Introduction to the Four Taboos of Portrait Photography

Introduction: What are the taboos in portrait photography? Come take a look with me below!

Avoid large backlights

The backlight is illuminated from the back of the subject. The strong light from the front and back is commonly known as "big backlight". The most typical way to shoot portraits is to use front side light and front light. At 0 degrees, the light illuminated from the side at 45-60 degrees can better highlight the outline of the character, but there will be more shadows; popular fashion photography uses strong positive light, which is "anti-traditional" lighting. The advantage is that the subject is clear Chu, the colors are bright, but the disadvantage is that the front light creates a flat effect, so the front light is also called "flat light". If the model in fashion photography wears heavy makeup, the front light is OK; but is it really not possible with the backlight? No, backlight is very dramatic. When taking photos, you can add a reflector or use a flash to fill in the light. However, the prerequisite is that you cannot shine the backlight directly on the lens, which will cause the lens to flash, making the colors lighter and the contrast lowered.

Do not take overhead shots when taking full-body photos

The best shooting angle for full-body portraits is at waist level, that is, the camera is approximately in the middle or slightly higher than the model’s height, and is taken at a horizontal angle . This refers to the shape that shows the whole body's standing posture. Other portrait photos can be taken at any suitable angle.

Avoid messy backgrounds

If the background of the photo is messy, it will easily distract the viewer’s attention. This is not the original intention of portrait photography. A good background is an embellishment. Not to steal the spotlight. Appropriate blur effects can also help adjust the character background.

Avoid inappropriate subject proportions

Of course, the subject of a portrait is a "person". In order to highlight the subject, the proportion of the person in the picture cannot be too small. And the smaller the proportion of the subject, the deeper the depth of field, making it harder to highlight the subject. It is recommended that beginners take more half-length or even larger-scale photos when taking portraits. This way, the subject will be clear and the background will be blurred, making it look like they are good at taking photos. If relatives and friends ask for photos, they should be able to handle it. .