Creative Portrait Photography: Tips and Ideas on Photographing People, Women, Children, Couples and More! A Complete Guide on How to Photograph People

110 Pages·2013·4.34 MB·English

by  Stephen Hockman

Creative Portrait Photography: Tips and Ideas on Photographing People,
Women, Children, Couples and More!
By FreeDigitalPhotographyTutorials.com
Copyright 2013 by FreeDigitalPhotographyTutorials.com
Thank you for downloading this book. It is copyrighted by the author and may
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If you find this book helpful in any way please recommend it to your friends and
other photographers so they too can take advantage of the information.
Cover photo by Eugene Wineblat
Table of Contents
Introduction
Portrait Posing Guides
Model Portraits
Glamour Portraits
Model Portraits on the Beach
Outdoor Boudoir Portraits
Engagement Portraits
Wedding Portraits
Pregnant and Maternity Portraits
Newborn and Baby Portraits
Family Portraits
Studio Photography Tips
Low Light Portrait Tips
Silhouette Portraits
Additional Tips and Tricks
One Last Thing…
Other Books on Photography
Introduction
At FreeDigitalPhotographyTutorials.com, we’re dedicated to helping
photographers become the best they can at all types of photography, including
portraits.
As you may know, portrait photography is one of the most sought after types of
photography that nearly every photographer wants to master. In fact, if you do a
Google search on the subject you’ll find that there are millions of webpages (and
other books) dedicated to the very topic.
However, what you’ll mostly find within these sites (and books) is the same
information repeated time and time again – common, technical methods on how
to pose a subject. Yes, that is important to understand and we provide several
free tutorials on our website about the topic, including 35 of the best
photography poses for portraits and the 3-2 posing technique. When you have a
chance, check them out. They’ll teach you everything you need to know on a
technical basis and save your hours of time searching the internet and reading
other books.
The only problem with these technical tutorials is that they neglect the most
important aspect of being a great portrait photographer - being creative with your
shots!
Sure, anyone can learn how to pose a subject using tried and tested rules in
photography, but that won’t make your portraits stand out apart from another
photographer’s. And, that’s why this book was written – to teach you how to
become creative with your portrait photography.
Within these pages you’ll find tips and tricks on how to capture creative and
engaging portraits of all styles, including: models, glamour photos, outdoor
boudoir, engaged couples, weddings, pregnant and maternity, families, etc.
Additionally, we’ll also share with you tips from the pros on how to capture
better studio portraits, ways to take better pictures in low light situations, how to
master a powerful, yet often neglected photo technique called silhouette
photography, and more.
There’s a lot of information to cover in this book and we look forward to helping
you become a better portrait photographer. So, let’s get started!
Portrait Posing Guides
As a photographer, you should be equipped with a wide range of photography
poses that you can direct your subjects to perform.
Knowing these poses will help you to capture amazing photographs no matter
what type of shoot you are on.
Before we get into specific tips and tricks on portrait photography, we wanted to
provide you with two free portrait posing guides. Use these guides as a reference
whether you’re shooting a single person portrait, such as a senior, graduation,
model, etc.
The poses contained within each guide will help you immensely on your photo
shoots.
Download Posing Guide #1 [pdf]
Download Posing Guide #2 [pdf]
Model Portraits
As a model photographer you will undoubtedly work with both experienced and
inexperienced models. Regardless of the experience level of the model you are
photographing there are certain tips that you can follow to help things go
smoothly.
In this chapter, you’ll find several photography tips that will help you capture the
best shots from your models.
Photo by dmsumon
Be Punctual and Prepared
It’s important that you’re well prepared for the photo shoot.
This means being on time and making sure that you have all of your equipment
with you and that it’s set up and ready to go. It’s a good idea to speak with the
model a few days prior to the shoot to let them know the type of shots you’re
looking for. This will enable them to also come prepared by practicing certain
poses and expressions.
Speaking to the model ahead of time will also help him or her to be aware of the
type of clothing to wear and if any types of accessories or jewelry are needed. In
addition, they will be able to adjust their makeup and hair to fit in with the theme
of the shoot. If you meet with the model before the job the odds are that you’ll
both be more relaxed when working together.
If the model is new to portrait photography or you want to control how the pose
is formed, print out and bring the Portrait Posing Guides we provided to you in
the first chapter to the location. While on set you can show the model sample
poses from the guides that you want to shoot.
Setting the Scene
It’s always a good idea to find out what type of environment or setting the model
prefers to work in.
You can ask what type of lighting and music they’re comfortable with and make
sure they are allowed their privacy. Little things such as the temperature of the
studio can also be discussed since you want the model to feel as comfortable as
possible.
Of course, on some occasions the theme of the photo shoot will dictate these
things, but by asking, the model will realize that you’re trying to make them feel
at ease.
Communication is Key
Most models appreciate it if you’re specific in your instructions.
If you’re vague they may not know what it is you’re looking for. One of the best
ways to let the model know what you’re trying to capture on camera is to
actually show them examples from the Portrait Posting Guides, various websites
or magazines. This way they can visually see what it is you’re trying to achieve.
Asking a model’s opinion at the photo shoot is also beneficial since they may
have some helpful tips or experience to share. Don’t be afraid to try this.