Cascade Photography

Taking a ‘Super’ Portrait

How do you take a great portrait? As mentioned previously, you must research your subject to find personality to put into your photo. If this still does not envisage emotion and contrast why not alter your perspective or angle.

Most portraits are taken straight on at eye level. A basic ‘family’ or ‘kids’ portrait is typically in a neutral colour or kiddie atmosphere front on. This is good sense, as usually parents request their child/ren shot at full length, to portray their size at time of picture.

Shooting from up high or at ground level still gets this full body appearance but from a new perspective, generating interest. Taking photographs, especially portraits in the moment is very special. The casual, relaxed nature of the subject tends to allow more detail to float through. If you want to see the kind of detail that really impresses, step closer, or use zoom if necessary.

Try something different—shoot a portrait that doesn’t show the face, photograph the shadow instead of the subject, frame a dancer’s feet and unique shoes, catch the subject at work or play instead of aware of the camera, look for unusual lighting and shadows. Once again capture that unique feature about your subject.

Portrait Photography

If you do not have a photo studio, you can simply take photos of the subject in their natural environment. You need to keep in mind that you need to enlarge the photos, a small photo of a portrait just doesn’t have the same impact as a large one. The detail and emotion just can’t be delivered if you can’t even see the focus point. Taking a photo that will enlarge well is a technique you should try and master. It is a crucial part of delivering your research on the subject.

While keeping the environment friendly and relatable to the subject. You want to focus attention on your subject and avoid distracting elements in the background. After all this is a portrait not a scenic shot.

Portrait Photography

‘A face devoid of love or grace,

As were they old acquaintances,–?

First time together thrown. — “A Portrait” by Emily Dickinson

There is a famous portrait photographer called Elsa Dorfman, she is a master at capturing the ‘real’ person in her photos. A great skill when preparing for a portrait shoot is to follow her procedures. It all comes down to research, she investigates people, from their likes and dislikes down to the finer, detailed manerisms. She envokes an emotion from the viewers about the subject that is so true and connected, that many marvel at her envolved portrayal. Her curiousity of the subject takes her on a ploted search for their passions which she moulds into an expression, act or position, therefore capturing their essence. She tends to know more about her subject by the end of a session than their closest family member.

Elsa’s success definitely stems from her love and curiousity of people. Tip 2 is, if you do not have this curiousity for people than it is best to leave this profession alone. Elsa uses a 20×24″ Polaroid camera.