Portrait Photography: The Essential Beginner's Guide

Authoritative, concise course on successfully shooting arresting portraits, perfect for the novice photographer

Portrait photography aims to capture the expression, personality, and mood of a person or group of people. Like other types of portraiture, the focus of the photograph is usually the person's face, although the entire body and the background or context may also be included. With clear, concise, and jargon-free text, Portrait Photography guides the novice photographer through the various styles of portraiture to capture subjects from babies, toddlers, and children to teenagers and adults, and couples to families. The book begins with information on how to set up a small portrait studio in the home, including the use of appropriate backgrounds, flash equipment, and other accessories, in addition to assembling a portable kit of equipment for shooting in the field. As a guide to the technical aspects of photography, the authors cover the essentials of correct exposure, white balance settings, and shooting in natural light, along with hints and tips on pre-shoot preparations such as make-up, hair, and clothing for the subject of the portrait. Post-production techniques such as skin retouching and color correction are explained, as are printing options for portraits. The main content of the book is structured as a tutorial that explains the basic skills and techniques of photography in relation to the specific subject area it covers. This allows the reader to progress at his or her own pace. An informative lesson is followed by an easy revision guide, which leads on to a specific practical project. A section on analysis encourages the reader to critique his or her own work by pointing out the likely pitfalls.