Lesson 13: Portrait Photography

Portrait photography is the art of photographing people — not just their faces, but something of who they are. A good portrait is a collaboration: the photographer creates the conditions, and the sitter brings themselves. Technique matters, but the deciding factor is usually the connection between the two people on either side of the lens.

The technical starting point is simple. Use a focal length between 50 mm and 85 mm, which renders faces naturally; a wide-angle lens close up distorts features, enlarging the nose and narrowing the head. Use a wide aperture such as f/2 to f/2.8 to separate the person from the background. Focus on the nearer eye — if the eyes are not sharp, the portrait fails, however good the rest is. And use soft light: open shade, a window, or the golden hour will flatter skin far better than hard midday sun.

Working with People

Most people are nervous in front of a camera, and a nervous sitter photographs badly. The photographer's real job is to make them comfortable: talk, explain what you are doing, show them a good frame on the back of the camera, and keep shooting through the awkward first minutes. Give simple directions — chin slightly down, shoulders turned, weight on one foot — rather than vague ones. And watch the background: a tree growing out of someone's head or a bright distraction behind them will ruin an otherwise good portrait.

Expression is everything. A posed smile is the least interesting expression a person has. Catch people mid-laugh, mid-thought, or listening to someone they love, and the photograph comes alive. This is why many portrait photographers talk to their sitters throughout the session and shoot continuously: the best frame is often the one between the poses.

Styles of Portrait

Portraits range from the formal studio portrait, with controlled lighting and a plain background, to the environmental portrait, which shows the person in their workplace or home, with the surroundings telling part of the story. A chef in a kitchen, a musician with an instrument, a gardener among plants — the environment adds biography that a plain background cannot. Whichever style you choose, the test is the same: does the photograph show the person, or only their appearance?

Two small details make a large difference in portraits. First, the hands: people never know what to do with them, so give them something to hold or a place to rest, or crop them out of the frame entirely rather than leaving them awkwardly cut at the edge. Second, the background: before you shoot, look behind your subject for anything bright, sharp or oddly placed, and move a step to the side until it is gone. A portrait is made as much by what you remove from the frame as by what you keep in it.