Portraits

7. Introduce a Prop

Add a prop of some kind into your shots and you create another point of interest that can enhance your shot.

Yes you might run the risk of taking too much focus away from your main subject but you could also really add a sense of story and place to the image that takes it in a new direction and gives the person you’re photographing an extra layer of depth that they wouldn’t have had without the prop.

2. Play with Eye Contact

It is amazing how much the direction of your subject’s eyes can impact an image. Most portraits have the subject looking down the lens – something that can create a real sense of connection between a subject and those viewing the image. But there are a couple of other things to try:

6. Shoot Candidly

Sometimes posed shots can look somewhat…. posed. Some people don’t look good in a posed environment and so switching to a candid type approach can work.

Photograph your subject at work, with family or doing something that they love. This will put them more at ease and you can end up getting some special shots with them reacting naturally to the situation that they are in. You might even want to grab a longer zoom lens to take you out of their immediate zone and get really paparazzi with them.

Environmental Portraits

I chose the first image because i like to dance so that drew me to the picture. I chose the second one because I like the way the light hitting the girl and the horse's hair.

Self Portraits

I chose the first photo because i like the simplicity of it and i like the angle. I chose the second one because i like the contrast of the red balloons against the green water and trees.

Casual Portraits

I chose the first photo because i like the colors in the background and the way the subject is off center. I chose the second photo because the baby is not posed she is just doing her thing and i also the reflection in the mirror.

Plan

I will be shooting the self portrait in my backyard so i can get the greenery in the background I will also experiment with using my fence as the background. For the self portrait i might experiment inside with taking some photos by a window and use the lighting from the blinds to create a unique picture. For the portrait i will be taking pictures of my mom. i will be taking the pictures during various times of the day when she is doing her daily activities to get a candid shot. For the self portrait i will use a tripod but i will not use a tripod for the portrait.