Emma’s top tips For perfect portraits
Book a model
There’s a reason that companies book models rather than using friends and family for photoshoots – models are trained to give the best pose for your lighting and lens. When you’re learning, hire a professional so you can concentrate on your shot rather than worrying about directing.
Hands off!
If your subject has a wonky tie or a hair across their face, always ask if they can make the adjustment themselves. Never just go up and start touching them without asking for permission.
You’ve got the power
A good rule of thumb is to start with your lights on about a quarter power, and see what result you’re getting. Then adjust the power accordingly.
Lighting triangle
With lights, there are three ways to make your image lighter: widen your aperture, turn your lights up, or move lights closer to your subject. To darken your image, the opposite becomes true.
Use what works
It doesn’t matter whether you use studio lights, speedlites or continuous lights. If it puts light out, that’s all you need! People get too caught up with the latest kit – just use what works for you.
Be fidget-proof
If you have a fidgety subject, especially children, give them something to hold – even just a flower or blade of grass. This will prevent nervous hands and can add an extra point of interest to your picture.
Perspective
Watch the angle you’re shooting from. If anything is closer to the camera than the subject’s face, it’s going to look bigger. Make sure not to get disproportionate hands and arms!
Flattering composition
When shooting a woman, it’s best to crop at the narrowest point – usually this is the waist or the knees. Don’t crop at the bust or hips because the woman will look bigger.
Allow room for error
I always seem to shoot wonky, so I try to compose with a bit of extra space in case I need to straighten the image afterwards. If I’m shooting a bit askew, I can fix this in post or recompose.
Avoid straight lines
Backgrounds with straight lines can look great, but if you don’t get your angles right then the lines will look awkward and they’re a nightmare to fix in post.