How to get better at Portraits, instantly!

Portrait Photography is one of the most widely known genres in this art form, present at any level, from weddings to high-end beauty shoots or business headshots. After shooting portraits for brands and magazines for over 5 years now, let me show you some tips that I learned along the way. Make sure to read until the end, as I show there a list of Items which I use daily as a professional!

Expression matters!

This might sound obvious...but the expression of the face can change the ENTIRE tone of the image. This depends on both the photographer's and the subject's skills and capabilities! This also requires the photographer to give very good instructions (secret tip, tell them to breathe through the mouth!).

Lighting is key

Lighting can make or break a portrait, maybe even more than the expression. The lighting itself depends, of course, on the purpose of the picture and the needs of the client! A setup that always works is a big softbox slightly angled (about 45 degrees) towards the subject- a safe choice! 

Try interesting angles

Shooting dead center and straight can be good and mostly the right choice, but if there is a chance, explore more creative angles as well as crops! Some crops might look better than others; if done wrong, they can totally offset the image and proportions! 

USE your surroundings!

Portraits are usually shot wide open by most people, but....why? In my opinion, it defeats the purpose of shooting outside (to some extent, at least). It shows much more skill when you try to incorporate your surroundings into the portrait and use them to frame and elevate the subject! 

Gear that is a MUST:

I collected some items that I use at work, whether it's a magazine or a campaign (just click on the names to see where to get them)!

For Storage, I use multiple of these SanDisk SSDs (two in two physical locations) 

My lens is currently this Canon 50 mm, a classic setup and super versatile, also by far my smallest setup (check this one if you need the RF mount). 

Reliable SD cards, also from SanDisk. 

A camera that I would recommend if you are a beginner, and the one for when you are already a pro.

This little guy made my daily tasks and emails sooo much easier; very underrated but a life-changer if you have it! 

My go-to speedlight that always fits in my bag and is definitely a must, plus a transmitter

The tether cable that I use on every shoot where the client needs to see the pictures!