RafaeliaHerring937
Tips For Enhancing your Portrait Photography
Today, let's get a little into portrait photography... here are two quick strategies for you. Though they might seem minor, they are able to create a HUGE difference in the effectiveness of your portraits! Who knows, maybe you'll start winning some of those photo contests!
Today's first tip involves photographing peoples' joints.
No, I am not talking about marijuana. I'm referring to physical joints like wrists elbows, knees and so on.
Our primary functions as a photographer is to create a portraitee (I believe I just invented a word) look like they are having the best day EVER! You want them appearing like millions of bucks!
Not many of us can naturally fall under great poses - the ability to look comfortable in front of the camera is why professional models make the big bucks.
Among the fastest methods to ruin that "best ever" look would be to make sure they are look stiff and uncomfortable. Our joints play an enormous element in whether we look stiff and uncomfortable - or natural and flowing. Here is a rule of thumb for you personally...
Tip #1... If it can bend, allow it to bend!
Bend the elbows, the knees, the wrists, tilt the top, shoulders and so on.
For entertainment, try going for a photo using the person just standing there, shoulders straight on to the camera, feet together, knees straight and so forth. Stiff? Without a doubt!
Unless you are trying to shoot a photograph of a soldier standing around attention... this will NEVER be the best pose!
Now shoot the same subject with as many joints bent as possible. Twist shoulders, tilt the head, slightly bend the elbows (not all the way to 90 degrees), put one foot behind the other and rest the load on it (this alters the angle of the hips) and so forth...
I believe you will see an enormous improvement!
Have a few minutes and look at portraits done by top photographers and I think you'll be hard pressed to locate an unbent joint!
Along those same lines...
Tip #2 is... If there are two of these, don't make sure they are the same!
With two of them, I am talking about two hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders as well as on and on.
Keep in mind, we have two ears and 2 eyes too, so in a portrait, tilt the head so that the eyes and ears aren't on a single level.
Tilt the shoulders for the similar reason!
These two tips may seem a little obvious, but it's amazing how few hobbyist photographers pay attention to them. It's this that make the difference! To learn more, check out the links within the authors resource box!
