Seven steps to perfect portraits
1. Lens- use a telephoto lens for more flattering proportions. Use a zoom long enough to flatter the face, but not so long that you have take the photo from the building down the street to fit the subject in the frame! A rough guide would be 85-105mm (35mm equivalent).2. Depth of field- use as shallow a depth of field as possible. Focus on the eyes of the subject and the background will become soft, making the subject stand out clearly.
3. Light- diffuse the main light and place it in front of the subject, somewhere between nearly overhead and to the side. With a specialist photographic light, a reflective umbrella is the easiest diffuser to use, but soft daylight from a window can also work well. Place the subject close to the light and use a reflector on the shadow side of their face.
4. Pose- there are no set rules, but if you ask your subject to lean slightly forward towards the camera, they will usually look more interesting and alert. A common option is to have the subject sit down with a surface to lean on in front of them. Shoot from a slight angle to the body with the head turned towards the camera.5. Atmosphere- try to relax your subject. Give them confidence in your abilities and try to appear as professional as possible. Keep up a flow of conversation and keep the subject interested in the shoot. Try to do most of the talking yourself, as that prevents unwanted 'open-mouth' shots of the subject! If the subject's expression becomes strained, ask them to look away from the camera, relax, and then look at the camera again.
6. Props- these are always useful if there is an obvious one to hand. Props can also help to relax the subject and often prevents self-conciousness by distraction.
7. Shots- take lots! This is a sure way to get as many natural shots as possible and prevents the subject's expression from becoming woody and uncomfortable.