How to make good use of lens and make a clever composition in portrait photography

Lead: How to shoot a good-looking portrait and how to compose a portrait? Let's get to know each other.

In portrait photography, how to make good use of the lens and skillfully compose the basic portrait code is actually the key to the use of light. Whether using front light, side light, backlight, top light or even any light, it is just how to choose the right light, or use other supplementary light equipment to help the model's face become white and smooth. In composition, TIC-tac-toe and triangle composition can have good results. If you use a wide-angle lens and try to avoid shooting at a low angle, the image may lose its aesthetic effect due to excessive exaggeration.

Highlight the subject with large aperture and shallow depth of field

Canon EOS 600d+EF 35mm f1.4l. Aperture F2, shutter1100s, ISO 400, AV aperture prerequisite, automatic white balance.

Many professional portrait photographers often use the characteristics of large aperture to show the so-called shallow depth-of-field photos with clear characters but blurred background, and can also highlight the three-dimensional sense of characters through the performance of depth of field. As far as lens characteristics are concerned, the larger the aperture, the shallower the depth of field, and the smaller the aperture, the deeper the depth of field. Generally speaking, the large aperture lens of zoom lens is quite expensive, and the fixed-focus lens is not only much cheaper, but also the aperture value of medium-priced fixed-focus lens (such as 50mm F 1.4) is much larger than that of zoom lens. So how to choose an excellent large aperture lens for players who like shallow depth of field and portrait photography?

Shooting with a large aperture lens can blur and simplify the background and highlight the expression of the characters.

Using a large aperture with simple lines can create an elegant atmosphere.

As for the correlation between the aperture and the image, apart from the depth of the scene when the aperture is large, the most helpful thing is to increase the amount of light entering quickly and effectively with the cooperation of ISO, improve the shutter speed, and ensure that the image is clear and does not shake. However, sometimes the aperture is too large, which easily leads to the shallow depth of field and the possibility of image defocusing. Therefore, in order to avoid this dilemma, it is suggested that players can slightly reduce the aperture 1~2, or shoot in continuous focus mode to truly master the depth of field and clear range and create a better image space.

The light gives off pink skin.

Pay attention to the model's facial expression.

In portrait photography, it is best to observe and use light to express the pink skin of the model. It is suggested that we can balance the light of the model's face by shooting along the light or using a reflector, reduce the shadow of the dark part, show bright and smooth skin, and make the model look more distracted.

The telephoto lens creates a sense of background compression.

When shooting a bust, you can use a telephoto lens appropriately to create a hit-and-miss effect.

At present, the telescopic zoom lens, which is most suitable for taking portraits, has a focal length of about 70~200mm, and can be used to take busts and close-ups of portraits. If the background of the shooting scene is too messy, it is not only convenient to narrow the composition range and move the angle quickly, but also to avoid the interference of the messy background on the subject as much as possible. You can also consider pushing the telescope head to the telephoto end and opening it to the maximum aperture, which can compress the blurred background of depth of field and present an impressive stereoscopic effect.

Although telephoto is easy to create a shallow depth of field effect, players are advised to make proper use of the color system shown by the lens to make the model show a more stereoscopic effect in the image.

The longer the focal length of the lens, the shallower the depth of field will be. However, the longer the focal length, the more suitable it is to take portraits, because the size of the focal length also means the working distance. In addition to the 70~200mm zoom telescope, a large aperture fixed-focus lens with a focal length of about 85mm is also a good choice for portrait lenses. The reason is large aperture and good image quality. In addition, the ultra-shallow depth of field, small size and portability are almost invincible in outdoor shooting occasions. In addition, you can keep a proper distance from the model when shooting, so that the model will not be embarrassed because of being too close, and the interaction with the model will not be smooth because of being too far away.

Return to wide-angle shooting focal section

Wide-angle lens shooting can put people on both sides, so that the scenery can better set off the characteristics of people.

When we make a wide-angle composition, it is suggested that players can put the lines owned by the background into the picture together.

If the wide-angle lens wants to center the character, it can use the lines in the scene to attract the audience's attention.

In the case of wide-angle lens, exaggerated viewing angle is its main feature, which allows players to create a three-dimensional huge visual experience in a narrow space. However, when using a wide-angle lens, it is best to understand its lens characteristics and deformation effect first. In addition to properly controlling the level, the proportion of models in the picture is also a major point. Don't be too far away from the model, so that the picture loses its story and feeling. In other words, although the wide-angle lens can match the characters with the landscape at the same time, it forms a wide-angle portrait and landscape that everyone likes in the photography circle. However, due to the exaggeration of the surrounding deformation and the easy entry of sundries, it is suggested that novices can start with a simple and regular background, such as a facade full of lines and a space with simple colors, which are all good and interesting creative themes. Players can also try the effect of street shooting more, so as to get rid of the myth of distant scenery and avoid stepping into the uncontrollable shadow of wide angle, thus simplifying the artistic conception they want and achieving video works that highlight their ideas.

Make good use of exposure compensation to assist portraits

Before exposure compensation, the exposure compensation should be adjusted according to the actual shooting results.

After exposure compensation, the exposure compensation should be adjusted according to the actual shooting results.

As far as portrait shooting is concerned, especially when the face is close-up, because of the combination of fair skin and the overall clothing background, it is easy for the camera to be underexposed. Therefore, it is suggested to fine-tune the measured data at about+1/3 to 2/3EV when shooting. If it is still dark, it needs +EV, and if it is too bright, -EV will be troublesome, so that the overall exposure can be smoother and the model is simple. In addition, when shooting in a dark scene, we will encounter overexposure, which is also because the camera mistakenly thinks that the scene environment is too dark, resulting in overexposure images. It is suggested that the exposure compensation can be reduced by -2/3 to 1EV according to the scene environment to obtain an image with suitable exposure.

Guiding the model with combination rules

When composing portraits, players need to use various composition techniques, including three-point composition, golden ratio or TIC-tac-toe composition, and interpret the feelings of the picture through emotional guidance and limbs. In terms of three-point composition and tic-tac-toe composition commonly used by players, it is nothing more than putting the model at the four golden intersections of image composition, so that the surrounding scenery and people can echo each other. Using three-point composition, diagonal composition and other composition methods, the model is extended to different corners, even on the edge of the image, emphasizing the natural charm of the surrounding landscape and light, and creating a simple and spatial image. Finally, as long as the model looks at different corners at the right time, players can wait for an opportunity to capture the charm of the moment. After the model's mood changes, players can try various perspectives to speed up composition.

When shooting a scene with characters, it is suggested that the characters be placed at the intersection of the golden ratio, so that the visual center of gravity can firmly grasp the expression of the model.

You can also make good use of the 3-point composition rule and put the model on the left and right sides of the picture.

Or it is also a good way to compose a picture through the lines of the street.

Therefore, the above skills are quite safe for beginners who are new to portrait shooting, and they can easily shoot stable, balanced and coordinated photos without losing the feeling of images and capturing the aesthetic feeling of portraits. In addition, it is not necessary to focus on the eyes of the model when shooting. Other parts such as lips, fingers or body curves can be included in the shooting focus, and different image styles can also be presented.

Use reflector to increase front light reception.

When the contrast between foreground and background, and between light and shade is relatively large, a reflector can be used to supplement the light and balance the light difference between the bright part and the shadow.

Reflective plate, as its name implies, is a plate used to reflect light, which is sold by general photographic equipment companies. According to the color of the reflector, the color of the reflected light is different, depending on what occasion or scene it is suitable for. At present, the most common ones are white, silver and gold. Generally, the reflector on the market is easy to store, but its hardness is not enough and it is often deformed by strong wind. So some players use styrofoam or tinfoil instead of reflector. The main purpose of using a reflector when shooting a model is to reduce the shadow on the model's face, so that the face can receive more light and make it appear white and transparent. It is suggested that when shooting, the angle of the reflector should be adjusted first to effectively reflect the light on the model's face. If you just pick up the reflector and put it next to the Model and start shooting, the photos you may take are still photos with dim faces.

The key to indoor portrait shooting

Concentrate every wonderful expression of the model

If you want to maintain a low-light atmosphere, turn off the flash and increase the sensitivity! I believe many players want to shoot indoors with a sense of design and beautiful lighting, but in order to maintain the overall atmosphere of these places, the ambient light source is always not bright enough, so many players can taste the blurred picture. In view of this situation, we suggest that players can make good use of high ISO large aperture fixed-focus lens to effectively improve the player's speed, avoid image jitter in low light environment and condense every wonderful expression of the model.

At present, the high sensitivity of DSLR on the market is becoming more and more pure, which also makes many dark scenes that were not conducive to shooting in the past be reused and easily shot.