# Hot tips for PORTRAIT photography



## Sharkbait

If you've got any good tips for portrait photography...good poses...good camera settings...things to do or not do...post them here!  :thumbsup:    


 :cheers:
 -John


----------



## Sharkbait

Great pose idea that's _always_ a winner, especially with moms when you use it on the kid...

Have kid sit facing 3/4 toward the camera, light from the side, and have them look directly up into the light.  Maybe give a bit of spill light from behind to light the hair, and it gives a very angelic appearance.  I'll try to get an example up sometime...


----------



## Alison

A suggestion for sibling pairs is to have the older read to the younger. It servers a dual purpose....gives them something to do and also allows for some macro shots of the younger child without them noticing. 

I've done shots like John suggested, I can usually get them into that pose by asking them to tell me if my light has gone off, that way they keep looking at the light to make sure and you get get a few shots fired off :mrgreen:

Usually though, I stay away from posed shots. Encourage the children to play, read, run, jump, etc. When possible I love to shoot outdoors with my 70-200 to get some great DOF and use available light with a reflector/diffuser as needed.


----------



## Christie Photo

For classic portaits, both in the studio and outdoors, I always use a bit of vignetting.  This helps create a feeling of some sort of foreground and will draw the viewer's eye to the center (subject) of the portrait.

On my film cameras, I use the old Leon vignetters on a bellows lens hood.  This is effective only with long lenses.  A normal lens will allow the vignette to start to come into focus.

Digitally, I do this in Photoshop with the oval marquee tool, feather selection, select inverse, and then darken the selection.


----------



## Rob

When composing your shots, here's a couple of things you may like to include:

Catchlights in both eyes - try and adjust your lighting to get these to shine out for a natural look.
Nose shadow cast shouldn't go over mouth - when you're lighting from above and the side, a nose leaves a shadow towards the side of the mouth, cancel this out slightly with a reflector or soft light to reduce distration on facial shadow.

Rob


----------



## Rob

A couple of flattery options:

Use a longer lens and gain height and a bit of angle on your subject to give a more flattering look than a front-on mugshot. 

Large hipped subjects often benefit from a slight side turn to reduce width (ooh, controversial!)


----------



## Jaffapie

A great tip for taking photographs of difficult babies/toddlers - tape a little bit of sticky tape around their index finger.  They'll become entranced by it, and their hands will stay together, and they will sit still!

Also, the tape won't show up in your photograph  works like a treat


----------



## Sharkbait

Sharkbait said:
			
		

> Great pose idea that's _always_ a winner, especially with moms when you use it on the kid...
> 
> Have kid sit facing 3/4 toward the camera, light from the side, and have them look directly up into the light. Maybe give a bit of spill light from behind to light the hair, and it gives a very angelic appearance. I'll try to get an example up sometime...


 
Here's an example (image is © Celebrity Kids Studios, obviously.  )


----------



## mentos_007

Jaffapie said:
			
		

> A great tip for taking photographs of difficult babies/toddlers - tape a little bit of sticky tape around their index finger.  They'll become entranced by it, and their hands will stay together, and they will sit still!
> 
> Also, the tape won't show up in your photograph  works like a treat



that's a neat idea Jaffapie! I did something simmilar but... uhh never mind... the kid was not so excited about what I did to him!

I really like portraits with father and a toddler. Especially when a kid is lying on a fathers chest and sleeping. The light from behind adds much to the scene. I tried to do this but the kid woke up suddenly


----------



## Tally Ho

*TWENTY FIVE RULES

FOR BETTER PORTRAITURE

​*I obtained these rules from "The Master Book of Portraiture and Studio Management" by Don Peterson, Master Photographer, Photographic Craftsman. Published by Studio Press, Twain Harte, CA.

*Correct Posing Stool Height*- Knee high for normal subjects, two to three inches lower for thin subjects, full height for heavy set subjects.

*Solid Pyramidal Base- *The body should not be turned away from the camera any more than 45 degrees. Any further and the head has no solid foundation for support.

*Sit Tall*- No round shoulders or slumping over.

*Lean Forward Slightly*-"Over the belt buckle." This eliminates the static straight up and down look and will give a feeling of motion to the portrait.

*Project The Chin*-If your subject has a full or double chin, projecting the chin and a slightly higher camera position should remove it.

*Proper Eye Direction*-Generally speaking, the eyes should follow the direction of the nose.

*Proper Head Tilt*- Never tip a mans head to the high (feminine) shoulder as he will look feminine. Women's heads can be tipped toward either shoulder, but the feminine shoulder is more appealing.

*Proper Camera Height*-Eye level for head and shoulders, chin level to chest level for ¾ length and chest level to waist level for full length portraits. An even lower camera height for heavy set brides will add height and dignity to the subject.

*Avoid Football Shoulders*-Shoulders should be turned 30 to 45 degrees away from the camera depending on the weight of the subject. The thinner the subject, the less you should turn the shoulders.

*Watch the Nose and Cheek Line*-The far eye should either been seen or not seen but never ½ of it. This will also prevent your subjects nose from looking large and obtrusive.

*Watch Recessed Cheek Line with Glasses*. I usually have the subject obtain empty eyeglass frames which will solve the problem immediately. Otherwise you may have sacrifice good lighting and turn the head straight toward the camera.

*Watch Main Light Shadow on Lip*-A shadow across the serious face is OK, but a shadow across a smiling face will darken the front teeth.

*Dont Overuse Hair and Accent Lights*-The hair light should skim the hair, not blast it. Same for the accent lights.

*If It Bends, Bend It*-Wherever there is a joint, "break" it. 

*Dont Stack Hands*-Either on top of one another or on top of the knees. Seperate them and place them between the joints.

*Subdue the Near hand*-The hand(s) nearest to the lens will appear larger than what they actually are. Make sure they are not projected toward the lens.

*Keep Hands Within The Range of Focus*-If the hands show in a portrait, they should be in focus.

*Place the Weight on the Back Foot*-(Standing poses.) This will put the hips and shoulders at a pleasing angle. (An addendum of the "If It Bends" rule.)

*Watch Feet, Hip, and Shoulder Position*-(Gals) The foot nearest the camera, should be pointed toward the camera, have no weight on it, and she should bend her knee and foot slightly toward the other leg. This will cock the foot up on its edge and give a pleasing "S" curve to her body.

*Do Not Photograph Two Heads at the Same Height*- Ideally the eyes of the shorter subject (usually the female) should be at the same height as the lips of the taller subject.

*Have No Head Directly Above Another*-All heads should not only be at different heights (rule 20) but also not directly above or below another subject.

*Avoid Crotch Shots*-Raising the leg closest leg to the camera in a standing pose (and putting it on a posing stool) or raising the closest leg in a seated pose will prevent shooting up the subjects crotch.

*Use The Right Key and Good Taste*-Generally speaking a subject dressed in all white, looks best in a medium to high key background. Conversely, a subject dressed in dark clothing looks best on a medium to dark (low key) background.

*If The Subject Has Two of Them, Try and Make Them Different. *Hands, at different levels are more interesting than hands foldedor side by side. Same with feet, knees, hips, arms, shoulders and elbows. 

*Dont Photograph The Back of Women's Hands. *Always photograph the side of women's hands. Fists are masculine, open hands are feminine.

Another good book is "BODY PARTS-Don Blairs Guide To Lighting and Posing."


----------



## danalec99

Observe a lot of other photographer's work and follow YOUR heart. It will be reflected in the photographs. Just my observation.


----------



## VirtualPhotographyStudio

Using a long lens is the best advice that I can give. If you are photographing outside, the best time of the days are early AM and 1 hour to sunset. Stay out of the sun and use the shade when you have to shoot mid day. Hot spots will kill an image everytime. 

Hope this helps,

Andrew
VirtualPhotographyStudio.com


----------



## JodieO

I highly recommend a 50 mm/1.4 lens for portraits with digital, or an 85 mm prime.  I shoot 99% of my portraits with the 50 mm/1.4


----------



## Canon Fan

One thing I have recently learned the hard way . . .

*KEEP THAT CHIN DOWN!!!*


----------



## crotograph

JodieO said:
			
		

> I highly recommend a 50 mm/1.4 lens for portraits with digital, or an 85 mm prime. I shoot 99% of my portraits with the 50 mm/1.4


Thanks for saying that Jodie, I have been doing the 90mm Secor C med. tele for a long while. I like the 50mm f 1.4 Nikkor for more casual shots. (that's on my FTN, not D70s) Fuji NPH seems to work well for me also) Of course they're both prime or close.


----------



## diGIgirl

Another kid tip.. ( I loved that tape one by the way!!)

Similar, but if you want a kid to look or point or have interest in something take a little tiny sticker and stick it to that object/person. If the child is young it will take some time for them to be able to unstick that sticker...long enough for a good 5 or 6 shots!  I use it a lot if I want a child to point to or show interest in mommys pregnant belly!


Works like a charm!

n----->:greenpbl:


----------



## Alpha

Here's a trick some of you kids probably don't know. I bet some of the seasoned (read: old. jk) photographers will know it. It used to be a very popular wedding shot, back in the day before PS. 

*Flash Silhouette*
1) Position a strong flash behind a person or couple, and take the shot, backlighting it enough to really darken them out.
2) Keep them in the same position, ditch the flash, double expose.

You get this really brilliant halo/silhouette around your subject(s).


----------



## ElectricHarmony

Be patient and let the subjects be their natural selves, especially kids! Those make the most precious portraits :mrgreen:


----------



## Rolleistef

One may avoid small apertures, especially with hi-resolution lenses, MF and elderly models, because the slighest skin imperfection will appear. 
For instance, if you take a 'flex and stop down to 11, image quality will be tremendous, but the model may not be *entirely* satisfied.


----------



## JJP

ElectricHarmony said:
			
		

> Be patient and let the subjects be their natural selves, especially kids! Those make the most precious portraits :mrgreen:


When that works, it works *brilliantly*. But sometimes it just doesn't happen.


----------



## Christie Photo

Jaffapie said:
			
		

> A great tip for taking photographs of difficult babies/toddlers - tape a little bit of sticky tape around their index finger.  They'll become entranced by it, and their hands will stay together, and they will sit still!
> 
> Also, the tape won't show up in your photograph  works like a treat



well...  I tired the tape thing today.  Oh well.


----------



## Ken_D

When photgraphing toddlers (4 and under) I have a bowl of suckers (lollypops) and with permission from the parent(s) I bribe them to behave and let me take pictures of them. By letting one of the parents hold the sucker off to one side, I can get the child to face in that direction most of the time. By having a selection of flavors, I have the parent hold them just out of camera range and let the child decide which one they want, again by directing the parent, I can usually get the child to look in the direction I want.

Ken D


----------



## NJMAN

One photographer I met a long time ago used a technique with babies and toddlers that I will never forget.  This is especially for toddlers who are shy, scared, cranky, stubborn, or refuse to smile for whatever reason (around 1-3 years of age, maybe 4).  Have a kids soap bubble container and a bubble wand handy.  If the child is stubborn to smile, turn your back and blow a big soap bubble, then float it gently toward the child.  I guarantee it will soften even the most sour of faces.  But it may take a couple of tries to warm them up.  I never met a kid at that age who couldnt resist popping a big soap bubble, and its good clean fun if you dont overdo it.  Get your shots in quick, because the smiles may not last.


----------



## JubbaKing

During the session, do everything you can to gain the trust of your subject. Even if everything on them looks perfect, fix stray hairs even if you don't see any. Adjust coat jackets and ties, even if they look fine.

Talk to them...I repeat, TALK TO THEM! You're a stranger and they'll likely be very reserved around you (especially high school seniors) so it is your job to make them feel at ease with the camera and in essence, you. If you can get them to talk about themselves then you've done a great job. Who doesn't like to talk about themselves? It's all about finding common ground with them.

When I adjust a pose, I like to explain (in simple terms) why I am having them pose that way. After tilting a head a certain way, I might say, "This is going to give more curvature to your body, which is always a good thing in a portrait and it will make you look beautiful." Just something that they'll understand and be less nervous about doing. Put yourself in their position--they don't want to be there 99% of the time so you have to get them to warm up to you. In the end, if they enjoyed your personality, they'll love the portraits that much more, even before seeing them. You are selling your photographs even before you sit down with them a week later in a projection room, proof room, etc. etc. The more they enjoy you, the better they'll look and the more they'll buy.

Compliment the subject. They feel weird doing the things we ask them so you must assure them that you know what you're doing and that they're going to look great. For girls, I like to use words like beautiful, gorgeous, elegant, graceful, etc. to let them know how they look. Just saying, "This makes you look pretty" almost sounds amateur don't you think? Women want to look beautiful, graceful, elegant, etc. so why not tell them they are? For men I use words that they associate more with as well. ie: cool, nice, excellent, slick, etc. etc. It can vary by the age of the subject.

I myself have always loved to laugh and joke around. I like to associate myself with people who are like me in that regard. My sense of humor is my greatest quality in my opinion. Unfortunately, not everyone out there wants to joke around when I do so when someone comes to be photographed and I can tell they are not the laughable type, I still make it an effort to make them comfortable but moreso by being polite and freindly and professional. I'll still pop off a few jokes here and there but nothing with the goal of getting a huge laugh-just a way to get me to smile a little bit. Dry people are my biggest challenge to work with so I have to keep myself...myself. If that makes sense...probably doesn't but oh well.


----------



## skieur

Based on what I see wrong with portraits on many internet photo sites and forums:

1. avoid butchering the body of your subject

Don't cut off the top of the head and particularly don't cut the body at the joints. Leave the fingers connected to the knuckles, the hands on the wrists, the forearm connected to the elbow, the legs below the knees and the feet connected at the ankles.

2. Look at the clothes of the subject

Gaudy, cheap, jewellry for example does not go with a corporate portrait and yet I have seen it submitted by a pro for Critique on a site.

Formal portraits require the appropriate clothing. With casual portraits it depends on the look that fits the subject and everything should co-ordinate. Some clothes do not flatter the look of a subject. Colours and patterns need to emphasize the positive features.

3. Guys, pay attention to make-up.

Both guys and women wear make-up when in front of the television camera, so the same should be true for important portraits.

Zits and various other minor skin blemishes certainly do not flatter the face of a woman and she certainly would not go to a major function without covering them with make-up. Why have I seen these on a number of portraits here?

4. Look carefully at the hair and face..the objective is flattery

Make sure that the hair is combed, brushed and in place. Stray hair does not fit well with most shots.

Consider the shape of the face and light appropriately. The direction and angle of the face is also important. A narrow face for example would be best with a 3/4 shot: diagonal to the camera. With a heavy person you would use lighting and shadows to de-emphasize width.

5. The eyes are MOST IMPORTANT.

What I should NOT have seen in portraits on the web: half the face in total black shadow, blood shot eyes, red rims, eyes hidden by hair and cut by the bridge of the nose, eyes in the dark around the sockets, eyes made up to look like those of a racoon (unintentionally).

Light the eyes properly. Use makeup correctly. Consider eye drops to clear blood shot or red vein problems.

AVOID emphasizing the sacks under the eyes of subjects.

6. POSTPROCESS

All portraits require postprocessing. Skin colour is off in many of the portraits I have seen here. It needs to be corrected.

Skin blemishes that were not corrected earlier need to be de-emphasized at this stage using whatever method works for you as in selective soft focus or cloning.

Sacks under the eyes need to be dealt with as well.

Eye problems that were not handled when shooting need to be corrected at this stage too.

There is a lot more but this is a start on some basics of standard portraiture and some of the problems I see.

skieur


----------



## wxnut

If taking a portrait that includes the family dog, do not whistle, or call the dogs name to try to get it to look at the camera. It will want to run to you. Instead, in a soft, excited voice, say "wheres the kitty" or "whos here".  It may not look at the camera, but it will perk up and its ears will go upright, and get it to sit still for a couple shots.



Doug Raflik


----------



## Leigh

Canon Fan said:


> One thing I have recently learned the hard way . . .
> 
> *KEEP THAT CHIN DOWN!!!*



But be careful with this as can quite often create a double chin effect.
Keep it down but oush it forward slightly to get rid of any creases in the neck


----------



## wildmaven

I found this WONDERFUL posing chart!
http://polisphotography.com/Documents/Imagesforweb/posing.pdf

Though some poses are a bit strange (what's with the butt in the air poses??), a lot of them have given me some good ideas. 

Marian


----------



## Lisa B

I think one of THE most important pieces of advice I could give would be to get used to your OWN equiptment and/or studio and learn what works best for you - everyone's equiptment varies ever so slightly but once you've spent the time testing and learning to get along in your own environment, you're halfway there. 

I have my own studio and found that testing conditions using family members in exchange for some free portraits worked really well. When shooting my neices (who are 5 and 8) I found that the less I asked them to do, the better the shots - white backgrounds and a good strong set of lights always makes for stunning portraits too!


----------



## Bthornton

When I get a child in the 5-10 age that's does not want to get portraits taken I often make a deal with them that if they "help me out" by being good I will let them take a few portraits when we are all done. It tends to work like a charm. I just pull out a cheap point and shoot and let them take a few of whatever. So far the kids all love that idea. I often print a 4x6 of one of the photos and send it to the child with a thank you for being my helper card.  After that I have a child who can't want to see me next time and parents who remember who takes all their portraits.


----------



## Christie Photo

Lisa B said:


> I think one of THE most important pieces of advice I could give would be to get used to your OWN equiptment...



This is good advice for all areas of photography.  Only after all technical concerns are no longer a distraction are we completely free to concentrate on the artistic elements of composition.

-Pete


----------



## Tiberius47

Focus on the eyes!  it's only been mentioned once so far, it should be mentioned in every tip!


----------



## One Sister

I've heard at least one portrait photographer say that a woman subject should wear *heavier* makeup than usual.  Yikes!  When I see a woman come into the studio with lip gloss I cringe.  Pose-good.  DOF-good.  Catch lights-good.  Then all manner of hot spots on lips-ABOMINABLE.

Also, I've been getting more and more little children coming in dressed like little hookers, complete with sequins.  A little of that goes a looooong way.  I've sold 'em, but I hate 'em.  I can't fix a dress with a thousand tiny hot spots.

Perhaps you more experienced folks have a fix for the problems above.  Let me know if you do.

Also, I've read and heard about the struggles photogs have with adult hands.  I've even read that people should put them in their pockets rather than have them in the portrait.  I do not find this.  I love hands and I use them for my subjects to interact with one another.  If a woman is wearing a ring I like it in the portrait somewhere and believe me I sell more if I succeed, especially if it's an engagement ring.  I'll ask her to drape her hand over the male's near shoulder if nothing else, just to get it in.  But that's just me...


----------



## herrickphoto

These are great! Thanks for posting. With children, I always praise them for everything they do. Children love to hear how great they are and they're so much more willing to cooperate with the shoot if they feel it's all something they're doing well.
Also anything that makes noise will get them to look at you. I have a bright green cuddly toy that when I bounce it on my head makes a boinging noise.  This always gets a laugh or two. Of course, then they want to play with it themselves...


----------



## Derek Zoolander

Alpha said:


> Here's a trick some of you kids probably don't know. I bet some of the seasoned (read: old. jk) photographers will know it. It used to be a very popular wedding shot, back in the day before PS.
> 
> *Flash Silhouette*
> 1) Position a strong flash behind a person or couple, and take the shot, backlighting it enough to really darken them out.
> 2) Keep them in the same position, ditch the flash, double expose.
> 
> You get this really brilliant halo/silhouette around your subject(s).



do you have an example of this Alpha?


----------



## _rebecca_

On the subject of working with children, one thing that has worked for me most of the time is to engage the child first. I introduce myself, ask their names (even if I already know it) then I tell them it's great to meet them and ask if they would like to help me take a picture for Mommy and Daddy. I sometimes even have them introduce me to the parents. This has worked for me 100% of the time with preschool aged children, as they seem to really eat up the idea of me being there to work with them on something for their parents, and not just there for their parents and they have to sit pretty and cooperate.

Another thing I have discovered is that often the very best family portraits happen *in between* the more set-up posed shots. So keep your camera ready and your eyes open even when everyone thinks you're just setting up for the next shot.


----------



## Prophotoworkshop

That's a tough question, there are no fixed rules.
It really Depends on what your going for.
If you want silly go wide, if you want serious go big (lens).
if you want distortion put the subject at the edge of the lens,
less distortion put them in the middle, if you want them to look powerful shoot up,
weak shoot down. Lower depth of field will bring more attention to the subject,
More depth will put more emphasis on the environment as well.
And then there's lighting...............


----------



## MrsMoo

I was told at college to let models bring their own music, it also helps them to feel relaxed in an unknown environment, like the studio.
You could have an iPod docking station or a CD player in the studio;
also taking photo's of teens who have headphones in gives it a stereotypical feel


----------



## goodkarma

I only shoot outdoors so I only offer 2 sittings a day.  My biggest tip would be to take the time you need until you get the shots you need.  All of my packages have a predetermined time but I never stick to it.  If we are done early, great if it take an extra 20 or 30 min great, as long as the client is happy that is what is the most important. I am always willing to turn the camera back on if the child decides to put on their best smiles all day on the way back to the parking lot!  Also I always have two camera bodies with me at all times.  I usually keep  a 1.8 135 prime  for those detail shots on one and a 16-80 for those wide open environmental shots (most of my clients want those as the setting is as much a part of the portraits as the people, I shoot on the beaches of Maui).  Having the two lenses gives my clients a lot of choices in the look of their portraits.


----------



## Derrel

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned this fairly complete, 16-part lesson on studio portraiture.

http://jzportraits.home.att.ne 

 Addendum June 2019, 10 years later
 This thread has been resurrected by new member. The photo lessons that I have referred to you are known as the Zeltsman Approach.  I believe this online photo class is still available somewhere, but I see now that the-year-old that I gave  back in 2009, is no longer valid.


----------



## themedicine

In response to the idea of not shooting hands or only shooting the sides of hands:

The best tip I have learned for hands is that before it comes time to shoot them, especially closer up shots of rings and such, get the subject to left their hands over their head for a minute. Explain why you are doing it, or make some thing up like "my lights/lenses are so good I don't want to get too much definition." The result is that the blood drains from the hands and you get a minute or two to compose and shoot non-veiny fingers. 

And as far as kids go, acting pretty goofy works wonders. Kind of like a toned down clown. Key words toned down.


----------



## willli

For outdoor potraits I recomend a zoom lens My favorite is my new nikon 70-200 F2.8 VR II but any good 70-200 like canon will do the trick.

I love that zoom factor for outdoor portraits because you can control the DOF with the aperture and the zoom and that is really handy on a shiny day. when you need to use small apertures


----------



## marteen147

*1.Focus on the eyes.*

 The eyes are said to be the window of the soul. Therefore, nothing is more important than achieving sharp, crisp eyes in your shot. Capturing the eyes in a powerful way will draw the viewer into the photo, establishing a strong connection that will speak volumes.
*2. Watch your angles.*

 Remember that for close up shots, angles will affect the outcome look and feel. For women, make the eyes appear larger and the face more delicate by shooting down on them. For men, emphasize strength and achievement by shooting slightly up.
*3. Use diffused light.*

 In close up shots, the skin is a central feature. Its crucial to show the skin without blemishes. Achieve this by using diffused light to gently wrap around the skin, bringing definition along the lines of the face without highlighting blemishes.
*4. Add a hair light*

 Detail is critical in head-shots and are no more dynamic than when created with a hair-light. A hair-light can be placed above or behind the subject [with a flash or the sun] to add depth to the shot, and pull the top of the head out of the background.
*5. Use of Lens*

 Nothing is more disturbing than a near-dynamic headshot that fails simply because of lens distortion. Generally, avoid mid to wide angle lenses for close headshots. Instead, use a lens that will compress your image and slim your subjects face  typically 90mm and above.
*6. Guide expression*

 The final most important element is an expression to match the purpose of the headshot. Its your job as photographer to pull out the most natural looks from your subjects. Do so by guiding them through complimenting conversation; i.e. asking serious questions to pull out a thoughtful gaze, or cracking a joke to capture a natural smile.


​


----------



## thatfornoobs

There are many good apps for the ipod that are basically a listings of poses. Some of them prove to be very useful, showing you more "dangerous" poses. They can be used as a source of inspiration as well.


----------



## Polina Rabtseva

i like canon 135mm 2.0 for portraits


----------



## AnthonyRyanPhoto

Study shots from photographers you like, then use them as inspiration as you are posing your clients.  Just make sure that you make the shot "yours" and put your own spin on it.


----------



## toddjamesphotography

For portraits, I love to use long lenses at full zoom for strong DOF and separation of the subject from the background.


----------



## josephe

wxnut said:


> If taking a portrait that includes the family dog, do not whistle, or call the dogs name to try to get it to look at the camera. It will want to run to you. Instead, in a soft, excited voice, say "wheres the kitty" or "whos here".  It may not look at the camera, but it will perk up and its ears will go upright, and get it to sit still for a couple shots.
> 
> 
> 
> Doug Raflik


I've even whined or barked like a puppy to get the dogs attention.  If they think there is another little pup in my camera the keep looking in that direction with interest.  The trick is to get the family to stop worrying about getting the animals attention toward the camera and just get their smiles ready for that perfect moment when the dog looks up.  I've had more shots where mom or little Johnny is snapping fingers and looking at Rover right when the dog is perked ears and looking dead into the camera lens!  Sometimes it works as a portrait too so never say never.


----------



## jogesh debnath

Here some tips for portrait photography
a. Background-The Soft downy skin creates a colorful background for your image shoot. 

b.  Lighting -After your pattern is well fixed, arrange lamp so as that it's positioned merely little above the head.

c.  Shutter Speed - Your shutter speed should be comparatively fast. Also, it is best simply just use a rack to reinforce your photography.

d. Tripod-The rack will get obviate camera shake, therefore refrains from damage portrait pictures.

e. The reflector bounces the sunshine onto your subject, so creating a so much softer light-weight illumination.

Hope this will help you.


----------



## sumoncpk

Obviously brilliant tips . I appreciated . Thank you .


----------



## Michael Donald

The most important thing for me is to be aware that people don’t respond to the camera or to you as such. They respond to the atmosphere in the room. And above anything else that is your sole responsibility 

www.michaeldonald.com


----------

