Unveiling Souls: The Power of Portrait Photography

The first and most important skill to master for portraits is understanding light. Light has so many different meanings for a portrait and the learning possibilities of light are infinite.

Any subject can be a good subject depending on how the photographer is inspired to make it work with their style of photography.

Make sure the kids have eaten, had plenty of rest and are in a good mood before the photo session. Work with the parents to figure out an optimal time for the session that fits into the kid's schedule. Patience is key.

The subjects have a lot of input on the shoot, including what they will wear and who they want to pose with. The photographer has control over the location and the optimal light situation.

My favorite lens for portrait photography is the Nikkor 85mm 1.4 because it gives me a nice separation from my subject and the compression from the lens is perfect for how I like to photograph using really wide apertures. It's not too close or too far away, making it the perfect focal length.

Yes, I can make interesting pictures with boring places. I look for the light and color to make the image stand out. I've done this in an office building in front of revolving doors which I will link an example of.

No, I would not ever avoid showing an image I enjoy. My work is my own and if I like it, the people who hire me will too. When showcasing to the masses, it's important to remember that you are not for everyone and that the confidence in your work will grow when you recognize this.

To create depth in an image, I use a wide aperture and layer each plane of focus by having something in the foreground and background that are on different planes of focus. I also attach a Instagram real showing my thought process.

When shooting, I think about getting the shot, my light, composition, expressions, and the intent I was going for. I also think about keeping my subjects engaged when shooting in a busy location.

Photographers create artistic separation from their peers by looking at other types of art for inspiration such as graphic design, architecture and interior design, rather than looking at other photographers' work.

My thought process for studying my images and trying to grow is to compare my old work to my new work and assess if there is something I would change. If yes, then I get on it. If no, then I still tweak a little bit.

I usually let my photos speak for itself, rather than title them. I feel that everyone can have their own interpretation of what they see in the photos and I don't want to guide them with a title.

I think of all the elements of composition when I take photos, such as contrast, color depth, and negative space. I trust my gut and if it doesn't look quite right, I won't take the picture. I also know how to make adjustments in post-processing for any elements that are not quite right when taking the photo.

When you can't verbalize an emotion that sparks when looking at a photograph, take a look at the image and write down three things you like about it. Then, go back to images you have taken before that have made you feel the same emotion and compare the similarities in order to figure out what hints to your photographic style.

As a portrait photographer, I use clean lines and light to frame my subject in order to create a sense of balance and harmony in my photographs. I also take into account the environment around my subject, such as other people, cars, rocks, buildings, etc., to help create the perfect composition.

The relationship between a photograph and reality is up to the photographer. They can choose to capture a lifestyle documentary as it is, or incorporate different lighting and apertures to create something that might not be true to the original scene. It's the beauty of art that allows us to dictate what that relationship is.