- 1). Use a telephoto not a wide-angle lens to make the face look more natural.
- 2). Choose a wide aperture to reduce the depth of field and focus attention on the subject.
- 3). Focus on the eyes. The eyes are the key to any portrait, look at them before shooting.
- 4). Pose the model to enhance or reduce their natural features. For a round or fuller-faced model pose them at a ¾ angle to the camera and shoot from a higher angle. Shoot thin faces straight on.
- 5). Use natural light if possible, but make sure you get even illumination. Shadows are not your friend. Use reflectors or artificial lighting if you can to light deep-set eyes and other facial recesses. Avoid using a flash pointed directly at the person.
- 6). Make sure your background does not show through dark hair.
- 7). Take a lot of shots and experiment with angles and lighting. The more shots you take the better chance you have of getting that perfect shot. Watch a professional photographer and see how many shots they take. You don't have to take quite so many, but now that digital cameras are the norm and you aren't wasting film, don't be stingy.
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