Portraits has always been an interest of mine, even-though it was never an area of photography I wanted to pursue as a career. I still enjoyed experimenting with portraiture and I still took the time out of my University timetable to jump into the studio and take up the opportunity to boost up my skills for the lighting and composition. I was intrigued to work with the different personalities that entered the studio as well as capturing their personalities through the camera.
If this an area you want to work in or enjoy the art of photographing people and their personalities in the studio, then I am going to give you my personal three tips that will help you do just that:
1- Lighting: The lighting is always the key when it comes to portraiture, so make sure you have this tested to F8, before you start photographing.
2- Backdrop: I personally keep the backdrop plain and simple, either a black or a white or maybe even a grey. I would recommend keeping it simple because the easier it will be to control and by keeping the lights and camera on F8 you will have no problem getting a pure black or pure white backdrop. It allows the model to stand out from backdrop and become the focus of the image.
3- The Model: The model is key focus in your image, so make sure they are wearing clothing that does not clash with the backdrop otherwise that can turn into a problem when it comes to pre-production. Make sure the model is comfortable and that you give clear instructions of the pose you want them to be in, before pressing the trigger as well as their facial expressions. Allow them to take small breaks in-between shoots because it is tiring for them to stand around in different positions for too long, so be respectful of that.
