Photography

What's the first, most important skill to master for portraits?

What's the first most important skill to master for portraits? My opinion, and I don't even think this has to do with just portrait, but just photography period is light. I think understanding light is the first thing that you need to understand because that's going to really kind of like outline, build a foundation for the portrait or picture that you are going to create. It can set the mood. It can set the tone. It can set the intent. It can set so many different things, but the most important thing about light is that if you don't have it and it's not proper, you're not going to expose the image properly. So it's just light has so many different meanings for a photograph or portrait, but honestly, learn light as much as you can and light is infinite. So that really just tells me, at least in my opinion, that the learning possibilities of light is infinite, regardless of how good you may be. You still have something to learn when it comes to light and photography. So hope that helps.

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.

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What makes a good subject? Really good question. Honestly, I think what any subject is a good subject. It's up to us as the photographer to find inspiration in what we're photographing. I think finding that inspiration is what will actually make a good subject because we kind of course it a little bit. Now I'm speaking from a portrait perspective meaning that a portrait, I don't know if I guess portraits are portraits right, but I'm hired to take pictures of people for their own memory. So I don't have like the luxury of luxury quote-unquote of picking my subjects like someone who may work with models where they can you know pick a certain person to work in a certain editorial or to make a commercial shoot happen the way that they want you know create the look. I don't have that. So what I have to do is whoever decides to call and hire me I have to decide how to make that subject a good subject. So thus is why I say any subject can be a good subject. It's kind of up to me and how I'm inspired to make it work with my style of photography. So I hope that helps.

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

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What is your favorite lens for portrait photography and why?

What is your favorite lens for portrait photography and why my answers going to always be 85? Mm 1.4, it Nikkor lens. It is my favorite. Favorite favorite lens of all time. My reason for that, is it just gives me a nice separation between me and my subject. So, I've got my nice distance away, the compression from that lens is it's just on point for how I photographs, because I'm I'm always using really, really wide apertures, but that, you know, that telephoto lens is just perfect for me. I know you've got the 10 fives and, you know, and the like. But for me 85 is just a nice. Just a nice focal length. It's not too far away. Sometimes are not too wide, not too close to, you know, it's just perfect. So you know a lot of people like the 50. Mm. And I used to use the 50, mm a lot but that 85 It just gives me a nice distance away from my subject and I'm able to, you know, Zoom with my feet exactly where I want to be to create the images that I like soap. That helps

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.

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How much input do your subjects have on the shoot?

How much input do your subjects have on the shoot? Well, they have a lot of input. In terms of what they wear, who they want to pose with, who they don't want to pose with, so on and so forth, because I'm a portrait photographer, these are going to be images that they place on their walls, so they have a lot of input. The only thing that I tend to really have lots of control over is location. And that location has to work with the light that I like to shoot in. And at the end of the day, they're hiring me to create the images that they know that I can create. So I dictate a lot in terms of light and the way the light is going to be on a certain, at a certain location. So for example, if I had a client that said, Hey Audrey, I really want to photograph in my backyard, it's beautiful. Then I would pick the area within the backyard that would photograph the best. If they said, Hey Audrey, I want to be photographed in front of some sort of a landmark. Okay, well, in order to do that, it has to be done at this time or that time, so that I could make the most of the optimal light situation. So that's pretty much how I would do it. But outside of that, I let them have as much input as they want, because at the end of the day, these are their pictures.

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.

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What are things to keep in mind when photographing children?

What are some things to keep in mind when photographing children? Some things, you know, first I would say, A, keep an open mind. Lots of patience. You want to allow the child to have as much freedom as they possibly can, even if it's going to kind of annoy the parents. Making sure that they've eaten. Hungry kids do not make for good pictures. So I always wanted to tell parents to make sure they had something to eat and they've had lots of good sleep. Setting up things with the parents in terms of expectations and what they should expect. Depending on the age of the kid, I like to book photo sessions around nap schedules. So again, maybe right before they go to sleep, then we can have the session and then they'll crash or we'll do it right after they wake up. It's kind of like really depends on that kid. So one thing to keep in mind, work with that parent and really figure out what that kid's schedule is so that you can book the photo session at the optimal time when they are the kids at their best. A lot of times we book photo sessions based on us or the parent's schedule. In my opinion, the biggest takeaway that I had when I was photographing children 100% was booking that photo session around the kid's schedule and then we just fit in. So I hope that helps.

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.

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Audrey Woulard is the owner and photographer of Kids And the City (KATC). She has been a full-time professional photographer for 20 years, specializing in fashion-forward high school seniors and families seeking something different. Based out of Chicago, she also travels to the surrounding suburbs, such as Naperville, Plainfield, Willowbrook, Highland Park, and Winnetka. Audrey's images stand out due to her unique approach to light, creating a unique experience and look for each client. She can also creatively showcase hobbies and sports, making her a sought-after photographer with a high return client base.