The majority of photos taken with a digital camera are probably portraits. This makes a lot of sense, of course. We love having photos of our friends and family to cherish for a lifetime.
It is easy to take the camera and just point and click a few times, attempting to get a great photo. By the time that third or fourth photo comes around, your subject is probably tired of the photo taking. He or she may have a bored expression, a forced smile or, in the case of young children, might even walk, toddle or crawl out of the frame.
With certain easy tips and techniques, though, you can take great portraits, and get them right with the first, or at least the second, shot. Here is how.
Earlier, in another article, Digital Camera Tips: Working with Light, we talked about how important lighting is, and how people look their best in soft light. (If you haven’t read that article, you might want to go do that now.) This is very true.
But, there is an extra step you can take when photographing a portrait subject outdoors. If your camera has an automatic flash that senses the light, try using that flash even if you are outdoors. With most modern, smart, digital cameras, the camera will alter the flash to give you the right balance of light for your subject. This will reduce any shadows on your subject’s face. Try one photo with the flash and the other without, to see which looks best.
Zoom into your subject so the person fills the frame in a way that you find pleasing. You want to get close enough to see expression and make an interesting photo, but not so close that you cut off someone’s head! Have the person look slightly away from the camera, or take a candid shot when he or she is not aware of the camera. This makes especially nice photos with children.
And speaking of children, when taking a portrait photo, it is important to get down on their level. Different perspectives also make interesting photos, but to learn more about that, you should check out the Photography Blog. In general, is is much better in digital photography, to view the subject facing him or her naturally, or at only a very slight angle. Sit, kneel, lie down, do whatever you have to do to take a photo that is intimate with your subject.
Would you like to see more digital camera tips?
Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Frugal Living Blog here at Families.com, where she shares money saving tips for today’s families.
Related Articles:
Digital Camera Tips: Getting A Sharper Image
Digital Camera Tips: Working with Light