In such cases, keep the polarizer off your lens.)

How to choose a polarizing filter

Most lenses take screw-in filters that attach to the end of the lens barrel, just over the front element.

Because different lenses feature different diameters, you’ll need to take note of the diameter on your specific lens, then buy a polarizing filter with a matching size.

If you have several leness with different diameters, you’ll need to buy several polarizing filters (annoying, I know; the alternative is purchasing step-down filters, but they can be cumbersome and frustrating to work with).

Keep in mind that good polarizers are not cheap – but as I emphasized above, you shouldn’t skimp and buy a poor-quality filter for your top-notch lenses. Instead, pay for a good polarizer made by a reputable brand (Hoya and B+W are two good places to start!).

Polarizing filters: final words

Now that you’ve finished this article, you should know all about polarizing filters and how you can use them for stunning shots!

So if you’re attracted to the power of a polarizer, then consider purchasing one! I guarantee you’ll have a lot of fun with it.

Now over to you:

Have you ever tried a polarizing filter? What was it like? What subjects did you use it on? Share your thoughts (and images!) in the comments below.

The post Polarizing Filters: What Are They and Why Do You Need One? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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[Photography] See the New Lightroom Masking Tool in Action [Video]

The post See the New Lightroom Masking Tool in Action [Video] appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

In October, Adobe unveiled several revolutionary updates to its local adjustment tools in Lightroom, including a new Masks panel, several AI-driven masking tools, and a revamped masking workflow.

But while these updates offer unprecedented power, they take some getting used to.

Later this week, we’ll be releasing a comprehensive tutorial on the new updates – but in the meantime, why not see the Masks panel in action?

Check out the video below, in which professional landscape photographer Nigel Danson puts the Masking Tool through its paces. Danson explains every step of his process, so you can understand exactly how he approaches editing with the Lightroom updates, plus – bonus! – you’ll see a beautiful landscape shot go from a flat, boring RAW photo to an eye-popping masterpiece.

Along the way, you’ll learn:

• How to use Radial Gradient masks to create a gorgeous sunset glow
• How to add drama to the sky with a Linear Gradient
• How to fine-tune your masks with Color Range and Luminosity Range functions
• How to combine masks for highly targeted adjustments

And once you’ve finished, be sure to leave a comment below, discussing your favorite element of the new features!

The post See the New Lightroom Masking Tool in Action [Video] appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jaymes Dempsey.

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[Photography] Burst Mode: What Is It, and How Should You Use It?

The post Burst Mode: What Is It, and How Should You Use It? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

Do you want to capture action shots of kids running, birds flying, sports players dunking, split-second moments on the streets, and more?

Well, you can – if you know how to use your camera’s burst mode, that is.

Burst mode, also known as continuous shooting mode, allows you to shoot a series of rapid-fire images without stopping. Depending on your camera’s capabilities, you can record 5, 10, 20, or even 60 images per second, and each one offers another opportunity to capture a once-in-a-lifetime action image.

In this article, I’m going to share everything you need to use burst mode like a pro, going from the basics all the way up to advanced continuous-shooting guidelines.

Let’s dive right in.

Burst mode is great for capturing fast-moving subjects!

What is burst mode?

Burst mode is a camera function that allows you to capture a series of photographs in quick succession. With burst mode activated, you can hold down the shutter button, and your camera will rattle off a set of photos.

The specific burst mode speeds vary from camera to camera; low-end and older cameras offer burst modes in the 3 frames-per-second range (i.e., 3 photos per second). Class-leading sports cameras offer 20, 30, or 60 frames per second. And the average camera offers 6-12 frames per second.

Also, note that some cameras offer several burst speeds, which vary depending on the size and quality of the photo, the autofocus mode, the shutter mode, and more.

Unfortunately, most camera burst modes are not unlimited. As you take photos, your camera’s buffer – where images are stored before being added to your memory card – fills up. Once the buffer is full, your burst mode will stop working (at least until the buffer frees up space, at which point you can start shooting bursts again).

There are exceptions when shooting lower-quality images or when using top-of-the-line cameras, but generally speaking, if you hold down your camera’s burst mode, it’ll eventually freeze up.

I used burst mode to capture this moment of a cockatoo eating grass seed.

When should you use burst mode?

Technically, you can use burst mode all the time. Assuming you don’t hold down the shutter button for too long at any one time, you can capture a burst of images every time you find a new subject.

However, I don’t recommend you use your continuous shooting mode constantly. For one, this will encourage you to get lazy with your photography – you’ll shoot in bursts and you’ll never learn how to time beautifully composed images. Plus, constant burst mode will produce a huge number of files. Your memory cards will fill up insanely fast, and so will your hard drives.

Instead, I suggest turning on burst mode when you know you’re photographing action, or when you’re about to see a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

For instance, if you’re shooting a sports game, you might leave burst mode on for the entire event; that way, whenever something interest happens – a slam dunk, a turnover, a buzzer-beater – you’re ready to capture the essential moments. Same if you’re photographing fast-moving wildlife or birds, a child’s soccer game, or a dog doing an agility course.

Burst mode is also perfect for capturing moments that are unmissable (even if they don’t involve action). If you’re photographing your child walk across the stage at graduation, burst mode will all but guarantee a shot of them accepting their diploma. If you’re photographing a portrait subject, burst mode will increase your chances of capturing an evocative expression or pose. And if you’re photographing a street scene, burst mode will help you record split-second interactions, such as spouses making eye contact.

By the way, you can also use burst photography to capture technically difficult scenes. If you’re manually focusing on a flower at high magnifications, you could fire off a series of images as you slowly adjust the point of focus, and you’re more likely to get a nice result:

Handholding with extension tubes can be tricky. Burst mode is one way to increase the ratio of sharp macro images.

Here’s a list of photography genres that use burst mode consistently:

• Sports photography
• Pet photography
• Bird photography
• Wildlife photography
• Street photography (sometimes)
• Event photography (sometimes)

How to use burst mode (step by step)

Now that you’re familiar with the definition and importance of burst mode, let’s look at how you can use it for the best results.

Step 1: Activate burst mode on your camera

Activating burst mode depends on your camera (and it can vary from model to model, so don’t assume that all cameras from the same brand or even from the same series are the same).

In general, you’ll want to look for a Drive menu or a Shooting mode menu. Some cameras offer dedicated Shooting mode dials (you get this on certain Fujifilm models), while others offer Shooting mode buttons (several Olympus cameras feature one of these), and still others require a menu dive to adjust the shooting mode.

Once you’ve located your Shooting mode menu, you’ll want to select the Continuous or Continuous High option, sometimes symbolized as multiple stacked frames (see the icon in the bottom right corner of this Canon 5D Mark II display):

If you’ve tried and failed to activate burst mode, consult your camera manual or have a look online.

Step 2: Select the relevant focus mode

With burst mode engaged, you’ll also need to set the right focus mode. For action photography, it’s best to use your camera’s continuous focusing mode, known as AI Servo on Canon and AF-C on most other camera brands (including Nikon and Sony). Continuous focus will constantly track moving objects even as you hold down the shutter button, helping to maintain sharp focus as your subject moves across the scene and you capture bursts of images.

Alternatively, if you’ve already composed a shot but want to guarantee a good pose, a beautiful moment, etc., I’d recommend using your camera’s single-shot autofocus mode, known as One-Shot on Canon and AF-S on most other brands. Simply half-press the shutter button to lock focus, then when your subject moves into the frame, fully press the shutter button to fire off a burst.

Step 3: Carefully choose your settings

Last, you’ll need to dial in the right camera settings for your shooting situation. While these will vary from scene to scene, make sure your shutter speed is relatively fast; otherwise, you’ll end up with blurry shots (or, if your shutter speed is really slow, your camera’s burst mode won’t work properly). I’d recommend shooting at 1/250s and above for slower-moving objects, and 1/1000s and above for faster-moving objects.

If you’re struggling to get the shutter speed you need, try widening the aperture or boosting the ISO.

Step 4: Capture a burst of images

Now the fun begins! As soon as you find a subject worth shooting, hold down the shutter button, and your camera will fire off a burst of photos.

As I explained above, it’s important to show restraint when using burst mode; otherwise, your camera’s buffer will fill, and you’ll miss critical moments. So wait until a good shot starts to materialize – if you’re using single-shot autofocus, you should generally lock focus in advance – and then fully press the shutter button to capture the perfect photo.

Burst mode is good for capturing fleeting moments.

Burst mode in photography: final words

Now that you’ve finished this article, you know all about continuous shooting photography – and how it can improve your results.

So spend some time testing it out. Find an action subject, and have fun firing off bursts of shots. You’ll get better at using burst mode, and you’ll start to understand your camera’s capabilities and limitations.

Now over to you:

Do you plan to start using burst mode? When do you think you’ll use it? Do you have any burst mode tips? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Burst Mode: What Is It, and How Should You Use It? appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Megan Kennedy.

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[Photography] Infrared Photography: How to Get Started (Beginner’s Guide)

The post Infrared Photography: How to Get Started (Beginner’s Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Nisha Ramroop.

Do you want to capture haunting infrared pictures like the ones featured above?

Well, you can – and it’s not even hard. Infrared photography is an easy technique that can give you breathtaking, otherworldly results, and it only requires a simple filter (plus a little technical know-how).

In this article, I’m going to share everything you need to know to get started, including:

• IR photography gear (for both beginners and advanced photographers)
• Key camera settings for IR pictures
• Simple post-processing techniques to get your photos looking great

Sound good? Then let’s get started with a simple overview of infrared imaging…

What is infrared photography?

Infrared photography uses infrared light to expose photos, a form of electromagnetic radiation that lies below the visible spectrum. Humans cannot see infrared light, but camera sensors can, and this IR sensitivity can be used to create images.

That said, cameras aren’t well-equipped to capture infrared wavelengths – after all, they’re designed to use visible light, not IR light! – so infrared imaging requires special filters or adjusted camera sensors.

When you capture an infrared photo, the result usually looks like this:

It’s interesting, but not what most photographers are after. However, with a little post-processing, you can achieve a beautiful infrared look:

If you’ve encountered infrared images, you’ll immediately notice that the look stands out – and while some find it rather eerie, others are intrigued by the way the IR look can transform the ordinary.

Infrared photography gear

To shoot infrared photos, you’ll need standard photography equipment – a camera and a lens – but you’ll also need to create the infrared effect, which you can do in one of three ways:

1. With an infrared filter
2. With a professionally converted infrared camera
3. With infrared film

Let’s take a look at each option in turn:

Infrared filters

If you are just starting to explore infrared photography, an IR filter is the cheap and convenient way to go. Simply place it in front of your lens, and it’ll allow infrared light to hit your camera’s sensor while blocking out all visible light. The results can be very nice; here’s an image I shot with an infrared filter:

There are plenty of options out there, ranging from screw-on to slide-in filter systems. The Hoya RM-72 is a popular screw-on infrared filter, and is a great introductory option to the world of infrared.

Note that different filters render color differently, depending on the specific IR and visible light ranges they filter in and out, so the results are inconsistent from filter to filter; this can be frustrating if you want your IR photos to look like everyone else’s, but the silver lining is that you can experiment with different filters until you find one that suits your vision.

Converted infrared camera

If you are truly committed to infrared photography, then you should consider purchasing a dedicated infrared camera body.

As far as I’m aware, no DSLR or mirrorless manufacturers produce infrared cameras, but you can send off a camera body to be converted by third-party companies. Alternatively, you can buy an already-converted IR camera used on eBay or from an IR-conversion dealer.

When a visible-light camera is converted to capture infrared, the infrared-blocking filter (which sits in front of the sensor) is removed. It’s certainly more expensive than purchasing a $75 filter, but the benefits include convenience and consistency.

Note: Once a camera has been converted, its sole use is infrared photography; you cannot take regular images. So buying a dedicated infrared body involves purchasing a second camera body (unless, of course, you want to fully dedicate yourself to infrared!).

Infrared film

Infrared film is readily available and relatively cheap, too – so you might consider purchasing an inexpensive SLR, grabbing some IR film, and testing the infrared waters.

Unfortunately, developing infrared film is tough. For one, not all labs can handle infrared film, and it generally costs more, too, so you’ll need to do a careful cost-benefit analysis before grabbing an infrared film setup.

Infrared camera settings

Selecting the perfect IR camera settings involves a lot of trial and error, and while nothing beats proper experimentation, here are some guidelines to get you started.

RAW and JPEG

When you’re starting out, shoot both RAW and JPEG files. You won’t be capturing thousands of shots, so space shouldn’t be an issue, and RAWs and JPEGs each offer valuable benefits.

On the one hand, RAW files give you the most scope when processing (and infrared photos do require significant edits). A RAW file will let you recover blown out highlights and clipped shadows, which is essential for infrared photography, as the right exposure settings can be tough to nail down (more on that later!).

On the other hand, JPEGs are easily viewable, so you can see the results of your infrared photos on your computer screen without any processing.

It’s important to emphasize, though: Straight-out-of-camera infrared photos look horrible. At first, you’ll probably be turned off by their flat, pink appearance – but over time, you’ll get used to it, and you’ll soon develop the skills to identify a good IR image from a bad IR image at a glance.

Exposure

When you’re exposing for infrared photos, all common wisdom goes out the window. You can’t trust your camera’s meter, you can’t trust handheld meters, and you’ll simply need to take some test shots, preview the results on your LCD, and keep going until you get a good result.

(I’d recommend you take careful notes; that way, as you progress, you’ll start to figure out the right settings for the look you’re after.)

Infrared filters require extremely long exposure times; they block out visible light but don’t let any extra infrared light through, so on a bright sunny day, you’ll often work with exposure times between 30 and 120 seconds (assuming you’re shooting at f/8). Here, a tripod is essential.

If your camera is infrared converted, your settings will be much more standard. On sunny days, you might shoot at f/8 and 1/125s, though the settings will vary depending on the light.

Whether you use a filter or an IR-converted body, review your photos constantly, especially in the beginning. As soon as you’ve taken a shot, check the LCD and view the image histogram. You might consider bracketing your photos to increase your chances of capturing a nice exposure.

Infrared post-processing

As previously mentioned, when you shoot RAW infrared images, you’ll get a dull pinkish-red image, like this:

Infrared RAW image straight out of the camera.

Not such a great look, right? Fortunately, processing an IR file is pretty easy. Here’s what I recommend:

Step 1: Start with Auto Tone

This is a common way to handle infrared images. Simply import your file into Photoshop and apply Auto Tone (hit Image>Auto Tone).

Photoshop will analyze your image, then it will make a series of adjustments for the best results (at least, the “best results” according to Photoshop!). Often, this looks pretty good. Here’s what Auto Tone gave me when I processed the file shown above:

At this point, I could continue processing my infrared photo like a normal image – that is, I could proceed with a normal editing workflow – or I could proceed with the next step:

Step 2: Do a channel swap

To get natural blue skies, you’ll need to channel swap your colors. Here, the goal is to take one channel (e.g., red) and convert it completely to another channel (e.g., blue), which is simple to do; create a new Channel Mixer layer (Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Channel Mixer), then adjust the Red, Green, and Blue channels until you get the result you’re after.

But while channel swapping is an essential part of infrared photography processing, photographers disagree over which channels to swap to what values, and there’s no one “right” answer, because it’s all about looks and personal preference.

Here are a few common channel-swap values. Experiment until you find the one that works for you:

Changing the Red and Blue channels only:

• Red channel: Red=0, Green=0, Blue=100
• Blue channel: Red=100, Green=0, Blue=0

Changing all the channels:

• Red channel: Red=0, Green=0, Blue=100
• Blue channel: Red=100, Green=0, Blue=0
• Green channel: Red=0, Green=100, Blue=0

Another creative option:

• Red channel: Red=0, Green=0, Blue=100
• Blue channel: Red=100, Green=100, Blue=-100
• Green channel: Red=0, Green=0, Blue=100

Here’s my image after a bit of channel swapping:

As you can see, the sky looks more natural, and the trees – while still pale pink – feel more grounded.

Step 3: Do any final edits

At this point, we’ve finished all specialized infrared post-processing, but feel free to add final touches like you would to any image.

For instance, you might consider cropping, adjusting the saturation, dodging and burning, adding a vignette, or even converting your photo to black and white. It really all comes down to your personal taste, and as always: experiment, experiment, experiment!

Infrared photography: final words

Infrared photography is a growing photography niche, and it’s a great way to capture creative images, get out of a photographic rut, and just have a lot of fun.

I’d recommend you start off simple with filters, then – if you still enjoy IR photos – graduate to a dedicated infrared camera body.

Now over to you:

Have you tried infrared photography? Do you think you’ll purchase IR filters or an IR camera? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

The post Infrared Photography: How to Get Started (Beginner’s Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Nisha Ramroop.

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[Photography] 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits (Portrait Photography Guide)

The post 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits (Portrait Photography Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

How do you do portrait photography that has the wow factor?

Capturing stunning portraits often seems difficult, but it’s actually pretty easy once you know a few tips and tricks. Below, I share my 10 absolute favorite techniques for shooting portraits, including tips for lighting, composition, perspective, and much more.

I’ve also included plenty of portrait photography examples (to get you inspired as we go along). Hopefully, by the time you’re done, you’ll be a more confident portrait photographer – and you’ll be excited to get out your camera and take some beautiful images of your own.

Let’s dive right in.

1. Alter your perspective

Most portraits are taken on a level with your subject, where the camera lens aligns perfectly with the subject’s eyes.

And while this is a good idea in most situations, if you want to spice things up, I recommend completely changing the angle you shoot from.

For instance, you can get up high and shoot down on your subject from above:

Here, you have several different options. You can ask your subject to lie down on the ground and then simply point your camera downward (this works well when shooting in the studio or on clean ground, but it’s not something you can try when photographing in a lake!). You can also find a nice vantage point, like a balcony or even a roof, then ask your subject to look up. And if you’re really focused on getting that overhead shot, you can bring a step stool or ladder with you out into the field.

Another great angle for portrait photography:

Get down low and shoot up. You’ll make your subject appear strong and powerful (and you’ll make the viewer feel small):

Obviously, different angles are more appropriate for certain image types; business executives will appreciate the power of a low-angle portrait, but they probably won’t want to be shot lying in the grass. So pay careful attention to your subject and surroundings, then pick angles that complement the scene. Make sense?

2. Play with eye contact

It’s amazing how much the direction of your subject’s eyes can impact an image.

Now, when you’re just starting out with portraits, I highly recommend you work on attaining perfect eye contact (with the eye in sharp focus). This looks great, and it can create a real sense of connection between a subject and those viewing the image.

Once you become a more advanced portrait shooter, however, there are a few more techniques worth trying.

Looking off-camera

Ask your subject to focus on something outside the frame (a tree off to the left, a house off to the right, etc.). This can create a feeling of candidness, plus it can create a little intrigue and interest; the viewer of the shot will wonder what the subject is looking at, which will cause them to engage further with the image.

This intrigue is particularly strong when the subject is showing some kind of emotion. The viewer will ask, “What’s making them laugh?” and “What’s making them look surprised?” which can lead to interesting narratives and emotional connections.

But be careful; when you have a subject looking out of the frame, you’ll push the eye of the viewer to the edge of the image, and unless you’ve composed your shot carefully, you may take away from the main point of interest: your subject.

Looking within the frame

You might also ask your subject to look at something within the frame. A child looking at a ball, a woman looking at her new baby, or a man looking hungrily at a big plate of pasta; it can all work!

See, this technique creates a second point of interest, as well as a relationship between your subject and another key element in the scene, which in turn helps create a story. (And in photography, stories are pretty much always a good thing!)

Here, the mother is looking at her child, which highlights their relationship and emphasizes their emotional connection:

3. Use the rules of portrait composition, then break them

There are plenty of portrait photography composition rules (guidelines, really) out there, and I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with them. On the one hand, the rules are great for beginners; on the other hand, as you progress, the rules will start to hold you back. So in this section, I’ll start by offering a few useful rules, and then I’ll explain simple ways to break them.

So here are a few compositional guidelines that’ll help you as you compose your portrait shots:

• The rule of thirds urges you to position your subject a third of the way into the frame; it can often be helpful to put your portrait subject’s eyes along the top-third gridline of your image.
• The rule of space advises you to position your subject looking toward empty space, rather than away from it. In other words, your subject should look toward the more distant frame edge.
• Triangular composition theory suggests that elements positioned in a triangle tend to look great. So you can arrange three subjects with their heads at points of a triangle, or you can arrange the subject’s head and the shoulders or arms in a triangular fashion.

Then, as you advance in your skills, you’ll want to experiment with breaking these rules. For instance, placing your subject dead-center will violate the rule of thirds, but it can sometimes create a powerful image (especially when symmetry is involved):

And the rule of space, when broken, can create a level of mystery and tension:

So learn the photography rules, then learn to break them!

4. Experiment with lighting

In portrait photography, lighting is key, and there are literally thousands of blog posts and video courses devoted to portrait lighting.

But for now, I just recommend you learn the basics.

For instance, soft light is generally best, which you can create with a softbox or you can find on a cloudy day (the golden hours can work well, too).

As for lighting direction: Front light is best avoided, because it tends to produce very flat, bland images. Instead, for good portraits, I’d recommend sidelight, which will add three dimensionality and create mood. I’d also recommend backlighting, which can create plenty of mystery.

Below is a fully sidelit subject. Notice the drama?

(For a more subtle sidelit image, you can use a reflector or fill light on the other side of your subject, or you can bring the light out in front of the subject, so it sits at a 45-degree angle to the face.)

Once you get down the lighting basics, start to experiment. You can use rim lighting to capture subtle silhouettes, and you can even have fun with long-exposure light painting, which will give you portrait photos like this:

5. Move your subject out of their comfort zone

Unless you’re photographing professional models, your subjects will likely be a bit (or a lot!) uncomfortable in front of the camera. And an uncomfortable subject makes for uncomfortable photos.

To get your subject more relaxed, start out with some “softball” shots. Photograph your subject just standing or sitting, use simple light setups, and don’t ask for anything out of the ordinary. Praise them after every few shots (even if the shots are bad).

Then, as your subject begins to warm up and as you complete all the basic shots, ask them if you can create more interesting images. Don’t push them, of course – you don’t want to send them back to square one – but gently suggest that they mix things up a bit. For instance, you might ask them to jump, you might ask them to run, dance, make faces, climb trees, and more.

By the way, don’t feel like these more experimental shots need to fit the tone of the shoot. Once you’ve nailed your standard shots, it’s okay to get a little creative. You can ask a family to make silly faces, or even ask a businessperson to jump off rocks, for example:

6. Shoot candidly

Sometimes, posed shots can look somewhat…stiff. Bland. And while there’s nothing wrong with a posed photo, especially if it’s for a corporate flyer, if your subject seems lifeless when posed, why not try a candid approach?

Ask your subject if you can shoot them at work, with family, or doing something that they love. This will put them more at ease, and you may end up capturing some extra-special shots where your subject reacts naturally to the situation.

(Pro tip: If the candid approach is working and you want to get yourself completely out of the way, try grabbing a 70-200mm lens to give your subject lots of space.)

I find that the candid approach can work particularly well when photographing children, but even when photographing adults, it’s worth a shot!

7. Introduce a prop

Portrait photographers love props – and for good reason. Props can add a sense of story and place to an image, they can help your subject feel more at ease, they can add interest, color, and texture…the list goes on.

So don’t be afraid to bring a handful of props to your portrait photoshoot. Then give your subjects the ones that seem to fit with the scene and/or their personality, and get photographing!

A warning, however: Don’t let the props overwhelm your main subject. The goal is to photograph the model with the props as an accent, not the other way around. If you use too many props, or your props become distracting (either visually or more generally), it’s time to toss the props and get back to basics.

8. Focus on one body part (and get close up!)

Here’s a fun way to create unique portrait photos:

Use a long lens (anything in the 100mm+ range should work), then zoom in to capture some detail shots.

I’m talking about images of your subject’s hands, eyes, mouth, shoes, or clothing, all of which can tell an interesting story, plus the results will be far more eye-catching than your standard head-and-shoulders portrait.

Here’s an image of a subject’s hand; it has an element of artistry and intrigue that you rarely find in conventional portrait photography:

Of course, feel free to go even more abstract than that; with a macro lens, you can focus on tiny details, such as the curl of your subject’s hand or the light on their hair.

9. Obscure part of your subject

Throughout this article, I’ve emphasized the value of storytelling, mystery, and intrigue in portrait photography.

Well, here’s yet another way to add mystery, and it’s extremely simple to pull off:

Cover your subject.

For instance, you can cover the face with clothes or hair, or you can use hats or scarves to cover the head. Usually, it’s a good idea to leave some recognizable features exposed, but if you want to make things really interesting, you might cover your subject completely (e.g., you could wrap the subject’s entire face in their hair!).

A lens with close-focusing or macro capabilities will be a big help here, because the closer you can focus, the more you can cut out of the frame and the more you can isolate certain features. In the image below, close focusing was essential (plus, it created a lovely shallow depth of field effect that really emphasized the subject’s eyes):

10. Take a series of shots to capture the action

Whenever you’re photographing active portrait subjects – runners in motion, as in the image below, owners playing with their pets, or even children just having fun – I highly recommend you use burst mode, also known as continuous shooting mode.

You see, burst mode allows you to capture a series of shots in quick succession (the specifics depend on your camera, but these days, 10 frames per second or more is not uncommon). And this does two things for your portrait photography:

1. It allows you to nail those once-in-a-lifetime moments and expressions, like a couple looking longingly at one another, or a child throwing leaves in the air.
2. It allows you to take a series of images that can be presented together, as a unique story.

I don’t suggest using burst mode all the time, unless you have a huge amount of storage space and don’t mind sifting through thousands of images after each photoshoot.

But when you expect action, switch to burst mode. And have fun getting those split-second images!

10 ways to take stunning portraits: final words

Capturing stunning portraits is easy – as long as you remember a few of these simple tips!

So start thinking about compositional rules (and start learning to break them). Start thinking about lighting. Start thinking about angles.

And practice your portrait photography!

Now over to you:

Which of these portrait photography tips is your favorite? Do you plan to use any in your next shoot? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Table of contents

Portrait Photography

• GENERAL
  • 15 Common Portrait Mistakes to Avoid
  • 10 Ways to Direct a Portrait Shoot like a Pro
  • How to Photograph People: 7 Tips for Photographers Who Never Photograph People
  • 10 Crucial Things You Need to Think About for Portrait Photography
  • 5 Portrait Photography Rules You Should Probably Ignore
  • Five Budget Portrait Photography Hacks to Save You Money
  • 8 Lessons Learned from My First Attempt at Portrait Photography
  • How Self-Portraiture Makes You a Better Photographer
  • The Photo Critique: Portrait Edition
  • 10 Shots, 10 Portraits, 1 Focal Length: Take this Photography Challenge
  • How I Got The Shot: Portrait Style
• PREPARATION
  • Tips for Preparing for a Portrait Session
  • 8 Tips to Help Make People Comfortable for Their Portrait Session
  • Clothing for Portraits – How to Tell your Subjects What to Wear
  • How to Plan a Successful Sunset Portrait Session
  • 5 Secrets for Finding Great Indoor Photoshoot Locations
  • 10 Christmas Portrait Locations (with Bonus Lighting and Composition Tips)
  • How to Build a Bench Prop for Great Portrait Photos
  • A Beginners Guide to Taking Portraits of Elderly Clients: Part 1 – Preparation and Rapport
  • How to Scout for Portrait Shooting Locations
  • The Importance of Location for Outdoor Portraits
  • How to Choose Urban Landscapes for Portrait Photography
• SETTINGS
  • The Best Camera Settings for Portrait Photography
  • How to Achieve Blurred Backgrounds in Portrait Photography
  • How to Bypass the Portrait Mode on Your Digital Camera and Get Great Portraits
  • Understanding the Focus and Recompose Technique
  • Overcoming Depth of Field Problems in Portraits
  • 9 Ways to Ensure You Get Sharp Images When Photographing People
  • Stunning Portraits: Manipulating White Balance
  • Shooting for HDR Portraiture
  • How [Not] to Take a Self Timer Portrait
  • How Focal Length Changes the Shape of the Face in Portraiture
• LIGHTING
  • 5 Tips How to Set Up a Home Studio for Dramatic Portraits
  • Simple Portrait Setups You Can Create on a Tight Budget
  • How to Eliminate Reflections in Glasses in Portraits
  • Portrait Photography: How to Photograph People in the Harsh Midday Sun
  • 4 Ways to Shoot Portraits in the Middle of the Day
  • 6 Portrait Lighting Patterns Every Photographer Should Know
  • 3 Lighting Setups for Photographing Headshots
  • 6 Ways of Using Reflector to Take Better Portraits
  • How to Create and Shoot Night Portraits
  • How to Make Beautiful Portraits Using Flash and High-Speed Sync
  • How to Make a Low Key Portrait (Step by Step)
  • Fill Flash Photography: How to Get Beautiful Portraits (Even in Bad Light)
  • A Lighting Ratios Guide: How to Make (or Break) Your Portraits
  • How to Mix Ambient Light and Fill-Flash for Outdoor Portraits
  • How to Photograph Fantastic Portraits with One Flash
  • DIY How to Build and Use a Reflector to Take Better Portraits
  • Understanding Light for Better Portrait Photography
  • Tips for Doing Natural Light Headshots and Portraits
  • 3 Reasons to do Headshots with Natural Light
  • A Beginners Guide to Taking Portraits of Elderly Clients: Part 2 – Lighting and Posing
  • How to Create Stunning Wide-Angle Portraits (Using an Off-Camera Flash)
  • Tips for Making the Most of Morning Light for Portraits
  • 5 Ways to Use a Beauty Dish Light for Portraits
  • Beginners Tips for Sunrise Portraits : Part I
  • Getting to Grips with Fill Light in Portrait Photography
  • How to Use Flash for Night Portraits
  • What Size Beauty Dish is Right For Your Portrait Photography?
  • How to Create Catch Lights in Your Natural Light Portraits
  • Tips for Using Golden Hour Light for Portraits
  • Side-by-side comparison between reflectors and diffusers for portraits
  • 6 Tips for Taking Better Natural Light Classic Portraits
  • How to Use a Small Softbox With Your Flash to Transform Your Portraits
  • Simple Tips for Positioning Your Portrait Subject to Leverage Natural Light
  • The Importance of Shadows in Portrait Photography
  • So You Have No Model? Here are Ways to Practice Your Portrait Lighting With Toys
  • How to use Colored Gels to Create Unique and Creative Portraits
  • 3 Steps to Professional Looking Headshots Using One Flash
  • How to Use Two LED Lights to Achieve Moody Portraits
  • Made in the Shade – Why Taking Portraits in the Shade Can be Ideal
  • What Is Good Light? (And How to Use It for Beautiful Portraits)
  • How to do Accent Lighting for Portraits
  • Tips For Great Indoor Portraits Using Natural Light
  • 5 Reasons for Doing Natural Light Portraits
  • Review of the Westcott Eyelighter for Headshots and Portraits
  • How to Use Angle of Light in People Photography for Added Punch
  • High Speed Sync Versus a Neutral Density Filter to Overcome Bright Sunlight in Portraits
  • 5 Creative Portrait Lighting Tricks Using Only Phone Light
  • How to Use Off-camera Flash to Fix Lighting Problems for Outdoor Portraits
  • How to Create Awesome Portrait Lighting with a Paper Bag an Elastic Band and a Chocolate Donut
  • Tips for Using Speedlights to Create the Right Lighting for Outdoor Portraits
  • How to use a Gobo to add Depth to Your Portraits with Subtractive Lighting
  • How to Use Hard Lighting to Create a Dramatic Portrait
  • Portrait Comparison – Flash Versus Natural Light
  • Stealing Light – Using Street Lights for Portraits
  • Five Places for Perfect Natural Portrait Lighting
  • How to See the Light for Portraits: A Quick Tip for Beginners
  • Shooting with Available Light – Lifestyle Portraiture
  • 5 Ways to Light Your Christmas Tree Portraits This Festive Season
  • A Simple Lighting Technique for Couples Portraits
  • Awash In Light: High Key Portraiture
  • A Portrait Lighting Project for a Rainy Day
  • Simple Portrait Lighting Setup: Gorgeous Result
  • How to Achieve Great Portraits with Window Light
  • A Simple Exercise on Working with Natural Light in Portraits
  • Small Flash Portraits on Location with Adorama TV
  • Portraits on an Overcast Day? Use a Reflector
  • Tips for Using Flash for Beach Portraits
  • How to Find and Use Natural Reflectors for Portraits
  • How to Create Dramatic Portraits with Shadow Photography [video]
  • Tips for Portrait Photography in Overcast Weather [video]
  • How to Photograph People Outdoors Without Using a Reflector
  • How To Use an Outdoor Studio for Natural Portraits
• POSING
  • Female Poses: 21 Posing Ideas to Get You Started Photographing Women
  • Glamour Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started
  • Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Men
  • Good Crop Bad Crop – How to Crop Portraits
  • How to Pose and Angle the Body for Better Portraits
  • Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Groups of People
  • Posing Guide: 21 Sample Poses to Get You Started with Photographing Couples
  • Your Guide to the Best Poses for Engagement Photos
  • How to do Gentle Posing: A Collection of Prompts to Get You Started
  • Tips for Posing Large Families and Groups
  • How to Pose People for Headshots
  • Tips for Posing People in Outdoor Portraits
  • 20 Tips for Getting People to Smile in Photos
  • How to Avoid Fake Smiles in Your People Photography
  • Tips for Posing Muscular Female Body Types
  • Your Posing Guide for Maternity Sessions
  • Handiwork: How to Pose Hands
  • Your Guide to Posing Bands in Photography
  • Posing Tip for Portraits – Which Way Should Your Subject Lean?
  • Posing Tips – Waistlines, Thighs and Bustlines
  • 3 Posing Tips for Young Siblings
  • What Everybody Ought to Know About Posing for Portraits
  • Poser: Achieve Perfect Portrait Expression
  • Capturing Better Portraits Between Poses
  • A Posing Technique from A Girl With a Pearl Earring
  • Tips for Posing Men
• COMPOSITION
  • 6 Types of Portrait Backgrounds for Creative Images
  • 6 Tips for Perfect Composition in Portrait Photography
  • How to Find Great Backgrounds for Outdoor Portraits
  • How to Make Colors Pop in Your Portraits – Without Using Photoshop
  • How to Use Foreground Framing to Improve Your Portrait Photography
  • How to Use Negative Space in People Photography
  • 3 Simple Ways to Use Framing and Layering in Portraits
  • Is Portrait Formatting always best for Portraits?
  • Portrait Tip: Don't Fill the Frame
  • How to Use Portrait Angles More Creatively: A Visual Guide
  • How to Use Facial View and Camera Angle to take Flattering Portraits
• GEAR
  • Comparing a 50mm Versus 85mm Lens for Photographing People
  • Comparing a 24mm Versus 50mm Lens for Photographing People
  • 3 Tips for Taking Portraits with a Kit Lens
  • Best Fujifilm X-Series Kit for Urban Portraits
  • 3 Ways to Get Killer Portraits Using a Tripod
  • Photographing Portraits with Classic Lenses (includes Example Images)
  • Portrait Photographers: Do You Really Need a 70-200mm Lens?
  • Essential Portrait Photography Gear You Need When Starting Out
  • Portable Portrait Studio in a Bag: Now You Can Take Portraits While on the Road
  • How to Choose the Perfect Portrait Lens
  • Which 50mm Lens is Best for Portraits?
• ADVANCED GUIDES
  • 13 Tips for Improving Outdoor Portraits
  • Create Beautiful Indoor Portraits Without Flash (NSFW)
  • 10 Tips for Photographing Great Headshots
  • 3 Simple Ways to Create Stunning Eyes in Your Portrait Photography
  • 11 Tips for Photographing High School Senior Portraits
  • Tips for Doing Fall Portraits
  • 6 Tips for Photographing Large People
  • 7 Tips for Black and White Portrait Photography
  • How to Create Environmental Portraits (Tips and Examples)
  • Capturing Unenthusiastic Teens: Forget the Perfect Pose and Get Photos You Truly Love
  • Tips for Taking the Torture out of Extended Family Portrait Sessions
  • Self Portrait Photography Tips
  • What the Mona Lisa Can Teach You About Taking Great Portraits
  • 5 Tips for Musician Portraits (So You Can Hit All the Right Notes)
  • 5 Tips to Help You Take More Natural Looking Portraits
  • 15 Tips for More Powerful Portraits
  • How to Create Dramatic Portraits in Your Garage
  • 9 Tips that Make Couples Happy During a Portrait Session
  • 5 Tips for Taking Better Portraits in Nature
  • Snow Portrait: Behind the Scenes
  • Tips for Creating Dance Portraits
  • How to Take Better Beach Portraits at Any Time of Day
  • The Introverts Guide to Photographing People
  • 6 Ways to Take a Candid Portrait of Somebody You Know
  • 3 Body Language Hacks to Improve Your Portrait Photography
  • 5 More Tips for Making Better Black and White Portraits
  • Tips for Planning and Capturing a Creative Portrait
  • 5 Tips for Creating Romantic Portraits of Couples
  • 10 Tips to Create Emotive Portraits
  • 7 Tips for Photographing a Bridal Portrait Session
  • 3 Lessons I Learned by Doing a Self-Portrait Project
  • The Ultimate Guide to Photographing People for the Shy Photographer
  • Tips for Getting Yourself to Relax as a Photographer and Have More Successful Portrait Sessions
  • Tips for Taking More Natural Engagement Portraits
  • 6 Tips for Better Portraits on Location
  • 7 Ways to Take Advantage of Autumn in Your Portrait Photography
  • 7 Tips and Etiquette for Taking Portraits in Public
  • How to Make a Unique Portrait in the City at Night
  • 3 Tips for Creating Outstanding Portraits, Inspired by the work of Dutch Artist Van Gogh
  • 5 Keys to Taking Beautiful Maternity Portraits
  • Photographing People: To do Styled Portraits or Not?
  • 7 Steps to Capturing Truth in Your Portraiture
  • Engagement Portrait Shoots: 7 Professional Tips to take your Engagement Shoots to the Next Level
  • Personalities and Portraits – and Getting Them to Mix
  • 3 Reasons to Have Your Own Portrait Taken
  • 5 Tips for Photographing Portfolio-Worthy Costume Portraits
  • 3 Critical People Skills Portrait Photographers Need
  • The Essence of Masculinity – Portraits of Men
  • 5 Corporate-Style Portrait Techniques
  • 5 Tips for Doing Portrait Photography in Busy Locations
  • Tips for Great Beach Sunset Portraits
• CREATIVE TECHNIQUES
  • How to Create Portraits with a Black Background
  • How Using Props in Portraits Can Make Your Photos More Interesting
  • How to Take Unique Crystal Ball Portraits
  • How to Create a Hollywood Film Noir Portrait
  • How to Create this “Fight Club” Inspired Portrait using One Light
  • Dragging the Shutter for Creative Portraits
  • 5 Secrets for Creating Perfect Silhouette Portrait Photography
  • How to do Tilt-Shift Portraits
  • Copper, Prisms, and Orbs, Oh My! – 3 Creative Techniques for People Photography
  • Portrait Tip: Add Interest and Movement into Your Shots with Wind
  • Glitter Portrait: How I Took It
  • How to Create a Unique Bokeh Portrait for Under $10
  • 5 Ways to Use a Piece of Glass for Unique Portraits [video]
  • Room with a View: How to Create this Window with Blinds Portrait Anywhere
  • 7 Steps to Perfect White Portrait Backgrounds in the Studio
  • How to Make Unique Portraits Using Light Painting
• POST-PROCESSING
  • 11 Steps for Basic Portrait Editing in Lightroom – A Beginner’s Guide
  • Five Common Portrait Retouching Mistakes to Avoid
  • How to Create a Dramatic Cinematic Style Portrait Using Photoshop Color Grading
  • How to Edit Corporate Headshots in Lightroom
  • How to Create a Dark and Moody Rembrandt-Style Portrait In Lightroom
  • How to Retouch a Portrait with the Adjustment Brush in Lightroom
  • Photoshop: Red Eye Fix for Difficult Cases in People and Pets
  • 3 Steps to Photoshop Retouching for Natural Looking Portraits
  • How to do Frequency Separation Portrait Retouching in Photoshop
  • Basic Portrait Post-Processing Workflow Tips to Help You Save Time and Stay Organized
  • How to Add a Grunge Effect to Your Portraits Using Lightroom
  • How to Create Twinkle Lights for Christmas Tree Portraits in Photoshop
  • How to Enhance Portraits Using Gray Layers to Dodge and Burn in Photoshop
  • How to Blur the Background of a Portrait Using the Magnetic Lasso Tool in Photoshop
  • How to Use Photoshop Blending Modes for Fine Art Portraiture
  • Stylized Techniques for Editing Portraits Using Lightroom
  • How to Make a Bubble Portrait using Photoshop CS3
  • Creating a Black and White High Contrast Portrait Edit in Lightroom
  • How to Create a “Soft Portrait” Preset in Lightroom 4
  • Basic Photoshop Tutorial – How to Add Creative Overlays to Your Portraits
  • 3 Essential Photoshop Tools for New Portrait Photographers
  • How to Make Creative Lightroom Develop Presets for Portraits
  • 5 Reasons to Use Lightroom for Portrait Retouching
  • Advanced Portrait Retouch on a Male Subject in Lightroom 4 – Part 1 of 3
  • 3 Ways to Make Selective Color Portraits Using Lightroom and Silver Efex Pro 2
  • Correcting For Under Exposure and Boosting Dynamic Range with an Environmental Portrait in Lightroom 4
  • How to do Portrait Retouching With Luminar
  • Tips for Portrait Processing with ON1 Photo RAW 2018.5
  • 5 Tips to Cut Your Portrait Editing Time in Half
• BUSINESS
  • Portrait Consultations: Two Questions That Make A Big Difference
  • How to Shoot a Self Portrait to Support your Brand Identity
• INSPIRATION
  • 5 Examples of Beautiful Simple Portraits
  • DISCUSS: When you Photograph People in Black and White, you Photograph their Souls
  • 21 Inspirational Natural Light Portraits
  • 24 Photos of Perfectly Posed Portraits
  • 19 More Creative Mirror Self Portraits
  • 18 Stunning Self Portraits
  • Interview with Fine Art Portrait Photographer Bill Gekas
  • 11 Influential Portrait Photographers you Need to Know
  • Black and White Portraits a Set of Images to Admire
  • Nadav Kander on Portrait Photography [VIDEO]
  • 21 Spooky Portraits
  • Inspiring Portraits of Women – a Collection of Images
  • 12.5 Years of Daily Self Portraits [VIDEO]
  • Interview with Self Portrait and 365 Photographer – Anna Gay
  • Triptych Portrait Series
  • 8 Striking Portraits from Photograph Einar Erici [Shot in 1930]
  • An Interview With Underwater Portrait Photographer Sacha Blue
  • Masters of Photography – Yousuf Karsh Portrait Photographer
  • 21 Fun Images of People Laughing
• RESOURCES
  • Portrait Photography: Secrets of Posing & Lighting [Book Review]
  • The Luminous Portrait: Book Review
  • The Portrait Photography Course by Mark Jenkinson – Book Review
  • The Perfect Portrait Guide – How to Photograph People – Book Review
  • Improve Your Portraits with these Courses from Ed Verosky
  • People Photography and Portraits: Best Resources Toolbox

The post 10 Ways to Take Stunning Portraits (Portrait Photography Guide) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Darren Rowse.

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