The most important question first: What is portrait photography? A portrait photo is not only a photograph of the head (headshot photo): It refers to the art of photographing people in general. A portrait photo is meant to bring the person photographed closer to the viewer, to reflect their personality, or to convey a certain image. In creative portrait photography, even items such as hats or clothing can be showcased effectively on a model.
But how to shoot portrait pictures that really stand out? Before you explore portrait photography ideas in detail, it helps to reflect on some basics that form the foundation of successful portrait photography. Especially if you are just getting started with portrait photography, these tips can be very helpful.
1. Locations for Portrait Photography
For indoor portrait photography, proper lighting is key. Your model’s face is optimally illuminated by various tools like a main light source, a fill flash, and an umbrella reflector. You can also take great portrait pictures near a window, where light and shadow create interesting effects. This is a perfect starting point for creative portrait photography!
Outdoors, avoid shooting your photography portraits around noon. At that time, the sun is high, resulting in harsh lighting and unflattering shadows on your headshots or portraits. Instead, a professional portrait photography session should be scheduled for early mornings, late afternoons, or evening hours—times when the lighting is much softer. The setting sun, for instance, can cast a warm glow on your model’s face which beautifully enhances a portrait photo.
2. Comfortable and Relaxed Atmosphere
Before shooting headshots or portraits, take time to establish trust and connect with your model to build a relaxed atmosphere. Ideally, set up your equipment in advance to avoid any unnecessary distractions. To ease any tension, you can have a relaxed conversation with your subject or play music they enjoy. This sets the stage for natural expressions and more authentic portrait photography.
Portrait photography does not always require stiff poses—many lively and engaging headshots come from moments of movement. When photographing children, consider giving them something to hold or play with. This not only keeps them entertained, but also helps them forget they are being photographed, leading to honest and spontaneous portrait pictures.
3. Angles in Portrait Photography
In portrait photography and headshot photography, experimenting with different angles can have a big impact on your photo.
Your model does not always need to face the camera directly. Try creative portrait angles from above, below, or from the side. Especially when doing headshot photography, changing the angle can highlight different facial features. As a result, it can for example emphasize the cheekbones, the jawline or the eyes of the person portrayed.
With different angles you can also achieve different effects. They can influence how the subject appears and add personality to a headshot photo. Shooting from below can make someone seem confident and powerful, while a portrait photo taken from above may create a softer, more vulnerable impression.
4. Composition of Portrait Photos
Pay attention to the framing and your image composition when doing portrait photography: If possible, do not leave too much or too little space above the head. If you want to add some tension and excitement to the shot, consider positioning the subject off-center.
The background should ideally support the message of your portrait photo and reflect the personality of the subject. If the background is distracting or cluttered, you can blur it using selective focus or edit it later in post-production.
In portrait photography, the choice of a specific subject area can also make the pictures more interesting. Especially close-up shots offer great opportunities for creative portrait effects. Do not be shy to try out some more creative portrait photography ideas! For example, crop a part of the face or focus only on the eyes, which adds a powerful visual effect to your portrait photo. With an image editing program, you can also select image sections afterwards and zoom in on the portrait photo.
If you are interested in learning more about composition in portrait photography, check out our article on the golden ratio.
5. Getting Up Close with Photography Portraits
For close-up portraits or chest portraits, it is advisable to focus on the eyes and ensure correct lighting. Ideally, use soft light as natural light from a window or diffused light from a flash with a reflector. Another useful trick for photography portraits is to bounce the flash off the ceiling so the light hits the model indirectly, creating a more flattering effect. Hard light, on the other side, brings out any irregularities or wrinkles in portrait photos. Depending on the look you are going for, this can also be a desired effect—especially in professional headshot photography where authenticity is often key.
6. Lighting and Illumination in Portrait Photography
Learning how to shoot portraits in different lighting conditions is a challenge, but there are some general portrait photography tips on this topic you can follow.
Generally, the lighting in your portrait photography should match the intended mood of the image. If you want to emphasize wrinkles and highlight the life experience of an older person, it is recommended to use hard, direct light. This can be achieved with focused light sources like the sun, spotlights, or a camera flash. As a result, this technique brings out deeper shadows and textures in a person’s face.
For more flattering results opt for soft, indirect lighting. Professional photographers, especially in headshot photography, often use softboxes to create this effect. Outdoors, such lighting conditions can be found on overcast days or during morning and evening hours.
7. Presentation of Portrait Photography
An important note beforehand: Please always ask for consent before sharing or publishing any headshot photo or portrait picture of another person!
If you are taking photography portraits for personal use, you might want to turn your favorite headshots or portraits into art for your home. Whether you want to print your photography portraits on poster, canvas, or a premium material like Gallery Bond—your best portrait photography deserves the perfect frame to complement the image. At MYPOSTER, you will find custom options that suit every portrait photo. Explore our diverse selection of picture frames!
If you want to share more than one portrait photo, you can create a beautiful collage print of your favorite headshots or compile a personalized photo booklet displaying a selection of your photography portraits. Also perfect as a personal, creative and memorable gift!
The Perfect Way to Showcase Your Portrait Photos
Your Portrait Photo as Framed Wall Art
Turn your portrait photo into wall art—naturally elegant in a wooden frame or any other frame that suits your picture best.
Photo Frames to Display Your Portraits
With a classic frame, you can present your portrait pictures everywhere you want. Whether on your sideboard or your desk, there is always room for a beautiful photo frame.
