This is a basic guide for artists that don’t have formal photography training to start experimenting with the medium. Nowadays many mobiles have very good cameras and people can create a wide variety of effects using photo editing apps such as Snapseed, Prisma, Adobe Photoshop Express and Afterlight. However, if you would like to experiment further with photography by using a more professional camera it’s important to understand the basic equipment and theory.
In my previous blog post Portraiture Art: Capturing a Person’s Essence, I share top tips for capturing someone’s character through portraiture, and in What Makes a Portrait Memorable? I explore the contexts and techniques used in some famous and infamous portraits in art history. Both posts have some top tips and concepts that can also offer guidance to create portraits through photography or digital art.
Photography Equipment and Theory Basics
Firstly, it’s important to know your camera. These days every big camera brand has online guides to support each model’s manual and automatic functions. The key is to always research and spend a long time experimenting and getting comfortable with your equipment before you attempt to photograph anyone. Models don’t mind creative experimentation but do mind waiting for you to work out how to use your equipment.
Even though on most modern cameras there is a portrait setting with a head icon, there is no ideal setting for portraiture photography. It really depends on what you want to achieve. If you want to buy a camera for the first time there are many different DSLRs and mirrorless models suited to beginners on the market. I suggest using a tried and tested brand such as Nikon, Canon and Sony.
Once you have your camera it's time to understand some key terminology:
Aperture (the f-number): the amount of light let through a lens is controlled by the aperture. The size of the opening is called the f/number. The smaller the f/number the larger the aperture opening and the more light is allowed to pass through.
Shutter speed refers to the length of time the camera’s shutter stays open whilst taking a photo. A slow shutter speed creates a longer exposure and lets more light in. Most night time photos, especially of stars and space, require long exposures to capture the light so a slow shutter speed is used.
Depth of field (DOF) refers to the area of a photo that is in focus. Choosing a shallow depth of field will emphasize one section of the image. A larger depth of field keeps more of the image in focus.
ISO refers to the sensitivity of your camera’s sensor to light. A higher ISO number means your camera is more sensitive to light and the brighter your image will appear.
Set the Scene
Once you understand how your camera and equipment work you need to plan your photoshoot. Again, it’s ok to have creative spontaneity during a shoot but that isn’t the same thing as being disorganized and without any form or plan. Photoshoots often have to run to a tight schedule if working with natural light or if you have a studio or equipment rented for a certain time. Also remember to cater for the models’ needs if it will be a lengthy shoot (water, refreshments etc).
WHEN will the shoot take place? What time of day and how will that affect the location and the quality of your images? If you have chosen an old chapel at night you will likely need lighting equipment. If your photoshoot is in the middle of the day on a beach you will need to protect your equipment and the model from the elements.
WHAT do you want to achieve from the photoshoot? Are you creating a 12-month calendar and require 12 different poses? Plan in advance for how these will be executed during the shoot and create a schedule, maybe even a check list so you get everything you need and more. Always plan to take more photos than you need. Some photographers even have sample images of poses to show models so they are clear on what the photographer is trying to achieve. Check your images on the camera display as you go.
WHERE do you want the shoot to take place? Always location-scout in advance and check it at different times of the day. If it is a private site make sure you have a permit or permission to take photos and that the site will be open when you plan to go.
WHY are you taking photos of the subject and how can you contrive the shoot to fit the context?
Photography Techniques and Accessories
If you are using a slow shutter speed make sure you use a tripod and either a timer or cable release. This will ensure that images are only blurry if they are meant to be.
Filters are a popular tool in traditional photography to create different visual effects. Before digital cameras and image editing software took over, photographers would use thin covers over the lens, sometimes they would improvise with anything they could find in the studio. Popular makeshift filters included cling film, colored plastics and fabrics.
Lighting is really important to account for. If the location you are using does not have sufficient lighting you will have to provide your own through a flash or separate lighting sources which will require having a bulb or type of light with the correct color and effect.
If you will be out on location make sure you bring a waterproof camera case to protect your camera and lenses and a waterproof bag for anything else electrical like lighting.
Photo Editing Software
In an earlier blog post I covered image editing software in more detail, to summarize here are the main options on the market:
Photoshop (Adobe Creative Cloud) is generally considered the industry standard for image editing. There are many different tools and features including: filters, color correction tools, color balancing options, airbrushing, resizing and cropping tools. It can be quite complex software to get used to so take an online course to get started and discover its full creative potential.
Canva is a lot easier to use than Photoshop for image editing. It is however more basic. It has enough tools for you to do cropping, filters, much like what can be achieved using mobile photo editing apps.
Let me know in the comments section what camera you currently use and any top tips for new photographers.
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