Portrait Photography How To

The difference between making captivating portraits and those that don’t quite work often requires nothing more than some solid advice from an expert. If you’re struggling to capture stunning portraits, the quick video below may forever change your technique. 

Mark Hemmings is an internationally acclaimed pro known for practical tutorials that help photographers avoid costly mistakes. Best yet, Hemmings likes to keep things simple, as you’ll see in the following six-minute lesson with five easy tips for shooting amazing portraits.

Hemmings’ approach involves helping you confront your next portrait session with confidence. His suggestions cover everything from composition and exposure settings to choosing the right gear for the job. He begins by illustrating how a low camera angle makes a subject appear strong and empowered.

You’ll also see how negative space adds a dramatic flair to portraits, why incorporating shadows adds dimensionality to an image, and how framing techniques make subjects stand out. Hemmings also provides helpful advice on for making a model feel comfortable during the shoot.

There are more great tips on Hemmings’ YouTube channel. And be sure to check out his tutorial we posted earlier, explaining how to nail exposures under difficult lighting conditions without complicated manual settings.