Male studio shooting. Portrait of a man. How to relax the model, relieve awkwardness and tension? The main types of light sources in the studio

This tip is all about shooting a male portrait. There are no particular restrictions for creating a male portrait, as well as for shooting a female one. The main thing is the imagination and skills of the photographer. What should be a man's portrait, we figure it out together with professional photographers. Marina Scheglova, Alexander Annenkov, Pavel Sokolov will share their secrets.

Beauty dish painting light on model, background light and cone reflector with honeycomb
Camera: Nikon D700
Lens: AF NIKKOR 24mm f / 2.8D
Aperture: f / 11
Exposure: 1/125
ISO: 200
Focal length: 24mm

Secrets of Alexander Annenkov

“Black and white male portrait is always the focus on the model. The visual means are light, shadow, contrast, texture, and black and white light adds drama, brutality and highlights the model's look.

In portraits, I prefer natural light, here it is possible to add volume by blurring the background and reflecting in the eyes of natural light sources and reflective surfaces, rather than studio softboxes, the natural movement of the model in the frame. "

Secrets of Pavel Sokolov

“Before shooting, you need to get inspired! Of course, everyone will have their own sources of inspiration: photographs, music, beautifully falling light, which was noticed in advance. Sometimes an insight or an idea just comes up, which it would be good to write down right away for further implementation.

First of all, I look at the appearance and determine for myself what interesting things I can emphasize, sometimes one detail is enough. Perhaps the model has an attractive look, and we can convey all the charisma through him, or there are special facial features. "

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f / 1.4G
Aperture: f / 4
Exposure: 1/400
ISO: 200
Focal length: 50mm

“The choice of location can depend on the combination of the color of the clothing and the background, graphics or a certain light, which greatly affects the final result.

Once there was a case when, in search of a location in one of the courtyards of St. Petersburg, I realized that there was nothing better than the garbage dump that was nearby. This is where the excellent oblique light got in, the boards with red stripes were thrown against the background, and the nearby wall of the house reflected the light on the model's face. "

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 4
Exposure: 1/800
ISO: 320
Focal length: 105mm

“In the studio I very rarely get attached to the interior, for me the light is important! When working with a male portrait, most often I use hard light to emphasize the brutality of the appearance. Here I used three lights plus a reflector. Behind the model, two reflectors shine into the frame, and light from a portrait dish with honeycombs falls on the face. The lower part of the face is highlighted by a reflector. "

Here I used three lights plus a reflector. Behind the model, two reflectors shine into the frame, and light from a portrait dish with honeycombs falls on the face. The lower part of the face is illuminated by a reflector.

Camera: Nikon D300s
Lens: AF-S DX ZOOM-NIKKOR 17-55mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 11
Exposure: 1/160
ISO: 200
Focal length: 38mm

Secrets of Marina Scheglova

“Very often, in the case of a male portrait, creating a 'comfort zone' for the person being photographed becomes a successful model of behavior for the photographer. For this, it is very important to communicate with a person in order to try to feel what is important for him, to feel his mood, to understand and highlight some character traits for oneself, which will later become the so-called base for a future portrait. This is necessary, because in their specificity men are not inclined to posing and it is harder to pull them out to emotions, moreover, it is not always the photographer who has a strong charismatic personality with a rich inner world, creative potential and the desire to work for the frame. "

Camera: Nikon D610
Aperture: f / 5.6
Exposure: 1/100
ISO: 800
Focal length: 70mm

TIP FROM NIKON.

MAIN TYPES OF STUDIO LIGHT SOURCES

1. DRAWING LIGHT

The main light source that creates the cut-off pattern.

2. FILLING LIGHT

Use to soften shadows and fill with light parts or the entire subject.

3. BACKGROUND LIGHT

Separates the subject from the background and creates a tonal perspective.

4. BACKLIGHT

Emphasizes the contours of the subject and creates additional volume.

5. MODELING LIGHT

Lets you highlight the sides of your subject.

A number of sources can be replaced by reflectors

The larger the emitting surface, the softer the shadows

There are no particular restrictions for creating a male portrait, as well as for shooting a female one. The main thing is the imagination and skills of the photographer. What should be a portrait of a man, we understand the new training Nikon Master together with professional photographers. They will share their secrets Marina Shcheglova , Alexander Annenkov , Pavel Sokolov.

And the traditional competition: we are waiting for your portraits in the comments here until August 10! As a reminder, photos must be taken with Nikon! The author of the best, in the opinion of the jury, the picture will receive branded souvenirs from Nikon! Good luck and good mood to everyone!

● Texture (skin, hair, clothing, objects in the composition)

The light can be soft or hard. A large texture is given by the side light, top or bottom, it also adds a cut-off pattern - it creates the volume of the image.

Window light, black background and dark flag sideways
Camera: Nikon D300s
Lens: AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f / 1.8G
Aperture: f / 2.8
Exposure: 1/80
ISO: 200
Focal length: 50mm

● Dramatic portraits

To do this, I use, as a rule, one light source and black reflectors opposite the model (on one side, on two, on the sides, in front, depending on the desired effect of the picture), they, by absorbing light, enhance the shadow on the face. This also achieves the effect of sculpting a male face, when cheekbones are drawn instead of cheeks, a forehead tending to the sides leaves and brutality appears. In the studio, black reflectors are flags, in the open air there are dark surfaces, buildings of business centers.

Beauty dish painting light on model, background light and cone reflector with honeycomb
Camera: Nikon D700
Lens: AF NIKKOR 24mm f / 2.8D
Aperture: f / 11
Exposure: 1/125
ISO: 200
Focal length: 24mm

● Atmosphere and volume of the picture

In portrait photography, I prefer natural light, here it is possible to add volume through blurring the background and reflecting in the eyes of natural light sources and reflective surfaces, rather than studio softboxes, the natural movement of the model in the frame.

Evening light, side lighting, light reflective reflector on the side
Camera: Nikon D700

Aperture: f / 2.8
Exposure: 1/2500
ISO: 500
Focal length: 155mm

● Contrast

Light and dark objects, clothes of the model, light, shadow, composition. Preference for natural light over artificial light as it is a faster way to examine the subject's face and take better pictures without wasting time setting the light.

Morning light from the window
Camera: Nikon D700
Lens: AF-S ZOOM-NIKKOR 80-200mm f / 2.8D IF-ED
Aperture: f / 3.2
Exposure: 1/1000
ISO: 200
Focal length: 145mm

● Depth of view

To do this, I use a portrait or telephoto lens so that the model can prove herself at a distance from the lens in her comfort zone. Wide-angle portraits maximize model-photographer interaction and add more space to the composition. ”

Daytime diffused light. The model is located between two tall buildings of dark color, acting as a dark reflector
Camera: Nikon D750

Aperture: f / 2.8
Exposure: 1/250
ISO: 100
Focal length: 50mm

“In my opinion, shooting a male portrait is one of the most interesting directions in photography. Despite the fact that there are more female portraits in my portfolio, it is more interesting for me to work with men. Perhaps this is due to the style of my shots and vision, since I really love the graphics, rhythms, texture in the shot.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f / 1.4G
Aperture: f / 4
Exposure: 1/400
ISO: 200
Focal length: 50mm

● Preparing for shooting

It is very important to first assess the strengths of the model in order to correctly present them. I usually choose clothes for shooting for a specific person. And, since I am a supporter of classical genre photography, which made a great contribution to my vision, I prefer not bright clothes, without drawings and inscriptions. As a rule, I try to choose shirts, jeans, coat, raincoat, hat, glasses.

When choosing clothes, it is very important to understand in advance how I want to see my shots and in what locations I will take pictures. And one more point is to remove something that can distract the viewer's eyes from the model.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF NIKKOR 20mm f / 2.8D
Aperture: f / 4
Exposure: 1/400
ISO: 200
Focal length: 20mm

Before shooting, you need to get inspired! Of course, everyone will have their own sources of inspiration: photographs, music, beautifully falling light, which was noticed in advance. Sometimes an insight / idea just comes, which would be good to write down right away for further implementation.

Camera: Nikon D800

Aperture: f / 5
Exposure: 1/320
ISO: 400
Focal length: 105mm

● Equipment

I only take the essentials with me: a Nikon D800 camera, two AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f / 1.4G lenses and an AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105mm f / 2.8G IF-ED. I used to have a wonderful AF-S DX ZOOM-NIKKOR 17-55mm f / 2.8G IF-ED lens (great for crop cameras).

I also always have a glass with me and a small mirror for creative effects (we'll talk about this too).

● Shooting

Let's take a look at the factors on which the process and result of the shooting will depend:
- Mood (look / emotions / posture);
- Location and light conditions (shooting outdoors / in the studio)
- Creative techniques.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f / 1.4G
Aperture: f / 2.2
Exposure: 1/125
ISO: 400
Focal length: 50mm

● Mood

Every person has their own character, and I believe that one of the main tasks of a photographer in a portrait of a man is to reflect that character in his photographs.
Sometimes, in order to better understand the model, you need to talk, understand the interests of a person, delve into his inner world. Then it will be easier to shoot.

First of all, I look at the appearance and determine for myself what interesting things I can emphasize, sometimes one detail is enough (but this is far from always). Perhaps the model has an attractive look, and we can convey all the charisma through him. Or, there are special features (rounded or more angular). The hairstyle, the image of the model - all this is important for the frame and its construction.

Most often, in my shots, I strive to show some kind of severity, if this is relevant.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 5
Exposure: 1/320
ISO: 400
Focal length: 105mm

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 4
Exposure: 1/400
ISO: 250
Focal length: 105mm

● Location and light conditions. Shooting outdoors

The choice of the place can depend on the combination of the color of the clothes and the background, graphics or a certain light, which greatly affects the final result.

Once there was a case when, in search of a location in one of the courtyards of St. Petersburg, I realized that there was nothing better than the garbage dump that was nearby. Of course, the smell was not very good there, but it was there that excellent oblique light got in (through the gate grill), boards with red stripes were thrown in the background, and the nearby wall of the house reflected the light on the model's face.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 4
Exposure: 1/800
ISO: 320
Focal length: 105mm

Let's take a look at the examples:

As we can see, in this frame the background is quite simple - the gate is gray with peeled paint. But here there is a pleasant and unobtrusive rhythm, the general background color is very well combined with laconic clothing, and the rusty sections of the gate are in harmony with the skin. The pose is very restrained and symmetrical. And the plate in the upper left corner complements the frame, creating a slight disharmony (without it, the photograph will no longer cling).
Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 2.8
Exposure: 1/640
ISO: 320
Focal length: 105mm

In the next example, we can see that the location formed the basis of the frame.
In fact, it was a great success to find a hatch from which such a cloud of steam was pouring!

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f / 1.4G
Aperture: f / 2.2
Exposure: 1/2500
ISO: 500
Focal length: 50mm

Sometimes a handsome male silhouette is enough for a good shot!
Here the easiest option is to choose an arch or any other place where no light falls on one side of the model, and on the other, everything is illuminated.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 5
Exposure: 1/2000
ISO: 400
Focal length: 105mm

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f / 1.4G
Aperture: f / 2.5
Exposure: 1/160
ISO: 800
Focal length: 50mm

● Shooting in the studio

In the studio, I rarely get attached to the interior, the light is important to me!
When working with a male portrait, most often I use hard light to emphasize the brutality of the appearance.
But don't forget about the atmosphere. I can use the light passing through the masks as the background, or the lights themselves.

In the shot of the man in the hat, I used three lights:
- a reflector shone from the floor through a stepladder to the background, which created an interesting pattern on it;
- to the left and to the right of the model there were stripboxes to illuminate the face - this is how the Rembrandt triangle turned out, and the ear and cheek did not merge with the background.

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: AF-S VR MICRO-NIKKOR 105mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 5
Exposure: 1/160
ISO: 200
Focal length: 105mm

Here I used three lights plus a reflector.
Behind the model, two reflectors shine into the frame, and light from a portrait dish with honeycombs falls on the face. The lower part of the face is illuminated by a reflector.
Camera: Nikon D300s

Aperture: f / 11
Exposure: 1/160
ISO: 200
Focal length: 38mm

A portrait dish was used as a background to create an interesting effect that can be interpreted in different ways. Also, the light from this source well traced the outline of the shoulders. The front of the model is illuminated by two strip boxes, creating a very soft pattern on the face. Blue streaks added in post-production.
Camera: Nikon D300s
Lens: AF-S DX ZOOM-NIKKOR 17-55mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 10
Exposure: 1/160
ISO: 200
Focal length: 38mm

● Creative techniques

Remember when I first mentioned the glass and mirror that I always carry with me in my camera bag? I usually use them to bounce light rays and / or other objects.

Here I used a mirror (I hold it right in front of the lens). Thus, we get an interesting effect with additional meaning.
Camera: Nikon D300s
Lens: AF-S DX ZOOM-NIKKOR 17-55mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 11
Exposure: 1/160
ISO: 200
Focal length: 38mm

Many people call this frame - "The Portrait of Dorian Gray"
I used two small glasses, which gave a kind of broken mirror effect.
Camera: Nikon D300s
Lens: AF-S DX ZOOM-NIKKOR 17-55mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 5.6
Exposure: 1/160
ISO: 200
Focal length: 38mm

The final example, where glass was also used to create an atmosphere in the frame (it reflects the honeycomb from the portrait dish).
Camera: Nikon D300s
Lens: AF-S DX ZOOM-NIKKOR 17-55mm f / 2.8G IF-ED
Aperture: f / 10
Exposure: 1/160
ISO: 200
Focal length: 38mm

In conclusion, I want to say that the result of your shooting will depend on a combination of factors. It's not enough just to get a good model, clothing and location. It is important to be able to competently combine all the components to create a harmonious frame. The color scheme, the lighting solution, the style of clothing, the type of appearance of the model, and the mood are important here. The main thing is to always develop your taste, explore new approaches to photography, be inspired by high-quality portraits and not be afraid! Create, experiment, try! "

The camera settings for this night portrait were F: 4.0 aperture, ISO 1600, shutter speed 1/5 second.

Why not use a flash for photography at night?

Perhaps photographing people at night without using a flash is a very good way to get a great shot in natural light.Many people believe that as soon as it gets dark, you need to put on a flash to get good photos. When you use natural lighting (street lights, advertisements, store lighting) it will give your photo a natural and very interesting look. The advantage of natural lighting in photography at night is that it captures the "natural" environment, and you will never have "red eyes" in

photos and pictures will be much more interesting. There are also cases when it is simply not possible or forbidden to use a flash. There are two main types of photography at night: night portrait and street photography. For night portraits, the main issue will be staging, which will provide control over the movement of the subject. And lighting control is carried out by the correct placement of the object. But if you went out to take a couple of street photos at night, then here you will not have control over the location of the subject. In this night photo, it's best to use shutter priority to avoid unwanted blur.

We will look at the techniques used for these two types of photographs of people at night.

How to photograph a portrait at night

For portraits at night, you will need a tripod and a cable release or any other remote sync device you can read about. This will help you avoid unwanted camera movements when shooting slow shutter speeds. Once you have everything you need, you can start shooting in low light, opening the shutter even for a couple of seconds.

The key to good long exposure photography is having a firmly mounted camera on a tripod and a cable release, or just a shutter release timer. This will prevent blur from camera movement. By fixing the camera well, you can create an interesting, motion-blurred background. Any lens can be used for this type of night photography, and very low ISOs can even be used with a tripod.

Night paparazzi

For this street shot, the following settings were used: shutter speed 1/160, ISO 800, aperture F2.8.

Street photography at night is much more difficult.Since you cannot control the movement of the subject, you must be able to shoot at a high shutter speed to stop the movement of the subject. To do this, you will need a high sensitivity and a fast lens.... The sensitivity in the camera is adjusted by the value ISO. The higher the ISO, the less light and, accordingly, the time required for the correct exposure of the picture. The only drawback in high sensitivity is the increase in noise and deterioration in the quality of images.A fast lens is a lens with an aperture of F1.4-1.8.The more the aperture is open, the more light passes through the shutter when it is opened.

The shutter speed required to create an image of a person at rest or with little movement will be approximately 1/15 of a second. And for a night photo of a person who is moving, it can take up to 1/60 of a second, while for a person walking, it takes 1 / 125th of a second, a person running can take up to 1/500 of a second.

Measurement

For best results, it is best to set the camera to manual or semi-automatic mode. Using automatic camera settings very often leads to poor results when photographing at night.

The lighting estimation methods in modern cameras are very good, but you need to choose the right one.When shooting at night, you can often have a lot of dark areas (which, in principle, you are not interested in), which will lead to overexposure of the photo. To fix this, you can manually adjust the shutter speed and aperture for the correct exposure. You can also use spot metering, it will be more accurate and help you understand how to photograph at night.

Exposure was adjusted for bright areas: F4.0 aperture, ISO 3200, shutter speed 1/40 second.

For night photography, there is no “perfect” or “right” exposure; each photo will have a different meaning, depending on the goals you are pursuing.

Creative blur in photography at night

Blurring is the result of the movement of the subject during photography. in most situations, we try to avoid this. But in some cases, this blur will bring life to your photos.

Blur adds life to night photography: F4.0 aperture, ISO 3200, 0.3 seconds

Paint with light

This technique is used in addition to the existing ones, this type of photography is called "painting with light". Usually, for this they take a small flashlight and point it at the subject during shooting.

Image with normal light. Aperture F4.0, ISO 1600, shutter speed 1/5 second.

Light painting photography with small flashlight F4.0 aperture, ISO 1600, exposure 1/8 second.

White balance

The most common type of light at night is standard incandescent bulbs, which will produce warm yellow tones.Fluorescent lights will turn green.For some photographs, this color will be part of the mood of the photograph and may not be corrected.However, there are other times when this light spoils the image and you need to correct the white balance. If you want to learn how to photograph at night, then shoot in RAW format, because when processing photos you can set any white balance without loss of quality.

The key to photographing people at night without a flash is to control the light sources available. It's not easy to do, but with practice you will be able to do it.

by Alexander Hurman

Male posing is one of the more challenging components in portrait photography. Your subject should look masculine and preferably casual in front of the camera. The key to a successful photo shoot in this case is to first find ways to make the man relax, calm him down. It is necessary that he began to trust the photographer enough to allow himself to relax.

We bring you tried and tested methods of masters of portrait photography, practical techniques and practical suggestions.

1. Before taking a photo, think about what you will say about what the photo will be, where you will be photographed and for what purpose. Men love to know what is expected of them first.

2. Although it is believed that men are not particularly fond of chatting incessantly, nevertheless, as with female models and with children, you need to talk to them. Benevolent inquiries about work, family, hobbies or sports will help you relax and see the photographer, if not a friend, then at least your supporter for the next half hour or hour.

3. Be sure to say that the first few shots are trial, the person will feel more at ease. Often, the very first images are then included in the set of successful photographs from the photo session.

4. Good posture is especially important for any male portrait. Remember, your shoulders should be open, your chest pointed forward and up, and your belly pulled in as much as possible - this is a classic part of male portrait photography. Always talk about this to the person and constantly monitor these elements.

by Svetlana-Abzalova

5. The photographer should try to find out what the person's uncertainty may be. Vulnerable places can be stomach, arms, height, etc. A man will not always demonstrate his fears openly. Consider a male pose in which flaws will be visually hidden.

6. What is great about male portrait photography is that the model can be shot directly. This arrangement will add masculinity to the image due to the visually extended shoulders. Of course, a photographer may face a problem when it is difficult for the subject to look directly into the camera, especially since the eyes usually say much more about what a person is feeling at the moment and you can get a completely different result than you expect.

by Victor Alekseev

One good technique to get a good look directly into the camera lens is to ask the model to look at some point and then into the lens. At this moment, you need to press the shutter button.

7. Ask the man to clench his teeth. This technique helps to obtain a beautiful, strong and clear jaw line. However, it is worth warning that you do not need to squeeze your jaws too much, you just need to slightly press your teeth, otherwise anger appears on your face.

8. Like many girls and women, men often do not know where to put their hands during shooting. In a man's portrait photography, hands that are simply lowered along the body will look good. You can ask the model to put their hands in their pockets. An important point is that the brushes look harmonious. It should be visible that the hand is intact and has all the fingers on it. Another pitfall can be the position with the hands on the hips. She usually looks very feminine. Pay attention to this.

9. Don't forget to change the angle of the shot. Shoot from below, from above, from the side, look for the best variations. When changing the position of the camera, the same position of the model will look different. For informal shots, the option when the model rolls up her sleeves or throws a jacket or jacket over her shoulder always works well.

What do they like to do?

Men tend to enjoy posing a lot less than women. Often people are more happy to accept group photography than individual portraits. The exception is if a person does in the frame what he is used to. Talk to your male subject about his hobbies and passions to think of ways to use habitual skills and incorporate them into posing. The more comfortable the model feels, the better the photo will be.

Use a prop

Look around and find a prop near which to place your subject. People often find it easier to relax if they can lean on something with their backs, feet, or hands. If, for example, the model is based on a tree, and unnecessary details are included in the frame, you can always zoom the image so that only what is required by the idea remains in the frame. The use of long-focus optics, by the way, allows you to maintain personal space and promotes calm communication.

by Alexander Hurman

Watch your facial expression

Sometimes good male portraits do not depend at all on the person's posture or the position of the hands. One of the key meanings of male portrait photography, and indeed any portrait, is the expression on the face. Always strive to capture interesting emotions or strong feelings - these are the moments that make a portrait a portrait.

There are many photographers who specialize exclusively in portrait photography. And their passion is understandable: portrait photography is one of the most difficult and interesting genres in photography, which reveals a person's character.

Exciting? Then you just need to learn all about the technique of shooting a portrait.

Camera settings for portrait shooting

It is best to use the aperture priority mode. Opening portraits is ideal. Thus, you "blur" the background, create a bokeh effect, successfully highlighting the subject. Surely you assumed that we will give you the magic numbers of perfect, suitable for any occasion, settings. But, for example, we cannot say anything about certain aperture values, since the aperture will depend on specific cases, shooting conditions, as well as on the capabilities of the camera and its lens.
To eliminate graininess and noise, set the minimum ISO value. These parameters directly affect the brightness of the picture and should be adjusted based on the illumination, but we recommend setting the lowest value possible. However, the degree to which noise appears at high ISO depends on your camera and the optics installed on it. And therefore, the sensitivity settings will be individual in each case. Speaking of optics, if you want to devote yourself to portrait photography, then a portrait lens is just the perfect solution.
Since a person cannot freeze motionless like a statue, but play with a model in the game "Sea figure, freeze!" somehow not comme il faut, in order to avoid blurry pictures, just set the shutter speed to 1/60 - 1/125 seconds.
Don't worry too much about white balance. Standard settings are suitable for any conditions. If the soul requires more creativity, then there is always manual mode M.
Metering mode is also an important parameter in portrait photography. Most modern cameras offer averaging, that is, over the entire frame. You can also apply it to a small area in the center of the frame (evaluative or spot).

Taking indoor portraits

If you are on a budget and do not have serious lighting equipment and neither you nor your model can afford to rent a studio either, just use the light from the window. Shooting portraits at home can be very successful if you shoot in a room with one window and highlight some of the shadowed parts of your face with a reflective screen. Place the screen about a meter or two from the model.

If you decide to shoot on a bright sunny day, when direct light mercilessly illuminates your face, we advise you to lightly curtain the window with a light white tack. This way you will be able to avoid unpleasant shadows on the model's face (unless, of course, you wanted to turn this nuisance into a highlight of the photo).

Shooting portraitsat home: practical advice

Ask the model to stand sideways to the window at a distance of about one and a half meters. Place your back to the window so that the visual axis is perpendicular to the plane of the window.
The background can be either plain walls or some bright element. In order to find the perfect angle, ask your model to walk around the room until you find the most suitable lighting conditions for your idea. Since shooting indoors, you have to set a slower shutter speed, and therefore shooting a portrait with a flash, if you, of course, do not have a tripod, is simply inevitable. Point the flash upward and tie the reflector so that it can cast light onto the model.
Here's a great lighting scheme for a great result. Use a pair of electronic flashes, which are located at a distance of about one and a half to two and a half meters from each other. Use the main light source to give the subject the desired effect, and place additional light as close to the lens from above as possible, using them to highlight the shadows.

Below are a few of the classic lighting schemes used for studio portraits.

1. Take two additional lights and place them at a slight angle in relation to the model. This will help you add dimension to your photo.

2. Direct one source parallel to the camera, place the other at an acute angle in relation to the model, fixing it at a height of about three meters. Use the third behind and slightly to the side to highlight the subject's head - this will allow you to create volume in the frame. Light the background with the fourth light source.

3. In order to soften the picture a little, use the reflected light, which can be obtained by directing the lighting fixture at the walls and at the ceiling.

4. The simplest lighting technique is carried out using a single source - a reflective screen. The method is as simple as three pennies, but, despite this, it can be used to create unusual lighting effects.

Shooting a night portrait

Portraits against a black background with bright spots of color usually look very unusual and contrasting. True, such conditions require a good external flash and the absence of too slow shutter speeds. For example, you can't set the exposure at thirty seconds. For even the most powerful flash will not give the object clarity in such conditions, only if the model freezes for a long time in one position.

And now we will try to describe the technique of shooting portraits at night against the background of the colorful lights of the night city.

Try a shutter speed between 1/15 and 1/10 sec.
Set the aperture value not very large, in some cases f 1.8 is great.
Photographing a portrait at night, as we have already said, involves the use of a flash. In principle, in the absence of an external flash, you can try the built-in one: just set the sync on the second curtain, so that the picture does not turn out blurry.
If you are shooting with an external flash, it can be configured in the same way as the built-in flash. First try on the automatic, if this option does not suit you - turn on the manual mode and have fun with the settings at least all night.
Bounced light is best for this type of shooting, and therefore use umbrellas. If you have a synchronizer, place the flash on a tripod at 45 degrees, to the side of the model. This will give your shot depth and contrast.
Do you want to highlight the background more strongly? Set the ISO to a high value.

Common mistakes when shooting a portrait

Shooting with a wide-angle lens. Such optics are not suitable for portrait photography, as they exaggerate perspective. If you wanted to get a comical effect - please, but if the shooting is artistic, then you should not use such a lens.
Unsharp eyes. The eyes are perhaps the most important thing in a portrait and therefore need to be sharp, especially when shooting wide open in order to limit the depth of field.
The depth of field is too deep. Shooting with a closed aperture is also not a good idea. A sharp background will distract from the main subject and the photo will not look good.
Objects sticking out of the head. This can happen if you don't pay enough attention to the background. Of course, a tree or a road sign that looks out of your head can be removed in the editor during post-processing. But why burden yourself with unnecessary work, if you can pay attention to the background and, if necessary, step aside slightly.
Wrong angle and shooting height. The correct height for shooting is best chosen based on the context of the image and the subject, but the best result, as practice shows, can be obtained by shooting from the eye level of the subject.
Harsh shadows. Often these shadows do not have a beneficial effect on the photo.
Red eyes. To avoid this, move the flash away from the lens (if it is not built-in, of course)
Enumeration with details. In pursuit of eye sharpness, we often forget about the rest. You should not use modes that increase the saturation - they can emphasize skin imperfections, which will then have to be retouched for a long time and painstakingly.

Before picking up your camera, you need to decide what kind of shot you want to get the result. What is the purpose of your shooting? Maybe it's a business portrait, fashion photography, online promotion, or you just decided to take an artistic photo of a friend. Think carefully about the settings and style of future shooting, based on what task you are facing.
Have you decided on the purpose of shooting? Fine! In this case, it will be easier for you to find the appropriate place for her. What could be ideal for realizing your idea? For artistic photography, it can be a forest, an abandoned house, or any other mysterious place. Fashion shooting can be organized in the studio or walking around the city at night. A business portrait can be done in a cafe or office.
If you are working outdoors in natural light, it is very important to consider the time of day you will be shooting. We do not recommend shooting in the middle of a sunny bright day, when the sun is especially merciless, because direct light, blinding rays of the sun will complicate your work, and it will be quite difficult to avoid overexposure.
Do not forget about the basics of chiaroscuro, which everyone learned in school in art lessons. Harsh harsh lighting provokes dramatic shadows. If such an alignment was not included in your plans, then try to create conditions under which the light would fall on the entire object at once. When it comes to soft lighting, it can create an effect that makes everything appear flatter, but it can save you the hassle of losing detail in dark or brightly lit spaces.
The advantage of working in a studio is the freedom to experiment with art through artificial light sources. In the field, of course, this is impossible. But in the studio you, as a photographer, have all the cards in your hands! You can expose different lighting schemes, move and adjust the height and tilt of the sources in accordance with the idea. In other words, working in a studio makes you feel like a master of light.
It is very important to build competent work with the model. Reach mutual understanding, find contact and win over a person. Don't think that the model can read your mind - communicate with her! Talk about what position she should take, where to look. Smile, joke, create a relaxed environment in which the person will feel comfortable and be able to open up.

If you are attracted to portrait photography, training is a must. Ours can offer a large number of different courses taught by professional photographers. We are glad to everyone!