Portrait photography is about more than just capturing someone's likeness—it's about revealing character, emotion, and story through a single frame. Whether you're photographing professional models, family members, or clients, these tips will help you create portraits that truly stand out.

1. Connect With Your Subject

The most powerful portraits come from genuine connections. Take time to talk with your subject before the session, make them feel comfortable, and build rapport. When people feel at ease, their natural expressions and personality shine through.

Try these connection techniques:

• Start with casual conversation unrelated to the photoshoot
• Share something about yourself to create mutual openness
• Compliment sincerely to build confidence
• Explain what you're doing during the shoot to keep them involved

2. Master the Eyes

The eyes are the focal point of any powerful portrait. Ensure they're sharp, well-lit, and expressive. A catchlight—the reflection of your light source in the eyes—adds life and dimension to portraits.

Tips for capturing compelling eyes:

• Focus precisely on the eye closest to the camera
• Position your main light source to create catchlights
• Direct your subject's gaze to create different moods (direct eye contact feels intimate and engaging; looking away can create a contemplative mood)
• Ask questions that evoke genuine emotion right before pressing the shutter

3. Find the Best Light

Lighting can make or break a portrait. Understanding different lighting scenarios helps you make intentional creative choices.

Key lighting approaches:

• Soft, Diffused Light: Ideal for flattering portraits. Use it during golden hour (shortly after sunrise or before sunset), in open shade, or with diffusers on artificial lights.
• Split Lighting: Lights one half of the face, leaving the other in shadow. Creates dramatic, moody portraits.
• Rembrandt Lighting: Creates a triangle of light on the cheek opposite the main light source. Adds dimension and a classic look.
• Butterfly Lighting: Light positioned directly in front of and above the subject, creating a small shadow under the nose. Flattering for most faces.

4. Choose the Right Lens

Lens choice dramatically affects the look of your portraits. While you can make portraits with any lens, certain focal lengths are particularly flattering.

Lens recommendations:

• 85mm - 135mm: The "sweet spot" for portraits. These focal lengths create flattering compression and beautiful background blur without distorting facial features.
• 50mm: A versatile option that approximates human vision. Great for environmental portraits that include more context.
• 35mm: Wider angle allows you to include more environment while still focusing on your subject. Be careful with placement to avoid distortion.
• 200mm+: Extreme compression creates very distinctive portraits with extremely blurred backgrounds. Great for isolating subjects.

5. Perfect Your Composition

Thoughtful composition elevates your portraits from snapshots to art. Consider these composition elements:

• Rule of Thirds: Position your subject's eyes along the top third line for a balanced, engaging composition.
• Framing: Use natural elements (doorways, tree branches, etc.) to frame your subject.
• Leading Lines: Incorporate lines that draw attention to your subject.
• Negative Space: Don't be afraid of empty space—it can create powerful, minimalist portraits.
• Symmetry/Asymmetry: Decide whether a balanced or intentionally unbalanced composition better serves your creative vision.

6. Guide Posing Effectively

Most people feel awkward in front of the camera and don't know how to pose. As the photographer, providing gentle, clear guidance makes all the difference.

Posing tips:

• Demonstrate poses yourself rather than just describing them
• Create angles by having subjects turn slightly away from the camera and turn their head back
• Avoid poses that compress limbs against the body (creates the appearance of wider arms/legs)
• Pay attention to hand placement—relaxed hands with slightly bent fingers look more natural than flat or tense hands
• For groups, create triangles with head heights rather than straight lines
• Give specific, actionable instructions ("Tilt your chin slightly down and toward me") rather than vague ones ("Look better")

7. Control Depth of Field

Selective focus is a powerful tool in portrait photography. A shallow depth of field (wide aperture like f/1.8) blurs the background, making your subject stand out. However, extremely shallow depth of field can make it challenging to get both eyes in focus, especially if your subject's face is at an angle.

Guidelines for aperture selection:

• For individual portraits with blurred backgrounds: f/1.8 - f/2.8
• For ensuring both eyes are sharp while maintaining background blur: f/2.8 - f/4
• For small groups where everyone needs to be in focus: f/5.6 - f/8
• For environmental portraits where the setting is important: f/8 - f/11

8. Pay Attention to Details

Small details can make or break a portrait. Before pressing the shutter, scan the frame for distractions and issues that might detract from your image.

Details checklist:

• Check for stray hairs that need to be smoothed
• Look for distracting background elements (poles appearing to come out of heads, bright spots drawing attention)
• Ensure clothing is properly adjusted (no bunching, twisted straps, etc.)
• Watch for unflattering shadows on the face
• Check that jewelry and accessories are positioned well
• Make sure horizon lines are level (unless intentionally tilted)

9. Capture Authentic Moments

While posed portraits have their place, candid moments often reveal more about a person's character. Create opportunities for genuine emotion and be ready to capture those in-between moments.

Techniques for authentic captures:

• Use continuous shooting mode to capture subtle changes in expression
• Give your subject an activity to do rather than just standing still
• Tell jokes or ask questions that evoke genuine reactions
• Take photos between "official" poses when subjects often relax
• For children, engage them in play rather than asking them to smile

10. Post-Process with Purpose

Editing is an essential part of portrait photography, but should enhance rather than completely transform your images. Develop a consistent editing style that complements your shooting style.

Editing considerations:

• Adjust exposure, contrast, and color to create your desired mood
• Retouch skin thoughtfully—aim to reduce temporary blemishes while preserving skin texture and character
• Enhance eyes subtly—brightening and increasing contrast can make them pop without looking unnatural
• Consider whether your portrait looks best in color or black and white
• Maintain consistency across images from the same session

Conclusion

Great portrait photography is a blend of technical skill and interpersonal connection. By mastering these ten elements, you'll be well on your way to creating portraits that not only look beautiful but also capture the essence of your subjects.

Remember that the most important tool in portrait photography isn't your camera or lens—it's your ability to make people feel comfortable and seen. When you create that connection, powerful portraits naturally follow.

In future articles, we'll dive deeper into specific portrait techniques, including specialized approaches for different types of portrait photography. Stay tuned!