Complete Guide to Portrait Photography: How to Pick the Right Camera and Lens and 4 Tips for Great Portrait Photography

Portrait photography is a style of photography that portrays human subjects. Portrait photography has been around since the dawn of photography, when Louis Daguerre invented the daguerreotype in 1839—the same year that Robert Cornelius aimed the camera at himself and took what is widely believed to be the first self portrait photograph (or “selfie” in modern parlance) ever, laying the groundwork for portrait photography to emerge as its own art form.

Cheap, fast, and portable, portrait photography soon replaced traditional hand-painted portraiture, allowing amateur and professional photographers more freedom in documenting the human condition.

To take great portraits, you’ll need the following equipment:

• Camera. In theory, any camera, from a disposable to a smartphone to digital cameras, is suited for portrait photography. However, a DSLR or mirrorless camera is ideal since they offer manual settings, affording a photographer tight control over adjustments like exposure, aperture, ISO, and shutter speed.
• Lenses. For beginners, start with a lens between 85mm and 135mm before experimenting with zoom lenses or longer telephoto lenses for close-up photos. (We’ll discuss lenses in further detail below.)
• Tripod. A sturdy tripod enables you to set up your portrait shot and get your model in sharp focus. Then, you can concentrate on your model and capture multiple different expressions from the same vantage point.
• Lighting. At a minimum, you’ll want a speedlight or flash attachment for your digital camera, particularly for interior and studio work. However, there are other lighting tools available for portrait photography. See below for a deeper dive on portrait lighting.
• Backdrop. If you’re taking your portrait photographs in a studio, you’ll want a simple backdrop. In general, opt for a backdrop that’s at least 6 feet long for ¾ length portraits and 10 feet long for full-height portraits. Photography backdrops come in a variety of materials, including vinyl, canvas, muslin, and even paper.

The dynamic nature of the subject, paired with a wide range of environments from professional studios to the great outdoors, means there is no one-size-fits-all setting for a camera. What is important to keep in mind, instead, is the relationship between your lens, your portrait subject, and your background. Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO are all related to the brightness, or exposure level, of the image.

Your portrait camera settings will depend on whether you’re using a tripod, or holding the camera yourself.

• Tripod. When using your camera on a tripod, shoot in Manual Mode. This will allow the maximum level of customizability for your shots. Since camera shake is less of an issue with tripod photography, you can slow your shutter speed, helping you make use of all available light. When slowing your shutter speed, use a low ISO setting of 100-400.
• Handheld. When you’re shooting portraits with a handheld camera, shoot in Aperture Priority mode. This will allow you to account for different angles and lighting by adjusting the amount of light entering into the camera through the lens. To compensate for the additional movement of handheld photography, increase your shutter speed to 1/200th or higher, then compensate for this by raising the ISO.
  

For experienced photographers, lens choice is a matter of personal preference. However, prime or fixed lenses in the 85 through 135 range are considered ideal for portraits because these focal lengths provide the sharpest result without widening or flattening the subject too much. Longer lenses also compress facial features slightly, resulting in a more flattering portrait.

Portrait lenses also provide some room to play with blurring your backgrounds. You can achieve this effect, known as a shallow depth of field, by using a wide aperture and maximizing the distance between your subject and the intended focus of the blur.

Avoid using wide-angle lenses, which can distort your subject’s face and lead to an unflattering and unnatural photo.

The environment you choose to shoot in goes hand in hand with your camera settings. There are two broad categories of environments: indoors and outdoors.

• Indoor. Indoor environments for portraits include homes and places of work, as well as professional photography studios complete with backdrops, a full lighting setup (flash and all), and other props.
• Outdoor. Outdoor portrait settings range from the urban, like city streets, to the natural, like gardens and parks.

You have a variety of options when it comes to portrait lighting equipment, including:

• Flashes and strobes to create bursts of light and fill any gaps in your ambient lighting.
• Reflectors and bounces can be used to absorb or redirect both ambient and artificial lighting.
• Remote flash triggers can help you trigger multiple flashes in specific combinations on the fly.
• Umbrellas, softboxes, and diffusers to soften harsh artificial lighting setups and reduce the “staged” quality of a studio portrait.

It’s easy for a person to get self-conscious once they’re in front of the camera. “One of the most important parts of taking a portrait is making my subject feel comfortable throughout the process,” photographer Petra Collins says. “Always remember that you are taking photos of another person.”

Besides deftly handling a camera, a good portrait photographer is well-versed in the art of making people feel comfortable. Ideally, this relationship-building begins before a shoot.

• Meet your subject for coffee and learn more about them. What are their interests and hobbies? What do they do for work, and how does that make them feel? What are some places that hold meaning for them? Could they share any pictures of themselves that they love? This pre-shoot research demonstrates a thoughtfulness that should facilitate a more productive and comfortable shoot.
• Get their approval. There may be scenarios, however, in which you won’t have time to do extensive research before taking someone’s portrait. In this case, it is first and foremost important to obtain the person’s approval. Be respectful in your approach and kind throughout the process. Fortunately, unlike buildings, roads, or even wildlife, human subjects have the added benefit of offering a photographer feedback, whether consciously or subconsciously.
• Learn to interpret body language. Some people blossom in front of the camera while others become shy. Some might be willing to sit for hours while others might want to rush through the process. The portrait photographer bears the responsibility of interpreting the subject’s body language and making tweaks to the process as they see fit.
• Share your process. Sharing parts of the process also helps people feel comfortable. If your subject is shy, try suggesting a handful of poses to warm them up. Show the result on camera and ask what the subject thinks, what they like and what they dislike. Offer advice for improving the shot. Making the process collaborative simultaneously empowers the subject and allows the photographer to get not just a great portrait, but also a true one. According to Petra Collins, a good portrait should create a balance between you and the subject. “[A portrait] means the connection that the photographer has with the subject, how the subject feels, and how to best represent that,” she explains. “The first thing that I consider when taking portraits is what I want to reveal from my subject or what they want me to reveal. . . . You don’t want to lean too heavy into what you want. You want to make sure that your subject has a fair chance at being viewed,” she says.
• Respect your subjects. Subjects who are not used to having their picture taken are usually uneasy about being with a photographer. Even people who are used to it don’t like it that much. Trust and respect are important. For instance, checking the back of the camera frequently to look at the picture might seem rude, unless you show the subject what you are looking at too. Making the subject stay for hours will not help things either. If things aren’t going well, it is better just to schedule another session.

Here are some tips for taking stunning portrait photography.

1. 1. Diffuse your light source. When selecting an environment, consider that a soft, diffused natural light from an indirect source is best for shooting portraits. Direct, harsh light or a full sun can cast unwanted dark shadows or create unnatural skin colors.Petra Collins explains: “With source lighting, it’s something that you’re creating. So you have a little more power over your subject when you’re using these lights.” On the other hand, natural light offers the opposite experience. “[With] given light, you’re kind of at the mercy of nature. You’re at the mercy of whatever space you’re in,” Petra explains. “These two things tell totally different stories.” And it’s up to you to decide which type of lighting—whether soft light or low light—is appropriate for each given portrait scenario.
2. 2. Aim for a shallow depth of field. When shooting portraits, you typically want the focus to be on your subject’s face, not the background. In other words, you want the subject’s face to be in sharp focus, but the background should be much softer. To get this effect, you may need to tinker with your DSLR’s camera settings. A wide aperture will help create a shallow depth of field, and to compensate for the increased light, you’ll probably need to increase your shutter speed.
3. 3. Focus on your subject’s eyes. If you’re not sure where to focus your lens, look to your model’s eyes. The human eye is visually interesting, and communicates more about mood than most other features.
4. 4. Pay attention to height. Portraits taken from below the chin tend to be unflattering, while shots that are too high can diminish your subject. For example, when shooting children, place yourself at their level instead of shooting from above. There might be instances in more creative portraiture in which experimentation with angles will yield interesting results. Get creative, but keep in mind that shooting from above can diminish your subject, and shooting from below can create unflattering angles.
5. 5. Use setting to your advantage. While a studio can help you exert full control of your lighting, a more natural setting like an office or backyard can add personality to your portraits, as well as make your model feel more relaxed.
6. 6. Identify the essence of the message. Feel free to experiment with the concept of a portrait to really get at what you and your subject want to say. “A portrait doesn’t have to be just a straight-on photo,” Petra Collins says. “A portrait can be a lock of a person’s hair, or it can be the back of a person’s head. A portrait just means capturing a person’s essence.” Use your imagination to capture a stunning portrait for each subject rather than relying on the idea of a simple headshot every time—and remember, the best portrait may be one that’s unexpected.
7. 7. Use color to tell a story. Color is one of the most essential parts of a composition for Petra. “It took me a while to . . . ease into this and figure out that everything that I photograph has a specific tone,” she explains. “I’m always looking for where I can apply color or how the color can . . . tell the stories.” She recommends that you “figure out what color means to you and figure out how you see it, because all of us see it differently.” You may find that you prefer bright colors, subdued tones, or even black-and-white photography to tell your stories.
8. 8. Practice with someone you know. Portrait photography is an intimate art form. Begin by practicing with someone you already have rapport with, and ask them to provide you with feedback on your style. A confident photographer knows that there is always more to learn.
9. 9. Use post-processing to bring out highlights. When you post-process portraits, you’re continuing the line of thought you had when you were shooting—which involves paying close attention to the relationship between your subject and your background. When a viewer looks at a photo, their eyes are usually drawn to the brightest or most colorful part of the image, so when you process a photo, you can balance the brightness and the colors to make sure your subject stands out.
10. 10. Always shoot in RAW. When you go into post-processing, you want to have as much material to work with as possible. With digital photography, that means shooting in RAW. While RAW formats introduce larger file sizes and greater complexity, they also give you the greatest possible control over how your images look. You’ll be especially thankful for RAW images when it comes to adjusting the white balance of your photographs.

Whether you’re just starting out or have dreams of going professional, photography requires plenty of practice and a healthy dose of creativity. No one knows this better than legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz, who has spent decades mastering her craft. In Annie Leibovitz’s MasterClass on photography, she reveals tips on working with subjects, crafting concepts, and shooting with natural light.

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