Portrait Photography

Portrait photography genres

Photography includes a large number of genres and types, each requiring specific photographic techniques to be able to create great images. Each type of photography can be grouped into one of four major photography categories: Commercial, Creative, Portrait and Outdoor. This page covers the portrait photography category of photography.

The Portrait Photography category encompasses a wide range of photographic genres in both studio and non-studio environments. A great portrait photographer will be able to capture the personality and emotion of a subject in a setting that enhances the attractiveness of the portrait photography composition.

The genres of photography that have at least some element of portrait photography are;

As you can see from the size of the list of portrait photography genres above, portrait photography can include a vast array of methods and techniques. A family portrait photographer will likely also specialise in maternity, milk bath, newborns and seniors.

Whereas a commercial photographer will likely specialise in head portraits, studio, model, beauty and makeup, concert, dance, documentary and glamour photography, and a wedding photographer will usually also work in the family-oriented genres.

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Variations in setups and lighting

Depending on the portrait photography being carried out, there are a large variation in lighting and composition techniques that may be utilised, including studio and outdoors, with either artificial (either as a fixed light source or flash) or natural lighting or a combination of the two.

Social media accounts and websites

Great portrait photographers can be sought-after and can earn significant amounts from their work. So if you have the skill and determination to succeed in this genre of photography upload your best images to your website and to your social media accounts such as TikTok, Facebook and Instagram.

Lighting methods

The main styles of lighting are back light, key light, fill light and three-point lighting.

Back light

A back light is positioned behind the subject and can be directed towards the camera to highlight the contours and outline of the subject, or directed away from the camera onto a backdrop or other background screen. Either way, with back light is used to separate the subject from the background. The back light is also known as the hair light.

Key light

A key light is also known as the main light, and is usually positioned slightly above, to the left or the right of the subject. It is used to light shape and form and to accentuate the subject’s features.

Fill light

A fill light is usually placed opposite the key light and is used to lessen shadows. The intensity of the fill light Is usually less than the key light.

Three-point lighting

Three-point lighting is the most common lighting setup. This lighting setup includes a key light, a fill light and a backlight. This technique is also sometimes used in combination with natural light.

Natural light

Natural light can be both a blessing and a hindrance! Probably one of the most challenging aspects of using natural light is when you as the photographer have no control over the location or the time of day of the natural light portrait session.

This is especially true when performing wedding photography. You have no control over the time of day, which is usually mid-afternoon when the sun is brightest and near the highest point in the sky. The result being harsh shadows and squinting eyes!

If you have no choice but to photograph portraits during the harsh light of midday sun, experiment beforehand with neutral density and polarising filters. These will help in reducing the stark light that will reflect from your subject’s skin.

Filtered natural light

The best natural light portraits are achieved when the natural light is filtered.

Cloudy days are best when photographing outdoors and you are anting filtered light. When the sun is behind the rays are filtered to a soft light. However, as photographers, we cannot guarantee the right outdoor light, so at times you will find portrait photography sessions will be more successful if you book clients in for a late afternoon or for golden hour session.

Indoor photography using filtered light is usually achieved with the use of large windows to let light in that have white sheer curtains or other white material that allows light to stream in evenly. Reflectors are used to balance the brightness of shadows. Think of the window as being the key light and a reflector as being a fill light. A second reflector behind the subject can be used as back light.

If you find a type of lighting situation and method that suits you, then practice, practice, practice until you perfect your art! If you perfect your technique, you will become known for that style which can become your brand, and potential clients will book you for your style rather than on price.

Location

Portrait photography location can be almost as important as your professional technique.

Think of a portrait photo session of a child in the setting of the back yard of a home, versus the beautiful setting of a flowered garden, beach or bushland setting. The back yard setting pales into insignificance when compared to the others. The portrait photography location does matter!

Imagine an assignment to produce corporate head portraits. The business has come to you asking for formal head photographs for their website and annual report. The first offering by you could be for an in-studio photography setting with the same background and subject orientation for all photos. The location is a studio, with lighting and background that you can control perfectly.

Another scenario is you are approached by a real estate agency to photograph 30 of their salespersons. You could suggest a parkland, lobby or apartment setting as the background. Lighting may be more difficult to control, so choose your location carefully. The location can be determined by the business brand and style of business.

Best lenses for portrait photography

Fixed prime lenses and medium to long range zoom lenses are common in portrait photography. A common fixed prime lens used in portrait photography is the 50mm (the nifty fifty). Lenses wider than 50mm may introduce slight distortion of the subject however is great for capturing full-body portraits in a wider setting.

Best prime lens for portrait photography

The best all-round portrait fixed prime lens for portrait photography on full frame cameras is the 85mm as it allows you to capture full-body portraits without having to step too far back from your subject. The 135mm prime lens comes in second as it is great for more-details close-up views of the subject.

Best zoom lens for portrait photography

The best zoom lens for portrait photography would be the all-rounder 24-70mm zoom lens. This lens offers a good range of depth options for you, and is suited for smaller spaces and for capturing everything from single subjects to larger groups.

The 70-200mm zoom lens is a good option if you want more compression on the subject and if you have the room to step back when photographing larger groups. This lens also makes it easier for you to separate the subject from the background, and is especially useful for wedding photography.

Distortion from wide angle lenses
Wider lenses 10mm to 50mm can be effective for portrait photography, however always be aware of distortion, especially if you are very close to your subject and are not photographing them straight-on. If you are close to your subject and have a wide-angle lens oriented away from the subject you will likely introduce distortion that will make them appear unnatural.

Best camera settings for portrait photography

There is no fixed rule on which camera settings you should use in portrait photography. The location, the composition you are aiming for, the lighting situation and the client’s vision all need to be taken into consideration.

As a guide if you are more interested in achieving a blurred background with nice bokeh, then a wide-open aperture such as f/1.4 to f/2.8 is a good start. Depending on your distance to the subject and the zoom that you have chosen, the depth of field may be extremely small, so ensure you have all subjects in focus.

Focus should always be sharpest on the model’s eyes. If you have a single model then it is easy to achieve af wider apertures (f/1.4 to f/2.8) however, for larger groups you may need to go up to f/8.0 or more. But this will be at the expense of background bokeh.

A note with regards to depth of field and client expectations. As photographers most of us love a shallow depth of field with beautiful bokeh, but if your client is not expecting it, they may be disappointed in your photos. This could be a tragedy for your confidence, especially considering you may have the most technically-beautiful image. So, always explain to your subjects your technique, or ensure you have an online portfolio that closely matches your style.

Aperture priority vs manual settings

Manual settings are always recommended; however, aperture priority is very widely used where photographers want to control the depth of field more readily without worrying too much about other camera settings. Just be aware that if you are photographing in aperture priority it may be at the expense of shutter speed or grain introduced through a higher ISO when photographing in darker settings.

Metering

In settings where there is either a dark or bright background you should use spot metering or centre-weighted metering on the portrait model. Spot metering on the model’s face will result in a well-exposed subject. But there are certainly differing opinions on this, especially where flash is being used and depending on the overall style that you want to achieve.