Tips:
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.
Obscure Part of your Subject
A variation on the idea of zooming in on one part of the body is to obscure parts of your portrait subject’s face or body. You can do this with clothing, objects, their hands or just by framing part of them out of the image.
Doing this means that you leave a little to the imagination of the image’s viewer but also focus their attention on parts of your subject that you want them to be focused upon.
Environmental Portrait
In this environmental portrait, I really like how the sense of movement is portrayed with the lasso. This also creates a sense of depth because the circle of the lasso is closer to the camera than the boy throwing it. Overall, just the background and motion make this picture truly amazing.
Photography Self Portrait
I don't know what it is about the split frame with water and air, but I think it creates a really cool effect on the picture. The wave/water line creates movement, and the girl has something on her that shows a story. This makes me as the viewer curious to hear the story behind the picture.
Casual Portrait
I really like this picture and how the car window frames the girl's body/face. All of the other pictures were plain and average, but this one stood out in the expression of the woman and the story she has. The thing I like most is the framing though. :)
1. The characteristics of an environmental picture is using the environment around them to create a more powerful image. Including the environment in the background causes the photo to have more depth and in a way, personality of the subject.
2. When I think of a casual picture, I imagine a standard, posed picture of the person's face. An environmental picture differs from that because more elements are added to the frame that is more than just a face.
3. To get a good self portrait, use a tripod and/or timer to capture the image. Another tip is to use different compositions and incorporate a mirror into the frame so you don't have to use a timer or tripod. You can also include personality into the photos by including items and symbols.
4. For my portrait and self portrait, my plan is to have a photoshoot with a couple of my friends where we will get a bunch of balloons and maybe umbrellas and other cute and happy things. My idea is that the pictures will be really happy and colorful, because that represents my personality most of the time. Because balloons are involved and I don't want them to blow away, I'll most likely shoot inside, maybe in my bedroom because I have a huge mirror that would look really cool in the frame.
