How did you learn portrait photography?

[Conner41]

Hi everyone. I have been admiring all these photos in this section and wanted to post a thread to get a generalization on how you all get started in portrait photography? Education wise? Self taught or formal schooling of some sort? What books can you suggest?

I'm really inspired with your work here. I don't have any portrait experience yet, I have mainly been working on landscape photos and macro stuff. Feel free to take a look at my photos (signature) and pass some tips :thumbup::thumbup:

Conner

P.S. Do you guys recommend those portrait software programs? Or is that considered cheating?

 

[kundalini]

Are you writing a book? Seems like a lot of gathering from you.

 

[Conner41]

Are you writing a book? Seems like a lot of gathering from you.

Seriously? That is your response? I was inspired by much of the work in here, I was feeling pretty motivated about wanting to finally learn more about portrait photography and how others got their skills.

Your statement is flat out rude. How do you expect new people to read that response of yours and want to stick around here? If you have nothing nice to say or answering a thread is to much for you, why make yourself look like that? Just go to the next.

 

[chiyeung]

He may just be asking a question.

My answer: Practice, practice, practice. Get friends to take photos. Learn composition. Understand exposure. Learn the basics of Photoshop.

 

[e.rose]

Are you writing a book? Seems like a lot of gathering from you.

In all honesty... I was about to ask the same thing. Although I was going to ask if some sort of report was being written, rather than a book.

 

[Conner41]

OK thanks guys. :thumbup::thumbup: I really appreciate your feedback. No report being written. I'm just super motivated and figured "hey why not ask" on here. What is the worst someone can say? Well other than telling me I'm asking to much! ha ha ha

 

[dxqcanada]

I personally hate taking portraits ... but I will give my 2 cents.

I learned portrait photography in College ... and the two key things that I learned about it is:

- learn about (posing) the human body and its views
- master how to use light (ambient or artificial)

Everything else is just being able to expose and focus.

 

[thingsIsee]

I am self taught/books and by no means a professional but-
I’m with dxqcanada personally I don’t like taking (posed) portraits, candid shots are much better in my opinion. You know the ones you take of your wife/husband, children, friends/strangers, or even your dog during everyday life and situations. (when they don’t know you got them in the cross hairs) Studio/staged portraits although technically precise in every way just look fake to me.

Went from instamatic, to Polaroid, point and shot film, to 35mm slr, to dslr in only 30 short years.

 

[kundalini]

Seriously? That is your response?

Nope, that was my question.

Your statement is flat out rude.

Offending you was not the intent. Much like you, I was curious. Since your joining us at TPF a couple of weeks ago (and may I say…welcome to TPF) you have started several threads that are… let’s say, atypical than the community would reasonably expect. There is nothing wrong with that, but I was thinking that if you had a genesis for this type of inquiry, then more specific responses could be tailored toward that end.

How do you expect new people to read that response of yours and want to stick around here?.

By growing a thicker layer of skin. This is a tough gig.

If you have nothing nice to say or answering a thread is to much for you, why make yourself look like that?

Obviously you have not seen my self portraits yet.

Just go to the next.

It’s just not that easy….. believe me, I’ve tried

I was inspired by much of the work in here, I was feeling pretty motivated about wanting to finally learn more about portrait photography and how others got their skills.

Portrait photography is where my interests and concentration are most attentive at the present. It requires understanding of light, technical skills with the camera and most importantly, interaction with people’s vulnerabilities. Breaking the barriers of those pre-conceived notions piques my interest. Bringing joy to someone by capturing their likeness in a manner they were not expecting is fascinating to me.

 

[Conner41]

Seriously? That is your response?

Nope, that was my question.

Your statement is flat out rude.

Offending you was not the intent. Much like you, I was curious. Since your joining us at TPF a couple of weeks ago (and may I say…welcome to TPF) you have started several threads that are… let’s say, atypical than the community would reasonably expect. There is nothing wrong with that, but I was thinking that if you had a genesis for this type of inquiry, then more specific responses could be tailored toward that end.



By growing a thicker layer of skin. This is a tough gig.



Obviously you have not seen my self portraits yet.

Just go to the next.

It’s just not that easy….. believe me, I’ve tried

I was inspired by much of the work in here, I was feeling pretty motivated about wanting to finally learn more about portrait photography and how others got their skills.

Portrait photography is where my interests and concentration are most attentive at the present. It requires understanding of light, technical skills with the camera and most importantly, interaction with people’s vulnerabilities. Breaking the barriers of those pre-conceived notions piques my interest. Bringing joy to someone by capturing their likeness in a manner they were not expecting is fascinating to me.

Hey thanks for the reply, I really appreciate your post. We are good! Oh and thanks for filling in the blanks from above with my first question.

 

[dab_20]

most importantly, interaction with people’s vulnerabilities[/FONT][/COLOR]

:thumbup::thumbup: That is definitely the most important of portrait photography. I'm quite new to it myself, like you, I started with outdoor and macro photography. Getting the best photos requires you to make your subject feel very comfortable with you. Make them your friend, and their best side will come out.

Digital Portrait Photography by Steve Sint has been incredibly helpful to me. I also took a few week class up at the university for People Photography. I am more interested in infant and child photography myself. It's easy to get kids to act natural in front of the camera

 

[enzodm]

Hi everyone. I have been admiring all these photos in this section and wanted to post a thread to get a generalization on how you all get started in portrait photography? Education wise? Self taught or formal schooling of some sort? What books can you suggest?

I liked portraits, and when I had occasion to take a short course (8hrs) aimed at people already knowing basics of photography, I did it.
The most I taken from it is a more conscious usage of light, although I have yet to fully practice what I learned. Then practice, and looking at others work, trying to understand how they did (mainly for lighting).
The most difficult part is to interact with subjects when they are not friends.

 

[y75stingray]

I can't really say there is a wrong way to learn it. I learned the very basics through books at the book store "lighting ratios photography volcabulary what tools to use where" from there I got my hands on some super old super cheap strobes and had some of my more attractive friends come over and we played with them. Just start doing and eventually you will improve then one day you will be good at it.

 

[mwcfarms]

Self taught and still learning. Studying photographers that inspire me and trying to emulate the posing I saw. Reading tonnes of book or even magazines have a good foundation for photographing people. I started off mostly interested in landscape, nature stills but have graduated to more and more portrait work because its been soooo much fun. I love getting creative with someone, trying to make them as comfortable as possible and then like someone mentioned showing their emotion or vulnerabilities.

 

[dallasimagery]

I did a whole lot of reading, and practicing. I think a lot of people don't realize, that althogugh there's a lot of "art" to photography, there's also a lot of science, and they don't start with it the same way we all started in school - read some books! Lol.

I recommend "Master lighting guide" as a starter.