7 Tips for Creative Portrait Photography

“The Eyes, chico. They never lie”. Remember this famous Scarface line? There is some truth to it because our eyes are like windows to the soul, and that makes creative portrait photography so fascinating. A simple glance, an intense stare, a look of surprise, an unexpected tear in the corner of the eye – all these tell more than 1,000 words.

However, portrait photography is no easy feat. You need to use the correct camera settings, pay attention to the rules of composition, get the angles right, lighting, and exposure. On top of all these, you will also want to capture that specific expression, that elusive emotion, that mysterious little smile that makes each of us special.

Creative portrait photography is very powerful, it’s an art form, and you’d want to get as closer to that as possible. So, let’s explore 10 portrait photography ideas and tips that you can start with right now.

7 Ways to Challenge Your Creative Portrait Photography Skills

In 1839, Louis Daguerre invented the daguerreotype, and Robert Cornelius took the first selfie by aiming a camera at himself. Portrait photography was materializing. Fast forward to 2021, and we have so many types of portrait photography to play with.

But before we arrive there, let’s try to break one of the main barriers that stand in the way of creative portrait photography – the idea of “photogenic”.

Portrait photography implies more than just a skilled photographer with an expensive, state-of-the-art camera. It also involves a “photogenic” subject. Nevertheless, photogenic doesn’t have anything to do with how people look, but rather with how they feel and behave in front of the camera.

It is no secret that some people are afraid of the camera, and there is no shame about that. A photographer’s job is to try and eliminate that fear, help the subjects feel confident, and be themselves. You need to connect with the person in front of you, so they are more at ease, more willing to let their portraits be discovered.

That being said, let’s see how you can challenge yourself in creative portrait photography:

1. Portrait Series

Experiment with the burst shooting mode of your camera and try to take portrait series. You need to connect with your subjects. Tell jokes, have a conversation while taking pictures. Engage them. This way, you can catch a large spectrum of their facial expressions and emotions. Moreover, it will look very natural, and at the end of the day, you’ll have a collage of portraits.

2. Mirrors and Reflections

To get that artistic portrait photography feeling, try to take a photo of your subject that’s reflected in a mirror. This way, you’ll get two sides, two perspectives of their face. It is a very intimate and revealing type of portrait. It might be difficult, but it is worth trying.

3. Play with colours

Buy a few colour gels, and don’t be afraid to use them. They help set a specific type of atmosphere in your photos. You can try with one colour gel at first. Simply replace the white light in the picture with colour. Make sure it is a vibrant and rich colour.

Once you get the hang of it, you can go further and experiment with a double-coloured gel. You need two lights, and each one has a different colour gel applied to it. You place them on each side of your subject and let the magic happen.

Yes, you can go with three-colour gels or even four-colour gels in one setup. Nevertheless, make sure that one colour in this setup is white. The lighter colour should be pointing at the centre, while the darker colours should be placed on the sides.

Try contrasting these colourful portraits with black photo frames. It would create a truly momentous display.

4. Experiment with Dynamics

For creative portrait photography, you can ask your model to move in a certain way while you slow down the shutter speed. It would help if you used a smaller aperture and reduced the ISO setting for this. The result will be a motion blur that can look fabulous.

5. Soft Focus

The soft-focus technique implies adding a soft, dreamy glow to photography. It smoothes everything, reduces sharpness and skin details. Instead, it gives the portrait a nice dreamlike feeling and a new level to your creative portrait photography.

You can use this technique for family portrait photography or in an outdoor portrait photography session. There are two ways about it:

• Using a soft focus lens – they give your photos that natural soft glow without any additional trickery; what is more, you can control the level of softness that you want in your picture
• Employing the use of a soft focus filter

Do not try to do this without a tripod. Moreover, use autofocus. Once your model is in focus, turn the camera in manual mode, put the soft-focus filter in front of the lens and then take the photograph.

You can even use nylon to place in front of the lense. Nevertheless, make sure that the fabric is stretched enough.

6. Black and white portrait photography

There is something magical about black and white portrait photography. The absence of bright colours prompts the viewer to read the underlying message of the portrait. There are fewer distractions. A black and white portrait is more dramatic and intense.

Black and white portraits are usually a post-production feat. Nevertheless, you need to imagine the portrait in black and white before you take that picture. To help yourself, use the monochrome setting on your camera.

When you take a black and white portrait, you should focus on the eyes. Build your photo around them. In black and white photography, everything is about shapes and sharpness. The colours are no longer there to distract us. So, focus on the eyes as they have the most recognisable shape to us.

What is more, black and white portrait photography emphasises all the features of our faces. A tiny change of expression can make all the difference in the final portrait.

As for light, if you want a high-contrast black and white portrait, then go for a hard source of light. If you’re aiming for a softer portrait, with delicate, elusive shapes, then use a softer light source.

7. Self portrait photography

Well, the best way to experiment with creative portrait photography is yourself, wouldn’t you say so? Obviously, we do not mean “selfies”. It needs to be a carefully composed image of yourself. You can start by taking photos in the mirror.

What is more, you can plug a video output cable into your camera and project the view on a monitor in front of you. Set the camera to manual focus and find a target for the focal point. Strike different poses and maybe even talk with yourself. Exercise communication with your models.

Try touching your chin like you’re caught in a thought, or look at a specific thing in the room. It is a good opportunity to test different expressions, ideas, and poses. Self-portrait photography is both an act of self-discovery and a training session for your creative portrait photography skills.

The Bottom Line

Well, the bottom line is – you’ve got to start doing it. Take your camera with you and photograph your family members. If they’re afraid of the camera, then try to distract them, engage in a funny conversation, try to make them express their emotions.

Creative portrait photography is an art and a work-in-progress. Nevertheless, over the years, you and your family will love to look at those nicely framed portraits and remember the times. Every portrait tells a story, so make sure those stories stay with you.