How to learn portrait photography

To shoot basic portrait photography, most people can get started quickly from composition, because it has a very simple and easy-to-learn composition formula to follow, unlike photography in other disciplines, it takes a lot of thought and spirit to study and study just a composition.

The composition techniques of portrait photography can be roughly divided into two types: portrait formula composition method and landscape art composition method.

Portrait formula composition method can be divided into four formula composition types: close-up formula composition, half-length formula composition, seven-person formula composition and full-body formula composition. Please refer to the following concise list of portrait photography composition methods for its composition tips.

Methods/steps

Generally, beginners of portrait photography can directly apply the composition technology of portrait formula composition method to shoot this kind of composition category which is not nerve-racking, easy to learn and purely portrait-oriented. This kind of formula composition method lacks creative value in photography technology, but it is the most ideal and popular composition type for beginners, wedding photography operators or consumers who only require portraits.

Portrait photography uses the method of landscape art composition to express composition. Its biggest feature is that although the picture is still dominated by portraits, it focuses on the artistic expression of portraits and scenery, which is a photo type operated from the perspective of artistic composition. It has no certain formula to follow, depending on the artistic accomplishment of the photographer, so it has the creative value of photography art and belongs to a difficult shooting type.

When shooting with landscape art composition method, it is easy to take ordinary life photos if the photographer does not handle the composition, lighting, depth of field and other aspects properly. But if it is handled perfectly and properly, it is possible to take the most artistic photos. The photos taken by this composition method should not only look good like the portrait part, but also the treatment of the scenery part should not be vague and omitted like the portrait formula composition method, and the scenery part should occupy a large proportion in the whole picture. Therefore, taking photos with landscape art composition method is a high-level photographic technical performance.