Recent Portraits Articles

How to Add Ambiance to an Outdoor Portrait With Artificial Light

Outdoor portrait shoots can be a fantastic way to photograph couples in an organic environment that allows them to convey natural poses and emotion. However, nature does not always cooperate. Adding a smidgen of artificial light can be just what you need to really complete a photo. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to do just that.

Learn How This Fantastic Portrait Was Created and Shot

Lindsay Adler is well known for creating dynamic and vibrant portraits that capture viewers' eyes and imaginations. If you would like to see how she does it from start to finish, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will guide you through a red-inspired portrait shoot, including set design, lighting, gear, and editing.

How To Pose and Direct a Photoshoot To Draw Out Emotion

With 10 years of professional photography under my belt, I can confidently say directing models with ease is one of the most important aspects of the job. Yet, it is a skill that so many photographers struggle with. It’s one of those things that seems so simple, but in the actual moment, can be incredibly challenging.

How to Take Beautiful Senior Portraits

If you are looking to take some portraits of your senior, or are looking to pick up some work in that area, this video gives you some great tips and a behind-the-scenes look at a senior shoot.
Guide for Choosing the Best Prime Lens for Different Kind of Portraits

If you like photographing people with prime lenses, you must choose the best possible focal length for your situation. After all, with prime lenses, you can’t zoom in or out. This is a simple guide that can help you to use the most suitable prime lens for photographing one or more people, and groups of people.

Learn How These Cinematic Magazine Cover Photos Were Shot

The beauty of artificial lighting is that you can create looks that simply would not be possible using only the sun. One of the greatest technical challenges for a photographer is lighting a group portrait so that every individual is well lit but so the overall look is still sculpted and compelling rather than flat and two-dimensional. If you would like to really take your portrait lighting to the next level, check out this awesome video tutorial that will take you behind the scenes of a cinematic magazine cover photo shoot and show you how to do it yourself.

What Makes a Portrait Resonate With You?

There are likely north of a billion portrait images in existence, and so, capturing an audience for your shot is absurdly difficult without having a preexisting following. Nevertheless, it's certainly possible, and I wondered what exactly makes a portrait resonate with me and if it is the same for others.
85mm Versus 135mm Lens Comparison for Portraiture

Two of the most popular focal lengths for portraiture are 85mm and 135mm. If you want to upgrade your nifty-fifty for something a bit longer, which should you choose? Well, it depends on a number of factors.
How to Use Fill Flash for On-Location Portrait

Shooting portraits outside of the studio can be a great way to add context to an image, tell a story, or simply generate a bit more visual interest. Bringing along a flash for fill can often help you create a higher-quality image with a more balanced exposure. This great video tutorial will show you how to use a fill flash on location for better portraits.

Capturing the Essence: Why Dog Photography With Families Is a Golden Opportunity

In a world full of a little bit of crazy one thing remains constant – our unwavering love for our furry companions. Dogs hold a special place in our hearts, becoming cherished members of our families. They warm our hearts from being mischievous mutts to regal pedigrees, our four-legged friends bring joy, companionship, and a whole lot of slobbery kisses.

A Portrait Shoot With a $35 Rebel XT

We've all heard that equipment doesn't make the photographer, and that a great photographer can create great images with whatever camera they have. But, how does that actually translate? How different do images look when taken with an early DSLR, compared to a modern mirrorless?
Mimicking the Look of a High-End Campaign With No Budget

Many of the most expensive shoots spend inordinate amounts of money on incredible locations, models, and photographers. But, if you're willing to accept models that aren't A-list celebrities, you might be able to recreate the same standard without being bankrolled.
Why an Octabox Should Be Your First Lighting Modifier

Learning artificial lighting is something that every portrait photographer should do, as it frees you from relying on the sun and enables you to explore creative avenues that simply are not possible with only natural light. However, lighting modifiers can be quite expensive, so knowing which is right to start with is important. This fantastic video tutorial features an experienced photographer discussing why an octabox should be your first choice.

How to Edit a Portrait in Lightroom

Traditionally, you edit portraits in Photoshop, where you can take advantage of the program's powerful array of local editing tools. On the other hand, Lightroom has taken tremendous steps forward in the past few years, and while Photoshop still sits at the top for portrait work, there are many situations in which you can complete a portrait edit entirely in Lightroom. This helpful video tutorial will show you how to do just that.

One Easy Way You Can Film BTS of Your Photo/Video Shoots

Look, I think we've all been there, none of us want to have to bring extra stands, tripods/monopods, or even extra cameras just to get behind-the-scenes images (BTS for short from here on out) or video for our websites or social media, even though we'd all love to have that content. After some trial and error, I think I've landed on a fun and flexible solution by using a 360 action camera but there are some things to know before you get started so let’s get into it.

3 Surprisingly Great Portrait Lenses By Sony

When you think of portrait lenses, there are many staple focal lengths. However, there are a whole host of great lenses that while may not be intended to be for portraiture, are superb for exactly that.
Create Captivating Portraits With an LED Light Wand

Over the past few years, LEDs have become a popular choice for still photographers, and with good reason. Although LED light sources do have limitations, there are many clear benefits to using constant light for portrait photographers. In this article, I will detail five ways I use an LED light wand to create captivating portraits, both in and out of my studio.

The Power of Flat Light

When you look outside and see a gray sky, it might be tempting to feel discouraged at the uninteresting backdrop and plain light quality, but flat light can actually be some of the best light to work with as a photographer. If you would like to see why flat light is actually such a boon for portrait photographers, check out this helpful video tutorial that features an experienced photographer guiding students through building a shot.

Learn How to Create This Four-Light Portrait Yourself

You can create stunning portraits with just a single light, but once you have mastered that, moving into more complex multi-light setups will open up your creative opportunities even more. If you would like to try a challenging but rewarding portrait lighting setup, check out this great video tutorial that will show you a dramatic image shot using a four separate lights.

POV Portrait Shoot in the Rain With the Nikon Z8

Manny Ortiz is well known for his urban portraiture on the streets of Chicago, and this time, the windy city becomes the rainy city, as he captures some beautiful portraits of his model, Elizabeth, with the new Nikon Z8.

Helpful Tips for Better Portrait Compositions

In portrait photography, we often focus strongly on the posing of the subject, sometimes to the detriment of the overall composition of the image. If you would like to improve the composition of your portrait photos, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features an experienced portrait photographer sharing a wide range of helpful tips that will help you create better images.

Are Strobes or Continuous Lights Better for Portrait Photography?

Even just five years ago, this would not even be a question. However, in recent years, continuous lighting has made some remarkable strides, and it is now a viable alternative to traditional strobes for a lot of work. So, which is right for your portrait photography? This excellent video comparison features an experienced portrait photographer sharing her thoughts.

5 Photographers Shoot the Same Models at the Same Location

It doesn't matter how many variables you match, when you pit creatives against one another, the results will invariably be distinct. In this video, five photographers all shoot the same models in the same location, and the results are exactly that: distinct.
How to Retouch Hair in Photoshop

Retouching hair can be a challenging and time-consuming process, but with the right knowledge and carefully practiced technique, you can avoid the frustration and improve the quality of your portraits. If you would like to make your portraits better, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you everything you need to know about retouching hair.

Leica Summicron-SL 50mm f/2 Versus Sigma 50mm f/2

The 50mm is a staple prime and lives in many photographers' camera bags, but the question is whether there is a vast difference in quality between them. In this video, a Leica and a Sigma are compared to gauge the differences.
A Guide to Retouching Portraits

Of course, knowing how to light and pose a portrait is essential to creating a successful image, but the process does not end there. Having an effective, structured, and efficient post-processing workflow will help ensure that you can create polished shots every time. This helpful video tutorial features an experienced portrait photographer sharing his workflow.

How to Create Eye-catching Wraparound Light in Portrait Photography

You might think that creating enveloping wraparound light requires multiple sources, but it can actually be done with just a single source. This fantastic video tutorial will show you how to create such a portrait using only a single light and a small home studio.

A Beginner's Guide to One-light Portraits

When you are new to working with artificial light, it is important to start out with a single source at first to build your confidence and knowledge. And just because you are only shooting with one light, it does not mean you can't produce professional-level images. This fantastic video tutorial will show you everything you need to know to get started with one-light portraits.

How to Cash In on ERAS Photos as a Photographer in the Spring and Summer: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you are a photographer looking for a low competition niche market that is in high demand during the spring and summer months, you might want to consider offering ERAS photos. ERAS stands for Electronic Residency Application Service, and it is the system that medical students use to apply for residency programs in the United States. As part of their application, they need to submit a professional photo that meets certain specifications and showcases their personality and professionalism. This photo can make a big difference in their chances of getting an interview and matching with their preferred program.

Boudoir Photography on Location in Bali

If you are looking for amazing tips of posing models and how to use natural light, this video has it all. In this video, Michael Sasser travels to Bali, Indonesia and shares behind-the-scenes footage along with lots of tips and tricks that will help you in boudoir and portrait photography.

5 Helpful Portrait Photography Tips for Beginners

Portrait photography is one of the most popular genres, but it can be a particularly tricky one, as you have to have not only solid camera technique, but the ability to work with people well. If you are new to portrait photography and looking to improve your images, check out this fantastic video tutorial that features a seasoned shooter sharing five useful tips.

The Fun of Shooting Portraits With a Supertelephoto Lens

When it comes to portrait photography, most people will reach for a lens with a focal length between about 85mm and 135mm, maybe a little longer or wider for certain applications or creative exploration. But there is no rule that says portrait photography has to be shot at those focal lengths; you can easily push into more extreme options for a bit of fun and creative invigoration. This short video will show you some of what you can create when shooting portraits with a supertelephoto zoom lens.

The Secrets to High-Quality and Efficient High-Volume Headshots

Producing high-quality headshots in high volumes can be a daunting task. However, with over 6,000 headshots produced annually, we have cracked a code to high-volume headshot success. We know firsthand how challenging it can be to work efficiently without sacrificing quality.

16mm Portraiture: How Wide Is Too Wide?

Utter the words "16mm" when talking about focal length, and the first thing we think of is the dreaded distortion. But it doesn't always need to be such a bad thing! All-encompassing images can be an incredibly satisfying way of shooting. So, why do we fear the dreaded distortion in our images?

A Beginner's Guide to Portrait Photography With One Light

If you look at the work of professional portrait photographers, it can be easy to be fooled into thinking that it is not possible to create high-level images with just a single light. This could not be further from the truth, though. If you are new to working with artificial light, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will show you how to shoot compelling portraits using just one light and a portable modifier.

3 Easy and Creative One-light Portrait Photography Setups

When you look at the work of professional portrait photographers, you might think that you need complex multi-light setups in order to produce top-level images. And while it is true that two- or three- light setups are common, you might be surprised by what you can accomplish with just a single light. This great video tutorial will show you three easy and creative one-light portrait photography setups.

Essential Golden Hour Photoshoot Tips for Photographers

Golden hour is a magical time of the day for photography, characterized by warm and soft light that can turn even the most mundane scenes into stunning works of art. This period occurs twice a day, during the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset, and is highly sought after by photographers for its dreamy and ethereal qualities.

Have Photo Conferences Fully Recovered From COVID?

It’s no secret that COVID put a bit of a damper on anything in person, especially large group gatherings, like conferences and trade shows. But as time has moved on, has the photo conference world fully recovered?