How to shoot a portrait blockbuster with a good hand-held camera

Lead: As a photographer, I fell in love with photography since I started my first SLR, but portrait photography is the one that I usually see and contact the most. In the past few years, I want to share some of my experiences with you. If it is wrong or inappropriate, please laugh it off.

At present, I have equipment: Nikon D700+24-70+70-200+105VR+501.8+Yongnuo 568EX(2 PCs)+Yongnuo N622C (wireless flash). Commonly used indoors: 24-70+50 1.8. Outdoor use: 70-200.

First, know and understand the equipment in your hand.

Everyone has equipment that can be used to record pictures. How to master and understand the use of these devices is the premise. Familiar with existing equipment and give full play to its role. Is it true that the equipment in your hand can't satisfy your creation? Don't blindly upgrade your equipment.

Second, shooting techniques, forms of expression and shooting skills

Think more, feel more, and be enlightened.

In my opinion, the thinking time before shooting should be no less than the shooting time. Only the clearer the thinking, the more accurate the expression will be. Regarding consciousness, I quote a sentence from Lecture Room: Consciousness is described as two stages: awareness is the first stage. For example, when you hear some knowledge and someone says something to you, suddenly your eyes become clear, which is called enlightenment. This is called awareness. But when you encounter anything, you must think and understand, and accumulate over time. This long process of participation is called enlightenment.

When you encounter problems, stay close to what you are familiar with, and many things will be solved.

Throw a brick to attract jade, and give two examples to illustrate my point:

What are aperture and shutter? What is the relationship between the two?

I didn't understand what aperture and shutter are before. Therefore, I think that the aperture is the pupil and the shutter is flashing. Imagine that at night, you need to open your eyes and dilate your pupils to see things clearly. Similarly, if the light is strong during the day, you should squint. You must blink quickly. Imagine what it would be like if you opened your eyes and looked at the sun in strong light without blinking. I don't understand why we should shoot the scenery with a small aperture. Later, I thought, what do you think if the naked eye wants to see the distant objects of Chu? Must be squinting, right? This is like a small aperture. The bigger the eyes, the less clear they are. Try it if you don't believe me.

Third, before shooting

We haven't filmed many subjects, accumulated experience or used them for reference. Then, before shooting, you can look at related similar works from the Internet, learn from other people's works and avoid shortcomings. And communicate with the model about shooting intention, thoughts to be expressed and feelings needed, and strive to achieve ideological unity.

Prepare a theme before shooting.

In preparation, clothing, props, makeup and shooting environment need to be connected with the theme and properly matched.

In my opinion, the thinking time before shooting should be no less than the shooting time. Only the clearer the thinking, the more accurate the expression will be.

Fourth, shoot.

1. The choice of scene environment and light is the first condition for making a good work.

Pay attention to the light at the shooting scene.

2. The theme is clear so that readers can feel it first and know what you want to express in a short time, and what you want to express through pictures.

Try to make readers remember deeply and never forget anything. If the reader looks at it for 2 seconds and then goes back to recall what he saw, if he can recall many things (trees, pavilions, paths, flowers in his hand, green grass on the ground, hat on his head, yes, there are two billboards and a trash can. If there is too much information in the picture, believe me, it won't be long before he can remember the content in the picture), it will be too sad.

3. Communication is essential and the most important. During the filming, keep communication.

I strongly disapprove of directing each other's actions. Every time I make a movie, I tell the other person how I want to feel, and then let it play freely, mostly by snapping pictures. Only in this way can we shoot our own unique temperament and shoot naturally.

This photo has foreground and background.

4. The foreground in the picture is the best, which will make the picture three-dimensional. Lack of foreground (creatable) when shooting. It seems that the characters are all taken in front of the background cloth.

Fifth, the later period of portrait photography

There are too many arguments about the later period. My understanding is that portraits are portraits, and later, it is necessary. After all, it is not a documentary. I suggest that while shooting the original film, we should also look at the later tutorials and other people's later technologies. A good late stage will add a lot of color to your film.

A good late stage will add a lot of color to your film.

I understand post-adjustment as rendering the atmosphere of the picture and highlighting the feeling. Different later stages can bring different visual senses.

For example, you are here. This is very dull. Are you here? So there you are! (3) you really come! You got here so fast. You see, different tones, different punctuation marks and different adjectives will bring different feelings. But if the decoration is improper, it will be counterproductive. Of course, if your original sentence (original film):? I, I, I'm coming, coming? , is like this. Then it is very, very difficult to modify it later.

You can cut it according to what you want to express, and you don't have to shoot it as it is.

I used two lampshades and put two small flashlights in them to get off the plane. Play the role of soft light.

Summarize! Be sure to sum up! From pre-planning to post-completion, every time we shoot, we should summarize where there are problems, shortcomings and improvements in this shooting process. Try to avoid the same problem in the next shoot.

Aesthetic power directly determines how far a photographer can go.

Some netizens said: PS is actually not PS. After mastering certain PS skills, PS is not a technology but a direct embodiment of aesthetic ability, which directly determines how far a photographer can go.

Sixth, we must have an open mind and a cheerful personality.

The creation of portrait photography (excluding documentary) is inseparable from communication, and communication is indispensable. Good mentality and communication are the premise of creation. It is common and normal to have different ideas and ideas. It is normal for everyone to comment on the work from their own point of view, and it is reasonable to disagree. It is very important to listen to and absorb the opinions and suggestions of others.

Take photos and keep an open mind.

There are four possible situations:

1. Listen to different opinions of others-> Disapprove-> Try to think from the perspective of others-> Still don't agree-> Go your own way, without refuting or explaining-> Spiritual progress;

2. Hear other people's different opinions-> Agree-> Try to think from the perspective of others-> Re-create and improve-> Work progress;

3. Hear other people's different opinions-> Try to think from the perspective of others-> Seriously sum up and think, judge the trade-off-> Avoid previous mistakes and try different methods-> Mentality+work progress;

4. Hear other people's different opinions-> Disapprove-> Debate with the other party-> No one can change anyone, and they broke up in discord-> It hurts the spirit, hurts the spirit.

Personally, due to different purposes and pursuits, the nature and mentality are also different. When you create a satisfactory work, you will not only have a sense of accomplishment and excitement, but also have a strong sense of pride and satisfaction when you are recognized by others. Similarly, when you disagree, you will feel lost, depressed and even angry. Many times, just laugh it off.

If we can learn lessons, experience and essence from other people's failures (shooting works or creative process), it is really a shortcut to progress.

Seven, personal summary

1. Ask more questions, think more, ask yourself, ask others, ask Baidu. Master questioning and learning skills.

2. Technological upgrading needs a process, and how to shorten this process reasonably is what we are pursuing. It is unrealistic to have your own satisfactory and popular works in a short time. Set a goal for yourself and improve it step by step through practice.

Real skills come from practice. Easy-to-get tips can only solve temporary needs, but can't solve the problems you encounter.

4. Imitate first, then create.

Portrait photography is not a unilateral matter, it needs the joint efforts of the photographer and the subject.

6. stick to your favorite style, even if you encounter various difficulties.

7. Usually pay more attention to the combination of accumulated experience and practical practice. Experience doesn't have to be practiced. Read more relevant websites, on the one hand, to improve their aesthetic power, on the other hand, to understand the technology and skills.

8. Constantly improve their aesthetic ability and appreciation ability. You can watch forums, websites and movies.

9. Photography sometimes requires imagination (especially when using artificial light), and it doesn't depend entirely on what you see and record.

10. Have an objective evaluation and analysis of yourself.