Portrait Eyes

Quick tips for better portraits

Techniques

23 October 2007 17:23

1. Chat to your model to help him/her relax. You’ll capture much more natural and interesting pictures once they’ve got used to the camera. With amateur models, this may take half an hour or more, so keep taking shots and be encouraging.

2. Don’t just shoot your model at eyelevel. Try standing on a stool to get a different perspective – it can give the image a completely different mood too.

3. Shoot RAW files for the ultimate quality and flexibility. There’s also a good chance that your camera’s white balance will be slightly off, and this is easier to correct with RAW.

4. Take more shots then you think you’ll need. Every shot will be slightly different and subtle movements can make or break a composition. Make sure you’ve bagged the shot by taking five to ten frames of each pose and angle.

5. Always focus on the eye nearest the camera. Your shots simply won’t look right if you don’t.

6. Try using a lens with a focal length between 50mm and 100mm so your model’s face fills the frame from a comfortable distance. If you get too close with a wide-angle lens you can distort the subject – but don’t be afraid to experiment.