Portrait

My Favorite Cover

I like this cover because it's basic but heart warming and has a deep meaning on the event that happened in boston. I like all the different color of track shoes they used. I like how from the inner to outer section the color fades, from bright shoes to more duller shoes. I also like how they shaped it into a heart. The line in the middle of the magazine is heart warmer thinking of the runners. 

1. Experiment with Lighting


Another element of randomness that you can introduce to your portraits is the way that you light them. There are almost unlimited possibilities when it comes to using light in portraits.


Side-lighting can create mood, backlighting and silhouetting your subject to hide their features can be powerful.
2. Move Your Subject Out of their Comfort Zone


I was chatting with a photographer recently who told me about a corporate portrait shoot that he had done with a business man at his home. They’d taken a lot of head and shoulder shots, shots at his desk, shots in front of framed degrees and other ‘corporate’ type images. They had all turned out fairly standard – but there was nothing that really stood out from the crowd.


The photographer and the subject agreed that there were plenty of useable shots but they wanted to create something ‘special’ and out of the box. The photographer suggested they try some ‘jumping’ shots. The subject was a little hesitant at first but stepped out into the uncomfortable zone and dressed in his suit and tie started jumping!


The shots were amazing, surprising and quite funny. The shoot culminated with the subject jumping in his pool for one last image!


While this might all sound a little ‘silly’ the shots ended up being featured in a magazine spread about the subject. It was the series of out of the box images that convinced the magazine he was someone that they’d want to feature.


3. Looking within the frame – alternatively you could have your subject looking at something (or someone) within the frame. A child looking at a ball, a woman looking at her new baby, a man looking hungrily at a big plate of pasta…. When you give your subject something to look at that is inside the frame you create a second point of interest and a relationship between it and your primary subject. It also helps create ‘story’ within the image.

Environmental Portrait 

Casual Portrait 

Formal Portrait 

Self Portrait

I will shoot Eliana and we will shoot here at the school at the end of the AHA hall by the windows. I will use these tips and rules of composition to make this shoot successful.