How to Take a Digital Photography Portrait

Taking a great digital photography portrait isn't as hard as you think. Photographing people can be challenging, but a combination of good photography skills and good people skills will help you take pictures that will capture your subjects personality. Let's look at some of the things you have to consider to make your portrait photography better.

Before You Start

Ask you subject to bring several changes of clothes to the shoot. Often times simple clothing is easier to capture in a portrait, but the clothing your subject wears depends on their personality. Have them bring their favorite outfits. Make some suggestions too. For example you might want them to wear a simple dark or light colored shirt.

Set up before the subject arrives. You don't want your subject waiting around while you set up. Waiting around makes people cranky and cranky people don't look good in photographs.

Adjust your lighting. Lighting is one of the most important parts of photography. Whether you're shooting outdoors or indoors you need to make sure the lighting is right before you start. Use a friend or assistant as a stand in to make sure you get the lighting right before your subject arrives.

Experiment with different lighting angles and number of lights if using artificial lighting. If you are using natural light you can position your subject so the sunlight is hitting them from different angles. I strongly suggest that you use backlighting. Backlighting gives your pictures depth.

Diffuse light. Diffusing gives the light a softer, warmer look. This also helps soften shadows. You can diffuse sunlight by putting your subject in a lightly shaded area, by holding up diffusers or hanging a thin sheet on a line or in a tree so it catches the sunlight before it hits your subject.

At the Shoot

Make some decisions about composition. The composition of your photo can be used to show something about a your subject. You can take pictures of your subject in their home or in their work environment. Keeping the composition of the photo simple is usually the best bet. If you have a simple background, the person really stands out in the photo. You may want to fill the whole picture with the persons face. You may want to not include the person's face in your photo at all. Maybe a simple shot of their hands would best show the character of your subject. Composition is very important in digital photography portraits.

Experiment with camera angles. Try taking pictures of your subject from high up or low down. In digital photography portraits, camera angle can change the whole feel of the picture.

Make your subject feel comfortable. Talk to them. Play music that they like. If your subject feels awkward that'll come across in the photo. Having people talk about things they like to do puts them at ease.

Be professional and concise. There is no need to drag a shoot out. Get the pictures you want and end the session. Planning the session beforehand will make the shoot go as smoothly as possible.