Secrets Of Getting Great Portrait Photos

Who doesn't love taking photos, especially of oneself? This fad is old news but this craze keeps catching on like the fedora hats and sweater vests that were once donned by past photographers.

Photography will stay. And one of the most appreciated facets of this art and probably in every photographer's arsenal: effectively taken portrait shots. Some tips for taking portrait shots are pretty basic and logic-packed. But first things first, a photographer must always keep in mind that this gig is all about subject and light. With this in mind, one of the best first tips should therefore always make sure that your flash is in the on position (it's useful where there is light and more useful in the dark).

The next thing to consider is to include this function as part of the portrait setting or manually configure this into a personalized scene mode. In sunny conditions, your subjects should be the ones facing the enormous light source and not your lens. This will help you obtain more lucid shots and the configured flash will help in erasing cast shadows in your subject's faces. It's also good to note that choosing far backgrounds will normally lead to a more embossed portrait shot since much of the background will achieve a level of blurriness. It also helps to select the largest mega-pixel setting possible since more pixels will usually translate to more natural-looking and vivid portraits (you can crop them if needed during editing).

Also, check if your digital zoom is turned off if you plan on zooming in on much further subjects. This will ensure that the captured photo, even when zoomed (via optical zoom) will not generate annoying pixels.

For self-portraits, placing your camera on a steady tripod while using the count-down timer is the better option as compared with pointing the camera to your face using one of your forelimbs (the result is a blurred image due to shaky hands and arms). And those using more advanced cameras already know that the manipulation of settings such as aperture size, shutter speed and ISO values can make or break a so-called Kodak moment. Larger aperture settings are commonly used to drown out the background and emphasize the subject nearest the lens (imagine macro shooting) while shutter speed adjustments allow for the passage of the right amount of light to protect portrait shots from blurriness or allow more light to enter the lens to improve dimly lit places (as does the ISO function).

Note that fast shutter speed settings are used to capture photos in sports such as boxing, basketball and baseball. The captured photos (or frames) would seem as though the subject wasn't moving at all. The shot is clear and without any blur. But enough with the paradigms and theories go get yourself a decent camera and work on the tips and remember that constant practice will always make perfect.

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