What is the most frequently played piece of music in the world? It isn’t Hotel
California (that comes second), it is Happy Birthday (groan). So since you are
now in the ‘quiz mode’ - what is the most common subject for personal
photography? If you said “family”, then you are correct.
Here are the 10 simple rules for Better portraits. Follow the
10 golden rules and you too can get results just like the local “professional”
photo shop. It doesn’t depend upon what type of camera you have, it just needs
you to do a little planning. In fact, photocopy this page and keep it in your
camera bag!
Rule 1. Walk in closer. It is the single most important
tip to better portraits. Even with a point and shoot compact, walk in till the
subject fills the viewfinder from the waist up.
Rule 2. If you have a camera with a “portrait mode” then
use it! This is one area where I and the manufacturers agree. The portrait mode
with modern cameras does work. It maximizes the settings to produce the most
pleasing effect, gets rid of backgrounds and sets the exposure to allow for the
best skin tones. Use it.
Rule 3. Use the flash in daylight. If you have a fancy
camera with “Fill Flash” facility, then turn it on and you will see the final
images you get have now got sparkle and punch. If you have not, but have a flash
you mount on top of the camera, use it, and turn it to around f2.8 to f4. This
will not overpower the daylight, but will give catch-lights in the eyes.
Rule 4. Watch for horrible backgrounds. It is so easy to
concentrate so hard on the subject that you do not really “see” the background,
which can be confusing and cluttered. Try to keep the subject as far away as
possible from all backgrounds and if you have manual mode or aperture priority
mode, then set the aperture f stop at around f 4. Also get the
subject to stand/sit at an angle to you - not straight on, and only then to look
at the camera.
Rule 5. Shoot in the early mornings or in the late
afternoons. At both of these times the light is more flattering than it is at
mid-day, where you will get harsh shadows cutting across the face from the nose.
Rule 6. If you have a zoom or a telephoto lens then now
is the time! Using around 135 mm, this is called by some people the ideal
‘portrait lens’, then you again flatter the face and help throw the background
out of focus - particularly if you have followed Rule number 4.
Rule 7. Turn the camera on its side so you have the
viewfinder in portrait mode as well. People are taller than they are wide, so it
makes sense to have the maximum dimension vertically, doesn’t it! By all means,
take a couple of shots in the so called horizontal “landscape” view, but the
majority should be verticals.
Rule 8. The nose is not the central point of any
portrait. In the center of the viewfinder there is generally a small area which
you can use for getting the focus point. After you have set the focus, move the
central point off the person’s nose! The more likely central point will be the
mouth or chin.
Rule 9. Super trick! Use a gold colored reflector to give
the skin that healthy glow. Just glue some gold wrapping paper to a piece of
cardboard about 1 meter square and get an assistant to move it so it reflects
“golden glow” into the subject. This is particularly flattering for pale skinned
folk.
Rule 10. With older subjects stretch a piece of nylon
stocking tightly across the lens. This will act as a soft focus filter and
smooth out many of the wrinkles we like to pretend we haven’t got!
Follow those ten simple hints and you will soon be taking
shots as good as, if not better than, the local neighborhood portrait
photographer. After all, he’s only following those 10 steps as well.
