What should I pay attention to when taking portraits?

When it comes to classic portraits, the first thing that comes to mind is the great portrait photographer? Yousuf karsh, who photographed many legendary celebrities, such as Einstein, Churchill, Hemingway, Picasso and Grace Kelly. And many of the photos he took even became the iconic photos of these celebrities. Speaking of this celebrity, the first thing that comes to mind may be this celebrity.

The only focus of classic portrait photography is people. We can understand it as minimalist portrait photography. The only object that photographers need to express is people. They don't need complicated backgrounds or any props that might distract the audience. Even if you decorate the background and use props, you can't do without the subject, and you can even become a part of it.

At the end of portrait shooting, the most important and difficult part is to capture the original emotions of the people in the portrait, and the best window to express emotions is the eyes, which requires the photographer to correctly capture the emotions revealed in the eyes.

Classic portrait photography is divided into three types: head and shoulder portrait, 3/4 portrait and full-length portrait.

As the name implies, the portrait of the head and shoulders is taken from above the chest of the subject, and the head and shoulders of the subject are taken into the frame. This way of taking pictures can focus on the five senses of the subject. Sometimes it may be boring to face the camera directly, and it will look like a photo, so you can tilt it slightly when facing the camera, which will not only make your body more stereoscopic, but also make your shoulders more relaxed, and you won't feel strange when you look nervous.

Because the subject we shoot only includes the head and shoulders, in most images, the subject will be placed in the center, but we can follow the principle of three points, so that the subject can be placed on one eye of the subject while leaning sideways, so that the viewer can notice the eye at the first sight of this photo, and it is easier to read the mood of the subject. In addition, if the subject is not looking at the lens, but looking at a certain direction, then a certain space should be reserved in this direction.

In addition, unless we shoot at a very close distance from the subject, it is best to ensure that there is enough space above the subject's head, and don't let the picture cut off the subject's scalp. If you have to choose at close range, you'd rather cut off part of your scalp than your chin.

The framing of 3/4 portraits generally starts from the knees of the subject, that is, 3/4 of the subject's body is located in the frame of the photo. Compared with the head-shoulder portrait, the viewer can learn more about the details of the subject, whether it is dressing, some small moves on the body, or even some small ornaments carried with him, which can fully show the characteristics of the subject.

Because most subjects are shown in the lens, appearance is not the only focus, and the visual center of gravity of the viewer will be scattered by the body. Pay attention to the details of your body when shooting. Don't let people fill the picture frame, and don't cut off any body details of your upper body casually.

Full-length portraits naturally include the whole body of the subject, and no detail can be missed from head to toe. The full-length portrait shows the complete personality of the subject. Compared with Head & Shoulders portrait, this portrait is actually more complicated, because it involves more contents, including the model's dress, the model's posture, the angle of the model facing the camera, lighting and so on.

Of course, it is not easy to shoot a less embarrassing posture. Many people are always alive and kicking, but they start to get stiff in front of the camera. They don't know where to put their hands or how to make faces. Facing the camera, try to relax and ignore the camera. You don't need to stand so straight. Sometimes it may be more natural to bend one leg slightly, and it is easier to relax yourself.

Of course, the full-length portrait does not necessarily mean that the model can stand and sit there, as long as it can shoot the whole body. Similarly, in the process of framing, we should also pay attention not to cut a part of the body out of the picture, but to include the whole body in the picture. When composing a composition, more space should be reserved above the head than below the foot.

A full-length portrait does not necessarily require the model to have eye contact with the camera, because even if eyes are not needed, the characteristics of the model are enough to express the characteristics of the model itself.