August 7, 2020
Can I set up a home studio cheaply?
Basically, yes, James Patterson shows how to take stunning flash-lit studio photos with simple gear and learn the fundamentals of off-camera flash
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Portrait photography
Tips and techniques on portrait photography, including how to shoot great portrait photographs, how to light portraits, and everything else you might need to know about shooting great portrait images.
What camera gear do I need for portrait photography?
Best kit for portrait photography: have a look at the best cameras for portraits, as well as the best lenses for portraits, or for those on a budget have a look at the best budget lenses for portraits. You could also have a look at our guide to the best 50mm lenses, aka the “Nifty Fifty”, and if you’ve already got one, then you should be good to start shooting!
How do I get started with portrait photography?
You can have a look at our regularly updated latest articles listed below, which are all completely free, as well as these articles which are a great place to start:
Complete guide to portrait photography, Portrait tips from the professionals, How to shoot portraits at home, Shoot portraits on a smartphone, Do’s and Don’ts for working with models, Top fine art portrait tips.
Once you’ve taken your shots, you’ll want to think about editing your photos, so make sure you have the best photo editing software!
Happy with your portrait photos? Enter our Amateur Photographer of the Year competition for the chance to win great prizes! Plus, see more competitions here.
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April 24, 2019
Use natural and artificial light for perfect portraits
James Paterson explains how LEDs can work in harmony with natural light for beautiful portraits
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January 12, 2019
Our best-ever tips for portraits
Rules are made to be broken. Our experts suggest shooting as wide as possible, blowing highlights and experimenting with mixed lighting
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June 27, 2018
Family portrait photography tips
Discuss what it is your subjects want and start with tried-and-tested poses before advancing to more ambitious ideas. James Paterson gives his tips on shooting family portraits
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May 11, 2018
Video: Classic lighting set-ups you should know
With modern LED lighting it's easier than ever to create classic lighting set-ups for portraiture. Check out our behind-the-scenes video with portrait pro James Paterson, to see how it's done
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February 23, 2018
13 quick portrait photography tips
Entice yourself to shoot portraits by experimenting with different materials, sculpting your portraits, adding flare and more, using our experts’ top tips
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January 16, 2017
How to shoot family portraits
It's always a good time for candid images of young family members that you will treasure all year round. Amy Drucker shares her insights and tips on shooting family portraits
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September 2, 2016
How to replace skies on your portraits
Image-editing expert David Kilpatrick reveals how to use PortraitPro from Anthropics to replace the skies on your portraits
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August 13, 2016
Shallow depth of field portraiture
Photographer Phil Sharp explains how shallow depth of field can add an extra dimension to your portrait photography. He talks to Oliver Atwell
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July 26, 2016
The magic of using just one light
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July 3, 2016
Sacha Goldberger’s unique mash-up of American comic book heros and 15th century Flemish paintings
Mixing up models dressed as superheroes with classical painting techniques and then photographing the results seems a mad idea, but Sacha Goldberger pulled it off. Tom Smallwood finds out how he did it