[Photography] Bracketing in Photography: The Ultimate Guide

The post Bracketing in Photography: The Ultimate Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Elizabeth Halford.

Bracketing is a powerful photographic technique – but what does it achieve and when should you use it?

In this article, I explain everything you need to know about bracketing in photography, from the absolute basics (e.g., how to bracket in-camera) to more advanced tips and techniques (e.g., how you can use bracketing to create pro-level landscape and cityscape shots). I also include plenty of practical advice along the way, so you know exactly when and how to apply bracketing for the best results.

Bottom line: If you’ve heard about bracketing but aren’t sure what it does, or you’re an experienced photographer simply looking for high-level guidance, you’ve come to the right place.

Let’s get started.

What is bracketing?

Bracketing is a camera technique where you capture several different exposures of the same scene. In other words, you capture a standard image (below, top), a darker/underexposed version (below, bottom left), and a brighter/overexposed version (below, bottom right):

Each composition is identical, yet the exposure level varies from shot to shot. Generally, this is done on a tripod to prevent camera movement between images, but there are also photographers who bracket handheld (and I discuss this option below!).

Note that bracketing most commonly occurs in groups of three. However, this isn’t a requirement; some situations need only two images, while others call for five images, seven images, nine images, or even more. It depends on your exposure skills and the scene itself, as I discuss in the next section:

Why is bracketing useful?

At its simplest, bracketing increases your odds of nailing a difficult exposure.

You see, every modern camera is equipped with a meter, which analyzes a scene and determines the proper exposure settings for beautifully rendered detail. But while camera meters are powerful, they often get the exposure wrong. For instance, cameras characteristically overexpose (over-brighten) dark scenes (e.g., a nighttime image of a city skyline) and characteristically underexpose (over-darken) bright scenes (e.g., a stand of white aspen trees in snow).

When this happens, you can always make adjustments using Manual mode or exposure compensation – but unless you have lots of experience and an excellent mental exposure system, it’s tough to know exactly how much to modify your camera settings for a good result.

Enter bracketing, where you take a series of differently exposed images. Sure, the first shot might be poorly exposed, but if you take three (or five, or seven) images, one is bound to look good. With a fastidious eye and a careful bracketing process, you can practically guarantee a nice exposure.

Bracketing in this way – that is, as insurance – is especially helpful when facing very bright or very dark scenes, as well as when photographing scenes with lots of tonal variation. Beginners may choose to bracket even in more standard exposure scenarios, just to be safe.

But there’s a second reason to bracket your images, one that’s very popular among landscape and cityscape photographers in particular:

Bracketing lets you capture high dynamic range (HDR) photos.

Bracketing and high dynamic range photography

The dynamic range of a scene refers to the difference between its lightest lights and its darkest darks.

A gray wall has a very low dynamic range, as it’s full of midtones and little else. But a sunset – with a bright sky and a dark foreground – has a huge dynamic range, as does a white cat on a black background, a mound of snow against a black tree, and so on.

And camera sensors struggle to capture the entire tonal range of such scenes. When photographing a sunset, if you set your exposure for the midtones, you’ll end up with detailless foreground shadows and detailless sky highlights. But if you expose for the shadows, you’ll lose detail in the highlights, and if you expose for the highlights, you’ll lose detail in the shadows.

See the problem? Scenes that feature bright areas and dark areas can’t be easily rendered by a camera sensor, no matter the exposure value. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution:

Instead of capturing one image of the scene, you bracket.

And then you blend all of your bracketed images together in a post-processing program. That way, you can use the detailed highlights from one image, the detailed midtones from another image, and the detailed shadows from a third image. It doesn’t matter if each individual shot is missing details at its extremes, because all the detail is present, just spread across the three images.

This may sound difficult, but it’s really not. The bracketing process is the same as I described in the previous sections. And post-processing programs often include an auto-merge feature, where you select several images and they quickly combine them together for the best (HDR!) result.

One final note: While many scenes only require three bracketed shots – a standard shot, a light shot, and a dark shot – in extreme situations, you may want to use five, seven, or nine images instead. That’s the hardest part about bracketing: deciding exactly how many images to capture!

Bracketing and camera settings

Image exposure is determined by three variables: aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

Adjust any of these variables, and you’ll get an incrementally lighter or darker shot. But each variable will also affect your photo in other ways:

1. The aperture will affect the amount of the scene that is in focus, also known as the depth of field
2. The shutter speed will affect the sharpness of your image, especially when photographing moving subjects
3. The ISO will affect the noisiness, sometimes referred to as the graininess, of your image

So when bracketing, which variable should you target for adjustment?

In general, you should bracket using the shutter speed. If your subject is stationary and you’re working with a tripod, you shouldn’t have any issues increasing and decreasing your shutter speed, and you’ll get the desired underexposure/overexposure effect.

However, if you need to keep your shutter speed at a particular value, you can bracket using ISO. Just know that the higher you boost your ISO, the worse your images will look, so be very careful before pushing your ISO to significant heights.

How to bracket your photos: a step-by-step process

Now that you’re familiar with the basics of bracketing, I’d like to offer a simple process for bracketing your shots, which you can use regardless of your camera equipment.

Step 1: Select Manual mode or Aperture Priority mode

Bracketing only works if you have control over your camera settings, which is why bracketing in Auto mode is a bad idea (and is impossible on most cameras, anyway).

Instead, you need to set your camera to Manual mode, which will let you individually set your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, or Aperture Priority mode, which will let you set the aperture and ISO while the camera sets the shutter speed.

(Why not Shutter Priority mode? You can bracket using this mode, but it works by adjusting the aperture, which is rarely ideal.)

Step 2: Take a photo using your camera’s recommended exposure settings

If you’re using Aperture Priority mode, set your preferred aperture and ISO, then let your camera select a corresponding shutter speed.

If you’re using Manual mode, set your three exposure variables so the exposure bar lines up at the zero mark in the viewfinder.

Note that if you know your camera is likely to underexpose or overexpose the scene, feel free to adjust your initial exposure to compensate. So if you believe your camera is going to underexpose a snow scene, you could decrease the shutter speed slightly (in Manual mode, you’ll need to turn the shutter speed dial, while in Aperture Priority mode, you’ll need to apply positive exposure compensation).

Otherwise, just use your camera’s recommended settings.

Then take a shot.

Step 3: Take an “overexposed” and an “underexposed” bracketed photo

Next, you need to take your lighter and darker images.

In Manual mode, simply decrease your shutter speed by a full stop (generally three increments on the shutter speed dial) for the overexposed image. Then increase your shutter speed by a full stop for the underexposed image.

In Aperture Priority mode, simply dial in +1 exposure compensation for the overexposed image, then dial in -1 exposure compensation for the underexposed image. This will automatically adjust your shutter speed in either direction.

By the way, feel free to experiment with the bracketing increments. If you’re bracketing for insurance, a stop (i.e., +1/-1) in either direction is often safe. But if you’re dealing with high dynamic range scenes, two stops might be the better option.

Step 4: Take any additional photos

At this point, you’ll want to observe your scene. You might also check the histogram for the photos you’ve already taken and look for any spots of overexposure (highlight clipping) in the darkest image and underexposure (shadow clipping) in the lightest image.

If your scene has a significant dynamic range not fully captured by your series of bracketed shots, go ahead and capture additional images at +2/-2 stops, +3/-3 stops, and so on, until you’re satisfied.

Otherwise, consider your bracketing sequence finished, and head on to your next subject!

Auto Exposure Bracketing

If you become a frequent bracketer, or you simply wish to simplify the process, modern cameras do tend to offer an Automatic Exposure Bracketing (AEB) setting.

You simply dial in the number of bracketed shots you need, indicate an increment (e.g., two stops), then fire off several images. Your camera will automatically adjust the exposure settings so you get a series of bracketed files.

Unfortunately, Auto Exposure Bracketing doesn’t work in Manual mode, so you’ll need to use Aperture Priority instead.

When should you bracket your images?

Bracketing is a great technique, but you don’t need to do it all the time – and in certain situations, it can be harmful rather than helpful.

First, if you’re shooting any type of high dynamic range scene, whether or not you plan to blend the images in post-processing, I highly recommend you bracket. It’ll ensure you nail the exposure, and when it comes to HDR scenes, a perfect exposure is critical. In particular, bracket your sunrise and sunset landscape shots, as well as any cityscape shots taken at sunrise, sunset, or at night.

Second, if you’re capturing an unusually dark or an unusually light scene, it pays to bracket, because your camera often gets the exposure wrong. You should shoot from a tripod for the most consistent results, but if you prefer to shoot handheld, that’s okay, too. Yes, it’ll make HDR blending more difficult, but if you’re bracketing for insurance, that shouldn’t matter.

In fact, if your subject is moving, then handheld bracketing is often the way to go. You can bracket shots of a bird foraging, for instance, and while the bracketed series won’t look identical, you’ll end up with at least one usable shot.

Finally, if you’ve encountered a scene and you desperately want to get the exposure right (e.g., it’s a once-in-a-lifetime sky, for instance), then just bracket. It’s the safest way to ensure you get a good shot.

On the other hand, try to avoid bracketing if you’re faced with a standard low dynamic range scene and fast-moving subjects. You’ll spend so much time trying to bracket that you may miss key opportunities, and the bracketing probably won’t make much difference, anyway.

Processing bracketed shots for HDR imaging

The ins and outs of high dynamic range blending are beyond the scope of this article. But if you’ve captured a series of images with sufficient overall detail, you’ll generally get a great HDR result in Lightroom. Here’s how it works:

Import all your bracketed images, then select the entire series in the filmstrip.

Right-click and select Photo Merge>HDR.

Lightroom will do all the blending, and you’ll end up with a beautiful HDR image!

If you need more control over the blending process, you can always purchase a dedicated HDR program, like Photomatix or Aurora HDR.

Alternatively, you can blend your images manually in Photoshop using luminosity masks; it’s a very involved process, but one favored by some landscape photographers.

Bracketing in photography: final words

Now that you’ve finished this article, you know what bracketing is all about – and you know how and when to use it.

So go out with your camera and practice. Find some high dynamic range scenes, do some bracketing, and process the results. Alternatively, capture some very light or very dark scenes, then see how bracketing helps ensure you get a good exposure!

Now over to you:

Have you tried bracketing? When do you plan to use it? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post Bracketing in Photography: The Ultimate Guide appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Elizabeth Halford.

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[Photography] 8 Travel Photography Composition Tips (to Instantly Improve Your Shots!)

The post 8 Travel Photography Composition Tips (to Instantly Improve Your Shots!) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

If you want to capture stunning travel photography, you must master composition.

A thoughtful composition is a key ingredient in every great travel image – so if you can learn to create beautiful compositions, you’ll be well on your way to shooting gorgeous photos of far-flung cities, landscapes, and more.

In this article, I share with you my top eight travel photography composition tips, from the basics to more advanced techniques that’ll help you refine your skills.

Bottom line: Whether you’re a beginner looking to capture beautiful travel photos or an intermediate shooter looking to really dive into travel photography composition, this article shares everything you need.

Let’s jump right in.

1. Use frames to emphasize architectural subjects

One of the great things about towns and cities are the beautiful buildings and structures they feature, many of which sport interesting pillars and arches.

Fortunately, as a travel photographer, you can use such elements to capture beautiful frame-within-a-frame compositions. In other words, you can position one subject within another, just like this:

The result is gorgeous because the “frame” directs the viewer’s eye toward the main subject, plus it provides interesting context and contrast. The frame can also provide scale (or even produce a fun false sense of scale, where the frame looks much larger than the subject, as in the image above).

So when you find a building you would like to photograph, look around for potential frames. Note that you don’t always need to frame one building within another. You can frame a building within itself, or you can capture a building framed by trees, bridges, car windows, etc.

2. Use symmetry to create balance

Travel photography composition techniques are often excellent tools for shooting familiar subjects in different ways. One of my favorite techniques is symmetry, where you find a point of reflection and mirror half of the image across the composition.

Symmetry can work well for many travel-related subjects because there are reflective surfaces everywhere, but I highly recommend you look for interesting structures near water. This might be a beautiful building overlooking a pond, though you can also create amazing results with puddles, car hood reflections, and handholdable mirrors.

When you include symmetry in a composition, the shot will often contain good balance and a feeling of harmony (and reflective symmetry in a body of water also lends a sense of calm and peace to the shot).

3. Look for leading lines to draw in the viewer

As the name suggests, leading lines help guide the viewer’s eye through the frame, generally from the bottom of the composition toward the main subject in the middle or top (though leading lines can also move horizontally or diagonally across the frame). Leading lines also add a sense of movement, or dynamism, to a composition, which is always a good thing!

Often, when traveling, you’ll come upon footpaths or cobblestone roads, and these look amazing as leading lines. Simply position the path at the bottom of your composition, and watch as it draws the viewer straight into the frame.

(For extra oomph, try getting down low with a wide-angle lens; this will magnify the leading lines to great effect.)

Really, you can find leading lines pretty much everywhere, as long as you take the time to stop and look! Rivers winding toward mountains, light trails winding toward buildings, jetties heading out to sea – every travel destination has a few, and if you can search them out, they’ll guarantee a beautiful image or two.

4. Get up high for a unique view

Every travel photographer should follow this tip at least once during their trip:

Get up high and shoot down.

It’s easy to get obsessed with the subjects right in front of our faces, but if you can get above the city or landscape, you’ll often find plenty of interesting elements: building spires, lakes winding their way down to the sea, and more.

Even if your trek up high doesn’t reveal any new subjects, an elevated position can help you think about familiar subjects in new ways, plus the aesthetics bird’s-eye-view photos just look interesting and can help draw the viewer into the frame and toward your subject.

5. Use the rule of thirds for travel landscapes

Yes, the rule of thirds is a fundamental compositional guideline that gets discussed to death, but have you tried it in your photos? I mean, really tried it?

You see, the rule of thirds urges you to position key elements a third of the way into the frame, and I found that it works beautifully for travel landscape shots. Simply put the horizon in the top-third position, and you get a beautifully balanced, dynamic image:

Of course, if you’re faced with a dramatic sky with interesting clouds, you might try the opposite: place the horizon on the bottom-third position, which will emphasize the sky and deemphasize the foreground. This can look stunning, especially when the sky is dark and moody or during a colorful sunset.

(If you’re not sure whether you should place the horizon along the top-third or bottom-third line, don’t fret. Simply try both and see which you prefer!)

6. Place your subject dead-center in the composition

In the previous section, I discussed the value of putting key elements a third of the way into the frame. But sometimes it’s good to break rules, and one of the most effective ways to create unique and striking travel compositions is by placing your subject centrally in the frame.

When a person or object is placed dead center, the viewer will be instantly drawn to the subject. And they’ll immediately understand the main theme and story of the image, thanks to the lack of distractions.

If you’re feeling especially adventurous, take this further; combine some leading lines with your centrally positioned subject to add perspective, dynamism, and energy. For example, you might shoot a road that leads to a car or mountain in the middle of the frame.

7. Add an interesting foreground element

Foreground elements look great in travel photos, especially when using wide-angle lenses.

Why? Because they add depth to the scene. They show the viewer the area right beneath the photographer’s feet…

…before sweeping the viewer out into the more distant ocean, city, or mountains.

Travel photographers use this technique all the time in seascape and cityscape shots; they find a nice foreground element, like a rock on the beach or a bridge by the water, they position it in the foreground, and let it suck the viewer straight into the shot.

So when you’re next out with your camera and wide-angle lens, look for a nice foreground element to add to the shot – a tree, some flowers, a rock, a streetlight, or even just ripples in the sand. Position it in the bottom third of the composition (see the rule of thirds, discussed above!), then watch as an ordinary image becomes extraordinary.

8. Use shapes and patterns

Shapes and patterns exist everywhere, and an easy way to create travel images with more impact is to identify and use these features.

Here, I’m really talking about becoming more abstract in your travel compositions. Don’t just photograph your subject; instead, look for interesting shapes and patterns that make up your subject, then compose with them in mind.

When capturing a compelling tree, for example, most travel photographers will simply shoot the whole tree – but you can elevate your image by framing some patterns in the leaves or roots. Other examples of travel themes and subjects you can shoot with interesting shapes and patterns include water, architectural details, and even food.

Pro tip: While you can always photograph these elements with a wide-angle lens, it often helps to go longer (i.e., use a focal length beyond 50mm or so). For especially unique shots, consider using a macro lens.

Travel photography composition tips: final words

The way you compose your travel shots will majorly impact the final image. By using some of the tips mentioned above – such as framing your subject, finding leading lines, and going more abstract – your shots will instantly improve.

So have fun, and do what you can to explore your different compositional options!

Now over to you:

Which of these travel composition techniques do you plan to use? Do you have any favorite techniques of your own? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The post 8 Travel Photography Composition Tips (to Instantly Improve Your Shots!) appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Jeremy Flint.

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[Photography] Headshot Posing Guide: 5 Simple Poses to Get You Started

The post Headshot Posing Guide: 5 Simple Poses to Get You Started appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Natalia Robert.

What are the best headshot poses for corporate, business, or even family photography?

In this article, I share five of my favorite poses, including basic options for beginners as well as more advanced ideas for experienced headshot photographers. I also share a handful of my favorite headshot posing tips just in case you need a little extra guidance.

By the time you’re done, you’ll have a set of poses you can use in your own sessions. Memorize them, print them out, or even store them on your phone – that way, if you’re in a photoshoot and you’re struggling to direct your client, you can whip out my headshot photography posing examples and capture some beautiful results!

Headshot posing basics: getting started

Every great headshot pose starts with the same fundamental characteristics.

First, ask your subject to bring their shoulders back and push out their chest.

Then direct your subject to lean in with their forehead. In other words, they should always keep their forehead leaning ever so slightly toward the lens (while pushing their face slightly forward). Note that the forehead lean can be subtle, and you should take care to ensure it looks natural.

Check out the two images below:

For the left-hand image, I asked my subject to keep her head straight. And for the right-hand image, I asked my subject to do the forehead lean. Can you see the difference? The right-hand shot is slightly more engaging, more dynamic, and features extra depth.

Note that you’ll almost always need to adjust the subject after they’ve leaned their forehead. Most people tend to lean in too far or lower their chin too much, so ask them to make slight adjustments until you find an ideal angle.

Then continue one with one of these professional poses:

1. Crossed arms

This first pose comes from traditional headshots, and it’s super easy to pull off: the crossed-arms pose.

Of course, it’s hardly an original pose, but by simply changing location, asking the subject to add a slight lean, and loosening up the tightness in the crossed arms, this pose can feel surprisingly modern. Plus, sometimes a classic headshot is what the client wants!

In the example below, the subject is leaning slightly back into the brick wall while crossing his arms and maintaining an upright posture. When asking women to do this pose, I like to encourage them to cross their arms loosely; otherwise, the shot can feel quite severe and cold. Men have a bit more room to keep the arms tight, but be sure to avoid that same severity.

You can always use the location to create different moods. For instance, the shot below relies on the well-lit location to add warmth:

Since the subject is a woman, I asked her to add a slight hip tilt and to drop the shoulder closest to the camera. My goal was to soften up the crossed-arms pose, which can sometimes feel too harsh.

2. The lean

Many clients want a lifestyle feel in their headshots – and an easy way to get this more relaxed, informal look is to take the subject outside and ask them to lean against a wall.

For one, a simple lean against a wall or railing can make the shot feel so much more natural than a rigid-backed image. And the wall will add context to the shot, plus the wall texture can inject a bit of character in an otherwise-bland image.

In the example below, the subject is leaning against a wall. The texture of the wall adds interest, and the lean softens the pose for a natural look. We didn’t want the shot to look too informal – the subject is a lawyer – so the client stuck with a suit jacket, which contrasted nicely against the wall.

Note: Even though the subject should lean, it’s still important for them to maintain good posture. Ask them to lean with their bottom half while preventing their entire back from slouching into the wall. Alternatively, they can gently lean with one shoulder to maintain balance while keeping their posture upright.

If the subject starts to look a bit stiff, have them “shake it out,” take a deep breath, and settle back into the pose. Sometimes, they just need a break from all the posing!

Here is another example of a leaning headshot pose:

In this case, the subject wanted to look casual – while also coming off as polished and professional. The subject leaned one arm on the railing for a casual feeling, but the nice clothes and the upright posture kept the shot relatively businesslike.

(In this case, the crossed-arms pose would have created an image that was too formal for the client’s needs, but the lean was perfect.)

3. The upright sit

Sitting poses work well for headshots, and you actually have a few options to work with. For instance, you can ask your subject to sit on a set of stairs with their hands joined over their knees:

Ideally, the knees end up slightly higher than the hips, which can easily happen on stairs. In the example above, the subject is sitting on steps, loosely resting her hands over her knees while still keeping her posture upright (very important!). If you’re not careful, a sitting pose can come off as too casual – but the resting hands and the upright posture help to avoid such an issue.

Alternatively, you can ask your subject to position themselves symmetrical to the camera before leaning slightly forward, with their legs apart and their hands folded together. This is a hugely popular pose for men, and it works especially well for medium-formal shoots.

I also like to use sitting poses when working with multiple headshot subjects. For this next example, I asked the subjects to sit on different stairs (my goal here was primarily to balance out their height differences!):

In the photo above, the subject on the top step is leaning slightly on the railing, which helps show a bit more of his torso. His arm is casually resting over his leg (similar to the popular male pose I just discussed). The front subject is leaning back and to his left, helping to unify the two subjects. Since these two men are business partners, it was important to maintain a sense of camaraderie in their poses.

4. The walking subject

I love walking headshot poses, and here’s why:

• It loosens up the subject’s body if they are a bit stiff in front of the camera.
• It encourages a more natural expression because you can chat with them as they walk.
• It creates a sense of movement that translates into a deeper connection with the viewer.

Plus, walking headshots are easy to do, especially outdoors. Just find a nice background, take a few steps back from your subject, and ask them to walk toward you. As they go, fire off a series of shots (your camera’s burst mode can be helpful here, but isn’t essential).

Because you don’t have as much control over the background with a walking subject – they’ll be constantly moving, after all – I’d recommend using a longer lens and a wide aperture to blur out any distracting background elements.

And as always, encourage your subject to maintain good posture while walking (and if possible, to lean their forehead forward!).

5. Do an action pose

This is where modern headshots get fun.

You’re photographing a subject, often for their business – and you have the opportunity to express something about what they do and/or what their personality is like.

If they make a product, ask them to show you a product (and snap a photo!). If they do some sort of training, ask them to perform a bit of what they do. If they have a hobby, ask them to bring out some gear, get dressed in uniform, and so on.

With this type of fluid posing technique, it’s not so much about giving detailed directions; instead, just let the subject do their thing. Keep your camera at the ready, and capture some headshots full of personality.

For the photos below, I gave my subjects free rein to do what they wanted. I then snapped quite a few frames, as the final images needed to capture movement and activity, plus feature flattering expressions.

The best headshot poses: final words

Hopefully, you now have a few poses you can use for your next photoshoot! Of course, always make sure the pose you use is a good fit for the interests of the client (and don’t use these posing ideas as substitutes for getting to know your client, either!).

Now over to you:

Which of these headshot poses is your favorite? Which do you plan to use? 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

    • Headshot posing basics: getting started
    • 1. Crossed arms
    • 2. The lean
    • 3. The upright sit
    • 4. The walking subject
    • 5. Do an action pose
    • The best headshot poses: final words
    • Headshot posing basics: getting started
    • 1. Crossed arms
    • 2. The lean
    • 3. The upright sit
    • 4. The walking subject
    • 5. Do an action pose
    • The best headshot poses: final words
  • 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 Headshot Posing Guide: 5 Simple Poses to Get You Started appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Natalia Robert.

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