Summer shoots

Stephen Portlock goes into the natural summer light for portrait perfection

1 Open up your aperture

Using a larger aperture can really help isolate your subject from the background; I tend to shoot around f/2-f/4. For closer portraits you might want to increase this, as you’ll find that the subject’s nose or lips become out of focus (and that’s OK if you like that aesthetic!). But always make sure that the eyes are sharp.

2 Don’t use flash

I try to use natural light as much as possible. Learn where the light is hitting your subject; asking them to slightly raise their chin or turn their head left or right can help highlight the cheekbones, lighten the eyes and give more impact to your photo. Flash can cause a bit of shine on the face – sometimes this is OK, but often it’s not.

3 Using conventions

A lot of emphasis is placed on the rule of thirds, and in many cases it works perfectly. But don’t overthink it. If the subject stands out in the photo, then go with it. To capture the attention of the viewer, I try to find leading lines, a striking pose or a killer expression.

4 Let the camera help you

I shoot in Aperture-Priority virtually all the time, but when working with natural light it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your shutter speed and ISO. Light can change very quickly, so learn the capabilities of your camera and get used to quickly changing your ISO settings so you don’t miss a shot.

5 Relax into your role

Being relaxed when photographing people is essential. If you’re at ease then this will be transmitted to your model, too. Don’t be afraid to talk about what you’re hoping to achieve with the shot, and have fun with it. Once you’ve bagged a couple of great frames, share them with your model. This will always produce a positive effect.