Creative Portrait Photography

Creative Portrait Photography: Tips and Ideas on Photographing People,

Women, Children, Couples and More!

By FreeDigitalPhotographyTutorials.com

Copyright 2013 by FreeDigitalPhotographyTutorials.com

Thank you for downloading this book. It is copyrighted by the author and may

not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial purposes. If you

enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at

Amazon.com, where they can discover other works by this author. Thank you for

your support.

If you find this book helpful in any way please recommend it to your friends and

other photographers so they too can take advantage of the information.

Cover photo by Eugene Wineblat

Table of Contents

Introduction

Portrait Posing Guides

Model Portraits

Glamour Portraits

Model Portraits on the Beach

Outdoor Boudoir Portraits

Engagement Portraits

Wedding Portraits

Pregnant and Maternity Portraits

Newborn and Baby Portraits

Family Portraits

Studio Photography Tips

Low Light Portrait Tips

Silhouette Portraits

Additional Tips and Tricks

One Last Thing…

Other Books on Photography

Introduction

At FreeDigitalPhotographyTutorials.com, we’re dedicated to helping

photographers become the best they can at all types of photography, including

portraits.

As you may know, portrait photography is one of the most sought after types of

photography that nearly every photographer wants to master. In fact, if you do a

Google search on the subject you’ll find that there are millions of webpages (and

other books) dedicated to the very topic.

However, what you’ll mostly find within these sites (and books) is the same

information repeated time and time again – common, technical methods on how

to pose a subject. Yes, that is important to understand and we provide several

free tutorials on our website about the topic, including 35 of the best

photography poses for portraits and the 3-2 posing technique. When you have a

chance, check them out. They’ll teach you everything you need to know on a

technical basis and save your hours of time searching the internet and reading

other books.

The only problem with these technical tutorials is that they neglect the most

important aspect of being a great portrait photographer - being creative with your

shots!

Sure, anyone can learn how to pose a subject using tried and tested rules in

photography, but that won’t make your portraits stand out apart from another

photographer’s. And, that’s why this book was written – to teach you how to

become creative with your portrait photography.

Within these pages you’ll find tips and tricks on how to capture creative and

engaging portraits of all styles, including: models, glamour photos, outdoor

boudoir, engaged couples, weddings, pregnant and maternity, families, etc.

Additionally, we’ll also share with you tips from the pros on how to capture

better studio portraits, ways to take better pictures in low light situations, how to

master a powerful, yet often neglected photo technique called silhouette

photography, and more.

There’s a lot of information to cover in this book and we look forward to helping

you become a better portrait photographer. So, let’s get started!

Portrait Posing Guides

As a photographer, you should be equipped with a wide range of photography

poses that you can direct your subjects to perform.

Knowing these poses will help you to capture amazing photographs no matter

what type of shoot you are on.

Before we get into specific tips and tricks on portrait photography, we wanted to

provide you with two free portrait posing guides. Use these guides as a reference

whether you’re shooting a single person portrait, such as a senior, graduation,

model, etc.

The poses contained within each guide will help you immensely on your photo

shoots.

Download Posing Guide #1 [pdf]

Download Posing Guide #2 [pdf]

Model Portraits

As a model photographer you will undoubtedly work with both experienced and

inexperienced models. Regardless of the experience level of the model you are

photographing there are certain tips that you can follow to help things go

smoothly.

In this chapter, you’ll find several photography tips that will help you capture the

best shots from your models.

Photo by dmsumon

Be Punctual and Prepared

It’s important that you’re well prepared for the photo shoot.

This means being on time and making sure that you have all of your equipment

with you and that it’s set up and ready to go. It’s a good idea to speak with the

model a few days prior to the shoot to let them know the type of shots you’re

looking for. This will enable them to also come prepared by practicing certain

poses and expressions.

Speaking to the model ahead of time will also help him or her to be aware of the

type of clothing to wear and if any types of accessories or jewelry are needed. In

addition, they will be able to adjust their makeup and hair to fit in with the theme

of the shoot. If you meet with the model before the job the odds are that you’ll

both be more relaxed when working together.

If the model is new to portrait photography or you want to control how the pose

is formed, print out and bring the Portrait Posing Guides we provided to you in

the first chapter to the location. While on set you can show the model sample

poses from the guides that you want to shoot.

Setting the Scene

It’s always a good idea to find out what type of environment or setting the model

prefers to work in.

You can ask what type of lighting and music they’re comfortable with and make

sure they are allowed their privacy. Little things such as the temperature of the

studio can also be discussed since you want the model to feel as comfortable as

possible.

Of course, on some occasions the theme of the photo shoot will dictate these

things, but by asking, the model will realize that you’re trying to make them feel

at ease.

Communication is Key

Most models appreciate it if you’re specific in your instructions.

If you’re vague they may not know what it is you’re looking for. One of the best

ways to let the model know what you’re trying to capture on camera is to

actually show them examples from the Portrait Posting Guides, various websites

or magazines. This way they can visually see what it is you’re trying to achieve.

Asking a model’s opinion at the photo shoot is also beneficial since they may

have some helpful tips or experience to share. Don’t be afraid to try this.

Explore Different Angles

If you just stand still while taking your shots, all of the images will be taken

from the same angle and height.

You should get a little creative and try out various height levels and angles by

moving around. Try as many different angles as you like, including from below

and above and don’t be afraid to try something unconventional.

If you’re struggling with composition ideas, check out our companion book

Mastering the Art of Photography Composition (available on Amazon.com).

Inside you’ll learn tons of tips and tricks on how to compose great shots.