Monday, September 6, 2010

12 weeks to better photography: portraits

This week was about portraits, something I found useful because I love pictures of people (and dogs).  I learned some great tips for taking photos of individuals and groups.  My favorite tips are below:

For individuals:
- consider your subjects height- if they are taller than you, have them sit or squat so that they are directly in front of you, or looking up at you * I need practice with this because whenever I take a picture of John standing, I always seem to be angling it up at his neck/chin which is not the most flattering for most people.
- keep the background simple so it does not detract from the subject, or use a backdrop (fabric, large roll of paper, or artwork) or natural elements (barn door, brick wall, or a grassy field)

For groups:
- take the same number of photos as there are people in the group to have a better chance of a good photo of everyone
- take both full length and a relaxed head and shoulders shot that allows you to see everyone's expression


The assignment was to take a portrait of an individual or group, or convert a photo to black and white (since b&w is especially nice for portraits)


This week, instead of me pulling out my camera*, I grabbed some photos from our wedding that I think illustrate good portraiture.

*ok, I got lazy





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