Taking your portrait's to the next level
1.TAKE MORE PICTURES
I feel one of the most practical things I’ve learned in photography is that if you want to take a good photo of a scene, take more photos.
The more photos you take of a scene, the more likely you are to get a great image.
Not only that, but if you take more photos in general, the more likely you are to capture an interesting moment.
If you’re a batter in baseball, the more pitches people throw at you, and the more you swing your bat, the more likely you are to hit a home run.
So if you see a good scene, don’t just take 1-2 photos and move on. Work the scene. Try to take 20, 30, 40, 50, or even 100, 200, 300. Aim for the closest thing to “perfection” you possibly can— and don’t settle.
2. PERSPECTIVE
There are no established rules about perspective, thank goodness. Imagine how boring photography would be if all images were composed exactly the same. When taking portraits, move around and have your subject move around too. A majority of portraits are taken at eye level when the subject is standing or sitting. Mix it up. Change where their eye level is. Or, better yet, don’t worry about being at eye level. Shoot up from below or down from above, any change from the norm will make the image more interesting.
3. COMPOSITION
Like with perspective, the only rule about composition is that there isn’t one, except that you should keep it in mind when you’re setting up a photograph. However, when you’re looking for something to fall back on, remember the painted portraits of centuries ago.
If you try, it’s easy to think of one or two examples, particularly one painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. As shown in old portraits, frame the subject so that the bottom of the image is just above the waistline and that there are a few inches of space above the head. Move to a position where the subject has to turn to face you and becomes slightly off-centered. This adds depth to the image and ultimately makes it more interesting.
