Portrait Photography How To

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Shutterbug Staff  |  Nov 07, 2018  | 

So, you’ve shot a portrait and it looks…ok. Good but not great and certainly not at the level of a professional image you might see in a magazine.

Shutterbug Staff  |  Sep 18, 2018  | 

With everyone taking selfies these days, why are so many of these self-portraits so terrible? And when couples shoot selfies together while traveling (such as on vacation), why do they only seem to capture their faces and none of the scenic surroundings?

Shutterbug Staff  |  May 30, 2019  | 

In general, taking photos, particularly portraits, in direct sunlight is considered a no-no. The light is simply too harsh and the shadows it produces are unflattering on your subject.

Shutterbug Staff  |  Jul 01, 2019  | 

Anyone can take a decent photo in good light but how to you fare when the lighting is extremely harsh on your subject? In the below easy photo tutorial, Rachel and Daniel from Mango Street give you some handy advice on how to shoot great portraits in bad light.

Dan Havlik  |  Oct 12, 2020  | 

She's one of the most mysterious and, in recent years, the most lauded street photographers of all time. Her name is Vivian Maier and until not long ago, she was virtually unknown as a photographer. These days, she's considered an overlooked master.

Shutterbug Staff  |  Jun 25, 2018  | 

Travel photographer and model Sorelle Amore is the go-to YouTube personality for photography videos these days. Last week she collaborated with photographer Chris Hau for a video on his channel with six professional posing tips, and now she’s joined forces with Mango Street on a new video about how to “Up Your Self Portrait Game.”

Dan Havlik  |  Sep 17, 2019  | 

Admit it: we've all, at one time, taken a selfie. There's no shame in it! The history of self-portraiture in both photography and painting goes back to the very beginning of these artforms.  

Ron Leach  |  Mar 08, 2023  | 

There are plenty of amazing new features in Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), and we featured five hidden tools in a recent post. Today’s tutorial explains how to use a new capability that an experienced pro calls “unbelievable.”

Ron Leach  |  Jul 11, 2022  | 

One “rule” many photographers learn when first starting out is to “always shoot with the sun at your back.” This advice may work well for “Kodak Moment” snapshots, or for predictable photos of average scenes, but a different approach is called for if you’re after eye-catching imagery that stands out from the crowd.

Ron Leach  |  Mar 09, 2023  | 

Regardless of how you pronounce “bokeh” (see our hilarious video on this topic), it’s an important concept to understand if you want to shoot photos that grab attention by making the primary subject in a scene really stand out against a soft and pleasing background.

Shutterbug Staff  |  Jun 11, 2018  | 

There’s an easy way to make your beauty shots even more stunning: just add some colored gels to your lighting. Editorial fashion photographer Jake Hicks shows how in the below video where he shoots a portrait session at home and gets a variety of attractive looks.

Ron Leach  |  Jun 04, 2024  | 

There are two primary reasons that some photographers avoid supplemental light when shooting outdoors. One is that they simply prefer the look of natural light imagery—and in most cases we tend to agree. On the other hand, there are those who refuse to use even the most basic speedlight because they don’t understand how it works.

Henry Anderson  |  Jul 20, 2021  | 

One of the things many beginning boudoir photographer don't understand is the value of using props in your shoots. And yes, this goes beyond pillows, bed sheets, blankets, or anything else you might typically find in a bedroom.

Ron Leach  |  Feb 01, 2024  | 

This quick tutorial from the How to Use YouTube channel demonstrates the power of two "crucial" Photoshop tools when editing your portrait photos. The goal is to enhance photos in an alluring, realistic way that that is very flattering to a subject.

Gavin Hoey  |  Jun 21, 2018  | 

Shooting portraits on location with a wide aperture can result in some great images, but if, like me, you want to underexpose the ambient light for a more dramatic effect, you’ll quickly realize there’s a problem with shutter speed and off camera flash.

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