by Emily Gee

Created on: June 21, 2008   Last Updated: December 10, 2009

First and foremost to taking a good portrait photo of someone is to know your subject. Whatever time frame you are working with, try to build a rapport with the client. Of course, if the client' is already a friend or family member, this will be so much easier, but if they are a stranger try to get to grips with at least one or two of their personality traits as it is these which will make the acceptable photograph exceptional.

With regards to location, if you don't have or can't create a studio setting, with easily controlled background and lighting, it is possible to work with whatever is around. This is known as environmental portraiture', showing the subject and also their surroundings. The best tools for this will be a low ISO setting, prime lenses, a tripod and at least a mid-range digital SLR.

With regards to lighting, again if you don't have a studio in which you can control it, you should try and look for situations which feature soft lighting and try to keep whatever the light source is out of the shot. This will generally create the most flattering set up. Any space with skylights would be ideal as the light will diffuse down, without the skylight being a problem in the shot, and create a diffused, natural light setting which will most likely flatter your client.

Posing too will be a huge part of the overall effect of the portrait; how a subject is positioned and the relationship of that position to the camera will greatly effect the impression it gives. The purpose of the portrait must be taken into account; for example a formal portrait will be much more carefully positioned then say a family portrait in which the body language of the family members is as much a part of the photo as the people themselves.

Most clients will expect their photographer to pose them, or at least offer a lot of guidance on how they should stand, sit, position their arms, tilt their head etc. As you become more experienced, your knowledge of photographic composition will develop to the point where you will intrinsically know what positions and poses are good and which are bad. Until then there are a few simple things you can do to help yourself.

Firstly study other portrait photographs and note the overall impression given by the pose; is it formal, too stuffy, relaxed, fun? Note down the positions and your initial impressions of them. Create a file that you can refer to, keeping photocopies of particularly good poses from a variety of sources, so that you are never stuck for ideas.

Of course, even with all this, there is every possibility that your finished shot will not be perfect, because people aren't perfect. The client may have a blemish they aren't happy with, or a stray hair that you don't notice when the photograph is taken. These are the times when retouching a photo becomes the best way of providing a finished product that both you and the client can be happy with. And outsourcing this will allow you to concentrate on what you do best; capturing the moment, while saving time, effort and, ultimately, money.

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