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Photography Q&A
How to get the most out of my gear for portrait photos
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<blockquote data-quote="kevy73" data-source="post: 772615" data-attributes="member: 23493"><p>Howdy... as someone who photographs people week in week out, I am happy to try and give a few tips... </p><p></p><p>Firstly - stop overthinking everything. Relax, enjoy the moment.</p><p></p><p>Your questions below with my replies.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: #333333">* What should I ask her to wear? I would off course love her to wear some sexy(since she brought it up as an alternative), but I think I would wait for the second or maybe third shoot with that one.. Would jeans and a nice top be a nice starterpack? Or a dress? It's winter here, but I dont want her to wear thick clothes that hides her curves..</span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"></span> <span style="color: #008000">A: As much as you are excited and nervous for the shoot, she will likely be too. Tell her to wear something she is comfortable in. Don't go big bold logo's, you want the images to be about her, not the clothes she is wearing. If it is winter and cold, have her dress appropriately... You don't want images of her in the snow in a skimpy bikini, it will just look strange.</span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333">* What lens should I use? Should I try to be safe with the kit-lens or should I only use the 50mm?</span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"></span><span style="color: #008000">A: Again - what are you comfortable with? You don't want to be fumbling around and chimping your camera like mad if you are playing with gear you aren't comfortable with. Nothing will kill her confidence (and yours for that matter) than not being comfortable with your gear. Your subject needs to trust you and your ability. Umming and ahhing and taking a 1000 images because you just cant nail the focus because you aren't used to your gear will kill that trust in seconds. </span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333">* What aperture? I've seen some videos on youtube and I see that many shoots at lowest possible aperture, like 1,4 and 1,8. Is that a good rule of thumb, to shoot at the lowest possible aperture, and have the focus point on the eyes?</span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"></span><span style="color: #008000">A: </span><span style="color: #008000">Me personally - bear in mind I have over 20 years experience doing this - I shoot as wide open as I can generally. </span></p><p><span style="color: #008000">Tips for the best subject separation from the background and bokeh... 1) shoot as long as you can - ie 50mm is better than 10mm, 105 is better again, but your aperture will let you down there a little. 2) Shoot as wide open as you can - ie, the LOWEST aperture setting you have... 1.4, 1.8 etc. Focus on the eye. 3) Be as close to your subject as you can to compose how you want the image to look. 4) Have the background height as far back from the model as you can (within reason) This will help blur out the background and give good separation.</span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333">* Should I take the pictures from eye-hight or should I "go low"? Or maybe somewhere in between? I sort of like using a tripod when shooting nature and car shots, but I guess a tripod may restrict the movement and dynamic in the shoot, am I right?</span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"></span><span style="color: #008000">A: Change it up - don't over think it. I am a tall guy so I tend to bend my knees so my camera is at the same height as their head for some shots, higher for others and lower for others... it all depends on your background... if you have a clear horizon, don't cut that through her head... get down lower or up higher... height of your shot is purely based on the pose and what /where you are.</span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #333333">* Any enviroments that would be a nice first-shoot location? I need to find somewhere we can be kind of private without people bombing the shots, and since I live in Norway and the winter is here(but not the snow yet), the nature is just sad lookin' right now.. But that may be a good contrast to the beautiful model..?</span></p><p><span style="color: #333333"></span><span style="color: #008000">A: You are both going to be nervous and the more people you have around you might compound that nervousness and self consciousness. I would try and find a nice park. If the trees are sad and brown, then going back to the first question of clothing, have her wear something comfortable, but that will contrast with the background... don't have her in a brown jumper if the background is brown... </span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #008000">If you want any example pics from my advice above let me know... </span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #008000">My other goto tips.</span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #008000">Sun behind the subject - ALWAYS - I never have a model or couple or subject looking into the sun, it just doesn't work. That said, if you have a super overcast day, you can do whatever as the sun isn't really a factor.</span></p><p><span style="color: #008000">If I have some dapple shade from trees, I get the model to stand so the shadow of her head is in a patch of sun on the ground - this means that her hair will have awesome catch lights.</span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #008000">You need to be confident with your directions. If you um and ah, hesitate etc, you will lose her trust. Pose like you know what you are talking about - even if it looks crap once you have done it, take the pic, tell her it looked amazing and move on to the next pose.</span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #008000">Chimp your camera once or twice, but not too much. It comes down to a confidence thing.</span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #008000">Pose her and then YOU move around a bit.. higher, lower, to the side... move in for a tighter crop, move out for a wider shot... tell her she is doing great... tell her she looks amazing... have some looking at the camera, some away... tiler her head up slightly, head down and to to the side a bit... </span></p><p><span style="color: #008000"></span></p><p><span style="color: #008000">Biggest advise is actually LOOK at the light on her face... if you see big shadows from her nose or eyebrows, you haven't posed her right... get her to turn one way or the other to get the sun behind her more so her face gets even lighting.</span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="kevy73, post: 772615, member: 23493"] Howdy... as someone who photographs people week in week out, I am happy to try and give a few tips... Firstly - stop overthinking everything. Relax, enjoy the moment. Your questions below with my replies. [COLOR=#333333]* What should I ask her to wear? I would off course love her to wear some sexy(since she brought it up as an alternative), but I think I would wait for the second or maybe third shoot with that one.. Would jeans and a nice top be a nice starterpack? Or a dress? It's winter here, but I dont want her to wear thick clothes that hides her curves.. [/COLOR] [COLOR=#008000]A: As much as you are excited and nervous for the shoot, she will likely be too. Tell her to wear something she is comfortable in. Don't go big bold logo's, you want the images to be about her, not the clothes she is wearing. If it is winter and cold, have her dress appropriately... You don't want images of her in the snow in a skimpy bikini, it will just look strange. [/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333]* What lens should I use? Should I try to be safe with the kit-lens or should I only use the 50mm? [/COLOR][COLOR=#008000]A: Again - what are you comfortable with? You don't want to be fumbling around and chimping your camera like mad if you are playing with gear you aren't comfortable with. Nothing will kill her confidence (and yours for that matter) than not being comfortable with your gear. Your subject needs to trust you and your ability. Umming and ahhing and taking a 1000 images because you just cant nail the focus because you aren't used to your gear will kill that trust in seconds. [/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333]* What aperture? I've seen some videos on youtube and I see that many shoots at lowest possible aperture, like 1,4 and 1,8. Is that a good rule of thumb, to shoot at the lowest possible aperture, and have the focus point on the eyes? [/COLOR][COLOR=#008000]A: [/COLOR][COLOR=#008000]Me personally - bear in mind I have over 20 years experience doing this - I shoot as wide open as I can generally. Tips for the best subject separation from the background and bokeh... 1) shoot as long as you can - ie 50mm is better than 10mm, 105 is better again, but your aperture will let you down there a little. 2) Shoot as wide open as you can - ie, the LOWEST aperture setting you have... 1.4, 1.8 etc. Focus on the eye. 3) Be as close to your subject as you can to compose how you want the image to look. 4) Have the background height as far back from the model as you can (within reason) This will help blur out the background and give good separation. [/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333]* Should I take the pictures from eye-hight or should I "go low"? Or maybe somewhere in between? I sort of like using a tripod when shooting nature and car shots, but I guess a tripod may restrict the movement and dynamic in the shoot, am I right? [/COLOR][COLOR=#008000]A: Change it up - don't over think it. I am a tall guy so I tend to bend my knees so my camera is at the same height as their head for some shots, higher for others and lower for others... it all depends on your background... if you have a clear horizon, don't cut that through her head... get down lower or up higher... height of your shot is purely based on the pose and what /where you are. [/COLOR] [COLOR=#333333]* Any enviroments that would be a nice first-shoot location? I need to find somewhere we can be kind of private without people bombing the shots, and since I live in Norway and the winter is here(but not the snow yet), the nature is just sad lookin' right now.. But that may be a good contrast to the beautiful model..? [/COLOR][COLOR=#008000]A: You are both going to be nervous and the more people you have around you might compound that nervousness and self consciousness. I would try and find a nice park. If the trees are sad and brown, then going back to the first question of clothing, have her wear something comfortable, but that will contrast with the background... don't have her in a brown jumper if the background is brown... If you want any example pics from my advice above let me know... My other goto tips. Sun behind the subject - ALWAYS - I never have a model or couple or subject looking into the sun, it just doesn't work. That said, if you have a super overcast day, you can do whatever as the sun isn't really a factor. If I have some dapple shade from trees, I get the model to stand so the shadow of her head is in a patch of sun on the ground - this means that her hair will have awesome catch lights. You need to be confident with your directions. If you um and ah, hesitate etc, you will lose her trust. Pose like you know what you are talking about - even if it looks crap once you have done it, take the pic, tell her it looked amazing and move on to the next pose. Chimp your camera once or twice, but not too much. It comes down to a confidence thing. Pose her and then YOU move around a bit.. higher, lower, to the side... move in for a tighter crop, move out for a wider shot... tell her she is doing great... tell her she looks amazing... have some looking at the camera, some away... tiler her head up slightly, head down and to to the side a bit... Biggest advise is actually LOOK at the light on her face... if you see big shadows from her nose or eyebrows, you haven't posed her right... get her to turn one way or the other to get the sun behind her more so her face gets even lighting.[/COLOR][COLOR=#333333][/COLOR] [/QUOTE]
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