How to take close-up portraits?

A close-up in portrait photography refers to the part above the shoulder or closer to the picture. Because the part of the subject entering the picture is reduced, the picture should be full when composing. Sometimes the facial image occupies most or even the whole picture, so it can show the instantaneous expression of the subject, convey the inner activities of the subject, and make the viewer feel special and leave a deep impression.

Close-ups, shooting angles, the use of light, and the mastery of demeanor are all very strict. Especially when shooting close-ups of women, we should be careful to hide the facial defects, which can neither affect the image, but also make up for it with makeup. Although close-ups account for a small proportion of the characters' bodies, the beautiful artistic conception of the picture must also be created. You can use the performance of the main body or add props as part of the composition to render a beautiful artistic conception for the picture.

When taking close-ups of portraits, it is very important to arouse the emotions of the subjects. In order to complete the shooting successfully, we should communicate with the subject before shooting to relax him, and encourage the characters to be more confident during shooting to ensure the happy and smooth shooting process.

Close-up goes further than close-up, filling a part of the subject with pictures and showing the characteristics of the subject from subtle points. The key to the success of close-range shooting lies in the unique observation ability, which can capture some parts worthy of close-up, so as to open a window for the viewer and see what is inside. For example, people's eyes are often close-ups, because people often say that eyes are the windows to the soul. Indeed, through people's eyes, we can see the inner feelings of the characters.

First, take a close-up with light.

Close-up portraits make the characters' expressions stand out. The light behind the characters increases the hairstyle light of the characters, and also shapes the three-dimensional sense of the characters.

Second, use your eyes.

The light shines on the characters' faces. Although one eye is covered by hair, the expression of its eyes is the focus of the picture, showing the charm and sexiness of the character.

A balanced face with good symmetry is considered to be the most beautiful, but it is very difficult to achieve complete symmetrical balance when shooting. Even if you really take a symmetrical picture, it will cause the picture to be dull and monotonous. If you want to break this situation when shooting close-up portraits, you can first take advantage of the changes in people's hair and avoid symmetrical hairstyles; The second is to use side light to slightly break the symmetry of the face; You can also use props to enhance the interest of the picture and break the monotony of the picture.

When shooting portraits, lenses with different focal lengths will also affect the imaging of human faces. 85- 135mm lens is called portrait lens. Because the characters, shoulders and heads shot in this focal segment can show a good natural perspective effect in the picture, and the five senses of the characters will show the correct proportion; Because the focal length is relatively large and the depth of field of the photo is small, the photo has a natural aesthetic feeling.

When shooting close-ups, we must carefully observe the five senses of the characters and try our best to show the perfect side of the characters. If the character's face is wide, you can shoot it from the side; If a person's face is relatively fat, you can appropriately raise the camera position to shoot down, or lower the person's head a little, so that the picture presents a visual effect of being wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, which can make this person's face thinner; If a character's eyes are beautiful and energetic, you can make a close-up of his eyes.

Third, adjust the posture of the model.

When shooting, let the head of the character be slightly lower, and looking down will make the face of the character look thin and show the shyness of the character.

Photography experience

When taking close-ups, you must pay attention to the costumes and makeup of the characters. Because it is shot at close range, it will be easy to show the details of the face of the person. If the makeup is dyed, it will affect the appearance of the characters. In addition, if the hair is messy, it will also affect the aesthetic feeling of the characters. So when you take a close-up, you must take a clean picture of the characters' faces, and the makeup should be exquisite. At the same time, the hair must be combed neatly to avoid being messy.