Photographing on location can present a variety of unique challenges for photographers just starting out. For world-renowned photographer and Nikon Ambassador Audrey Woulard, however, that's just another day at the office.
When it comes to shooting portraits, many photographers tend to gravitate towards lenses with longer focal lengths. This is thanks to their ability to produced flattering images of their subjects. While 50mm and 85mm lenses are also popular choices amongst portrait shooters, it's possible to produce even better results by opting for an even longer focal length.
Not so long ago, we shared a simple illustration of how the Inverse Square Law works and how it affects the way your subjects or scenes are lit. If you found it useful for understanding the technicalities of the relationship between distance and the brightness of light, we have yet another visual guide for you. This time, it shows us the law at work in the studio!
The Golden Hour is every photographer’s favorite time of the day to shoot, for a good reason. As the term suggests, it bathes a scene in a beautiful golden glow that increases the contrast and brings out the most dramatic and vibrant colors.
When done right, shooting in natural light can yield some gorgeous results, especially for portraits. But the main challenge with it is it's constant light, so you have to make adjustments and adapt your shooting style and settings to account for that.
Let's say you've already mastered shooting portraits with your trusty 50mm lens and want to expand your skills and arsenal to other great lenses. How do you pick the next one from all the choices out there? Today, allow us to simplify that a bit and narrow down your options to two other popular focal lengths for shooting portraits: 85mm and 135mm.
When you're shooting portraits, it's often not enough to just rely on your camera's autofocus mode and expect that everything in your frame will look sharply focused. You also have to make sure that your subject's eyes are always pin-sharp.
You can often get away with very simple poses for close-ups and half-body shots when photographing male models. But when it comes to full body portraits, natural-looking poses can be challenging, especially when you're totally new to it.
The concept of composition is the foundation of any outstanding photo, and it's especially the case for portrait photography. Part of compositon is deciding which part of your subject appears in your shot.
So, you've found a nice location that gives you some pretty interesting backdrops for your next portrait shoot. However, it's often only one part of the picture, so to speak. In this quick tutorial for Adorama, Gavin Hoey gives us some tips and ideas on how to use props, wardrobe and styling, lighting, and a little bit of post-processing to add character to our location portraits.
Getting the lighting right is key when it comes to shooting professional-looking portraits. While it doesn't always have to involve complex setups, it can be daunting to figure out where to start if you're still new to portrait lighting techniques.
Whether you work extensively with flash and studio lighting or have a preference for natural and outdoor light, understanding the quality of light when you shoot is crucial to getting well-exposed photos.
Here are our best tips for making the most of a portrait photography session and creating portraits that grab our attention. The post People & portrait photography | Tips every photographer should know appeared first on 500px.
Moody, low-key photographs are trending—dark backgrounds are cropping up in portrait photography, still life photography, macro photography, and beyond. The post The essential guide to creating a black background for your photos appeared first on 500px.