Jun 01 2008
Portrait Photography: How to Capture that Perfect Shot
You have long been interested in photography, and now that you have more time to do so, you have opened a small portrait photography business. You started off taking portraits of just family and close friends, so naturally they would feel comfortable around you. However, now that your business is growing, you would like to add that professional edge to your portrait photography.
Portrait Photography: A Long-Established Art
The first examples of portrait photography can be seen in the form of daguerreotypes from the 1830s. These are truly astonishing pieces, because they are provided in intricate detail. The lines on the face, the veins in the hand, all are captured. However, nowadays people want their portrait photography to be a little less honest.
In the early days of portrait photography, the aim was not to look glamorous or especially handsome, but rather to just give future generations a reminder of what you looked like. Nowadays portraits are quite different.
So, if you want to have a successful portrait photography business, you will need to make sure that you also have sufficient photo editing software. You will have a better idea of what to do in accordance with the wishes of your subject.
For example, if you have a subject who is self-conscious about their teeth because of discoloration, you can edit the picture so that they have a whiter smile. If you are taking a portrait of someone with acne, you can smooth the appearance of the skin during the editing process as well.
However, make sure that nay photo retouching you do is not too drastic, because then the subject will not be taken very seriously, and neither will your work. Just make the changes beneficial to the subject, but at the same time still giving the portrait a natural look.
You might be interested to know how much photo editing software costs. The answer is that while sometimes you can get it through wholesale software websites, the reality is that most of the time it is expensive. So, make sure that you choose the photo editing software that you think would work the best for your business and your budget.
For more information on portrait photography, got to your local bookstore, as there have been many books written on the subject. You can also search the internet, as there are many different forums with professional photographers that can offer you advice. You can also get ideas on the most flattering poses, as well as backgrounds, from various reputable websites.
Related posts:
- Professional Portrait Photography Keeping You Smiling
- Portrait Photography Tip – Helping You Come Up With Better Portraits
- Family Portrait Photography Exists For A Reason
- Digital Photography Class For Tips And Recommendations
- Photography Props Add a Special Something to Every Photograph
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Although taking someone’s portrait back when cameras were first invented was about simply being able to (and wanting to) capture someone’s appearance, it wasn’t too long before sitters were asking the photographers to use their tricks to enhance their appearance e.g. soft focus, different lenses, vaseline on lense to smooth wrinkles (or so I hear!)
As a photographer these days, if you say that you can retouch someone’s portrait they are more likely (in my experience) to want to pose for you.
Take your example of the person with the yellow teeth.
If you tell your subject that a) you can whiten their teeth for them and b) the reason the are MORE self conscious about the colour of their teeth is likely because every magazine they pick up has been retouched to show pearly whites, then generally you have won people round.
That has what has led me to setting up my business Photolate, because I believe that ALL photographers (and not just serious amateurs or pros) should have accesss to retouching if they want it.