Portrait Photography - General Tips and Photography Welcome to my first post, with practical tips to my favorite area, the
portrait photography.
First, I would allow you a brief insight into my experiences of the last shootings and try
general and useful tips on portrait photography give.
first The location With a beautiful and suitable location can in principle enhance each photo. Unfortunately, it is not easy to find the right location. My concern themselves also always the case. And since I do not own a studio, I try with the given options to make the best of it. I often choose meadows or fields, as it has enough space and light and also have peace and quiet from prying eyes. Photos under trees I can not recommend personally, because the images can get a green cast, if the leaf green reflected from the skin.
I have a very long time made only outdoor shots, I was limited technically. Since I have my Canon I have also ventured to the indoor range and thus know the advantages and disadvantages of both types. What kind of location in the portrait photography I prefer, I can not make sweeping statements, but I shall refer to that list, from my experience made the advantages and disadvantages.
1.1 Outdoor Photography advantages - most of much space
- much light
Disadvantages: - one is not necessarily disturbed
- wind and weather permitting
- equipment such as lightning must be suitable for outdoor use
1.2 Indoor photography advantages - undisturbed regardless of the weather (at home)
-
Disadvantages: - space may be severely limited
- light could be a problem
second The technique I want to perform the technical conditions, such as the equipment and Photography in general.
2.1 The camera As mentioned earlier, I am switched from Pentax to Canon. The reasons for this were firstly, the lack border lens selection, on the other hand, the poor noise performance at high ISO values. For this reason I have the Pentax only made outdoor pictures. As the light in indoor photos often limited, I would have to choose according to high ISO settings, so that the noise would become too strong.
I can only recommend for a camera to look at, can demonstrate a good value in high ISO ranges and for an extensive lens selection is offered.
2.2 The right lens much more important than the camera is the right objective.
2.2.1 The correct focal length recommending for the portrait photography I long focal lengths from 70mm upwards. I personally have used a 70-200mm telephoto zoom. There are several reasons for a long focal length.
One can with a long focal length more exempt (see explanation below - Chapter 2.2.3 release pattern), on the other thus remain the natural Proper functions of the depicted person will receive. If you are fitted with a wide angle lens, such as those in many compact cameras, recordings, making up close, the Proper functions are often distorted. Everyone has the determined ever found that such projections seem to be even much larger or the arm in the foreground appear thicker. The following link is a more extensive statement on
focal lengths and an example of distorted Proper functions.
At this point it still said that it makes a difference whether the lens used on a crop or full frame camera. Crop means that the image is cropped, and thus appear larger. For crop cameras like my old Pentax has to take into account the factor of 1.5 for the focal length. That is, with a 77mm focal length, it is real 115mm (77 x 1.5). On a full frame, as my current Canon meets the stated focal length of the actual.
2.2.2 The right panel addition to the correct focal length is the aperture still an important factor for the photographer in portrait photography. The aperture can be thought of as a pupil. It determines how much light enters the lens. Shown is the cover by the term 1:1.8 or F1, 8 The values can be 1-32 and more rich.
often leads to confusion, the term large and small apertures. When you talk about a wide aperture, it referred to a small aperture. Then, the aperture more light into the lens. For this reason we speak of bright lenses if they have a large aperture, or have a small aperture.
When a lens with the values of 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 the largest aperture of 3.5. When displayed on a lens, the aperture indication in a range of values, like this 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6, it means that as the largest set at 18mm f/3.5 and 55mm f/5.6, the largest can be. The smallest aperture can be set the same for both lenses.
The aperture not only controls the light transmission and thus the exposure, but also the focus range. The larger the aperture, the more light enters the lens and the smaller the depth of field.
I personally would recommend a lens with an aperture from F2, 8 or greater (ie a lower value) because it therefore has more leeway. With telephoto zoom lenses you should also make sure that the max. Aperture throughout the zoom range is available.
The combination of focal length and aperture can affect the representation of persons shown strong as described below.
2.2.3 The motif exempt One of my favorite approaches is to illustrate the background out of focus, that you recognize what does not in one location is the model. There are several possibilities.
One can speak of the person to be photographed a close neckline (Close-Up) select, in combination with an appropriately long focal length. In this way, the background automatically blurred and is no longer clear.
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| 77mm - F3, 5 - 1/350s - ISO 100 |
The other Possibility is that the model far enough from the background removed and additionally selects the largest possible aperture. The larger the aperture the more blurred everything outside the focus area.
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| 77mm - F4, 5 - 1/90s - ISO 100 |
course one can combine a long focal length, with a large aperture, which gives a very small depth of field.
addition to the effect that the location becomes irrelevant and not distract from the actual motive, the focus more on the person depicted.
A disadvantage of the whole yet. Due to the low depth of focus, sometimes only a few millimeters, it can quickly lead to an incorrect focus. That is, if you focus on as an eye finds itself with only the camera moves a bit and then pulls the trigger, the eye is already outside the focus range. Thus, any sharper than the eyelashes, the iris shown. Remedy in this case, dim, or a tripod. For this reason, I almost never choose the maximum aperture of F2, 8, but rather use a diaphragm in F3, 5 - 8
2.2.4 The image stabilizer first I thought that something does not need, but especially with long lenses and low light is the image stabilizer Gold value. He has helped me a few times a beautiful location in difficult lighting conditions to make sharp.
He is always used when camera shake is visible through the camera. The longer the exposure time becomes, the more you see in the pictures when the camera is not held steady. The image stabilizer to compensate for camera shake try this.
3.2 exposure and light exposure 2.3.1 Before I go any further comment on properties, I make it short and then refer you to pages that deal in depth with the subject.
determine the short focal length, aperture, exposure time and the sensitivity (ISO) exposure.
If I have enough time I ask these values manually, otherwise I shoot in AV mode, so the automatic mode. This means that the aperture value is set and selected the exposure time automatically. This way you can play nice with the depth of field and does not need to worry about the exposure time.
2.3.2 The right light light is by far the most important thing in photography. Without light There are no photos. With light designed the images, as shown particularly
low-key and high-key shots.
so it is important to use the right lighting.
For my outdoor photos I have I left to concentrate mainly on the light. Direct sunlight on the other hand I try to avoid because of unfavorable
this may cause shadows . The example shows clearly a drop shadow.
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| 120mm - F3, 5 - 1/80s - ISO 3200 |
I personally prefer soft shadows. Therefore, I position the model in the shadows, either directly or trying to hide the sun with a sheet.
To the person still would collect enough light, I use one or more system flashes that I use via sync cable with the camera. When I use the Flash Canon Speedlite 580EX
and
Metz 58 AF-1 , and I rarely use the latter. I mainly use only one. In order to avoid harsh shadows by the fire, I mount a softbox in addition to the flash and attach all on a tripod. I have bought me at the time of flash2softbox the
adapter and a 50x70 softbox
and am very satisfied. The softbox I position it is usually slightly to the side of the model. When the example is the softbox slightly left and brightens the face on something. This example shows how to provide optimal light conditions.
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| 77mm - F3, 5 - 1/250s - ISO 100 |
has however come to these opportunities do not always and then has to cope with the given options.
The most difficult situation for me so far was when I should make a friend of photos for her boyfriend. It was evening in the winter after work, accordingly, it was already dark outside. A flash I had not at that time. The photos we have made in their home. I have the rooms that would have been eligible looked and then decided for a greater under the roof, as it has had the most space. At that time I had fortunately been my Canon. The light conditions were poor, and only a measly ceiling, which was not really light, and a floor lamp served as light sources. After the first test shots, I thought that will not matter. I had ISO 3200 despite a very long exposure times, the camera shake was very high. Fortunately, my 70-200mm has an image stabilizer built in, so I was able to counteract camera shake a little. As the face was very dark, I had to improvise. Therefore, I have the floor lamp on a chair down and addressed to the face. So I had my own little spotlight. Below you see the result, it is only one of the resulting images.
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| 148mm - F3, 5 - 1/80s - ISO 3200 |
Enclosed nor the sketch that explains the structure ;-).
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| construction - light setting |
addition, I've found a nice article on photography
Party.
2.4 focus Another very important point is the correct focusing. In order to get sharp images, there are different approaches. In the following, one should pay attention:
2.4.1 focal length and aperture The longer the focal length, the lower the depth of field. That is, you have to set a higher aperture to get more clearly on the image. Unfortunately, this also increases the exposure time, which can lead to camera shake. If you shoot with wide angle lenses, you can ask the same aperture, as illustrated with a telephoto lens much more sharply.
2.4.2 AF (auto focus) mode Most DSLRs offer several modes to focus. Go to the continuous AF I am not elaborate because he has played for me in portrait photography to date, no role.
is much more important, whether one opts for multi-field AF, selected AF point, or the center focus. Below is a detailed explanation about the different versions
AF.
I prefer most of the time the center AF point. It is not the best approach, but you are relatively satisfied. The reasons for this are that the mean AF is the most accurate and I do not always choose a different AF point must, as soon as I change the image. I focus, activate the focus lock and wave to the camera shutter button pressed halfway to the desired image. The disadvantage is that it can change during this pan, the distance to the object identified as a sharp eye. Since it is always easy with the camera moves forward or back, another area in the picture sharp as the eyebrows, or ears.
2.4.3 Contrast Also, we should make sure that the area is in focus which one has enough contrast. To make it short, it does not work properly on a white wall, or a blue sky into focus, because there the contrast ratio is very low. In right photo shooting situations, the noticeable especially at night, or backlit subjects. For Backlighting , the face of your subject does not read properly and the background blur when shooting at night with the person. Therefore, many flashes of an AF light that is activated during focusing and mostly red light projected onto the object. This light generates enough contrast in dark situations, so the camera can focus.
I'm usually a situation of same multiple images that are the same. This increases the chance that (hopefully) at least one photo that depicts this situation is clear.
Next time I will respond a little more on taking pictures of female models. Who has ideas or suggestions for improvement or want to hear something about a certain topic, or a more detailed description will, I can tell you.
