Portrait Photography How To

Late last year, photographer Irene Rudnyk gave us her top ten tips and tricks to shoot stunning portrait photos and now she's back with part two of the tutorial with ten MORE pieces of helpful portrait advice. Here are Rudnyk's ten new portrait photography tips, demonstrated in the video at the bottom of this post.

Tip #1: Use a Fan
"It is such a simple tip but if you've never used a fan during you photo shoot, you have to try it," Rudnyk says. "Not only does it spice up the picture and add another creative element to your portraits with winded hair, but it will also make your model feel a lot more confident."

Tip #2: Make Use of Ordinary Things
"Look around your home and find some ordinary objects that you can make use in your photography to create extra ordinary pictures."

Tip #3: Step Up Your Mood Board Game
"You can create professional looking mood boards to both inspire you and set the creative direction for a photo shoot. "

Tip #4: Use Open-Source Art
"I have talked about this in many of my videos now and I don't know how I went on for years doing photography and not knowing that I can use stunning paintings as backdrops or elements in my photography for free. Open access is also referred to as public domain and these images can be downloaded, shared and remixed without restrictions and used in both commercial and non-commercial use."

Tip #5: Trick the Color Wheel
"For years I've been using this trick to make sure that all the color in the picture work well together no matter where I will be shooting, and it is using pastel and neutral colors."

Tip #6: The Sitting Pose
"If you are working with a model that is not very experienced and has a hard time coming up with poses, try sitting them down. I know it might sound very basic but trust me it will make them pose so much better. People normally feel a lot more comfortable and at ease when they sit down."

Tip #7: Gear Doesn't Matter
"I know you've all heard gear doesn't matter a thousand times, but it really is true. And if you currently can't afford the camera and the lens of your dreams, I just want to let you know that it shouldn't stop you from creating beautiful art."

Tip #8: Do It Yourself
"From crowns to dying clothes and creating props for shoots, if I can do it myself, you best believe that I will."

Tip #9: Use Your Fear as Inspiration
"If you ever feel uninspired or stagnant in your work, you should try this and trust me it will change the way you photograph."

Tip #10: Make Photographer Friends
"Yes, I know most of you weirdos are super introverted like me but finding some friend photographers in your area can really improve your skills."

Watch the full tutorial below and then go visit Rudnyk's channel to see all her videos including part 1 of how to shoot stunning portraits.