Shoot a seasonal portrait

Make the most of the warm and complementary hues of autumn to stage a seasonal portrait shoot

Autumn is a great time of year for shooting portraits, especially when you use seasonal props and colours to make your picture pop. The key is to use a wide aperture such as f/2.8 or f/4 for your shot, limiting sharp focus to the eyes and allowing any background to diffuse.

A focal length of around 80mm is perfect for portraiture: it gives you a flattering perspective on your subject. Also try to keep the tones complementary; that includes hats, and even your model’s makeup.

USE A REFLECTOR

A reflector to bounce light back onto your subject, creating catchlights in the eyes, is one of the most useful accessories you can own. The ability to ‘move’ light this way and alter its quality has a dramatic effect on your results. For filling shadows, a white reflector is all you need, although a silver reflector can add contrast and edge. A piece of white card or even silver foil can do the job, too.

PORTRAIT LENSES

To avoid distorting facial features, use focal lengths of around 70200mm on a full-frame camera; if your camera has a smaller sensor, take the crop factor into account. For example, on a camera with a crop factor of 1.5x, a standard 50mm lens makes a perfect portrait optic because it’s effectively 75mm. A good portrait lens gives you the ability to shoot at wide apertures.