How I Create Portraits
Portrait photography is incredibly fun. There is really no limit to how creative you can get and there is no way you can ever run out of subjects. Creative photoshoots are definitely my favourite. Playing with light, poses, hair and makeup is incredibly fun and rewarding. The photos you get are unique and beautiful.
I worked hard to develop my own style, and if there is one thing I know, it is that the sky is the limit for personal development. There is no shortage of novel techniques to study and creative ideas to execute. I made a small compilation for you to see how exactly I created these portraits. Some of them were spontaneous, some were planned and posed until everyone was confident we got at least 10-15 beautiful shots out of the session.
A Girl and Her Cat
This is one of the spontaneous shots I did with just natural light. The girl in the photo recently got cat and really wanted to get a picture with her. We had to move quickly as the cat severely disliked being held, which is evident from the scratches still visible on the girl's hand. I wanted to focus on the two of them and the bond that they share. I am quite happy with this sweet and cozy shot!
Glamour Dress-up Photoshoot
This is one of my favourite photoshoots. The idea was to do a glamorous retro look with some fun, over the top accessories. We styled and made up the little model for the shoot, which was done with one artificial light. The final image was processed to resemble the color grading done on Taylor Swift's music video for ther song "Delicate". I was quite enamoured with this song at the time and the grde seemed perfect to reflect the mood we wanted to create.
The Girl With The Book
I like this image, mainly because of the angle from which I shot it. The feel we were going for is cozy and relaxed, hence the bare feet and the casual pose on the fluffy carpet. I think the image perfectly encapsulates the awesome feeling of lounging with a good book. We tried to keep the model looking sharp, though, without overdoing it. The red cozy sweater and leggigns look great, but are still comfortable to lounge in. The model was happy and the photos ended up looking fabulous!
Portrait Of a Woman At a Party
Another spontaneous shot done with only natural light. We got lucky that day, as the sun kept hiding behind clouds, which created beautiful diffused light - perfect for portraits. I find portraits of people in sunglasses difficult sometimes, because of the reflection, but you find ways to work around it with practice. You can tell that I caught the model a little off guard here. But that's perfectly fine for event photography. Candid or unplanned shots like these are usually the most interesting to look at.
Vogue-Inspired Photoshoot
This photoshoot I absolutely adore! You can see the final magazine cover mockup in the composites gallery. It was inspired by a vintage Vogue magazine cover and I think we were able to do it justice here. Black and white shots can be tricky, but I feel like we definitely nailed the look and the feel with this photo. It was another one of those photoshoots with a single artificial light source, plus a white reflector. It is definitely one of my absolute favourites.
Portrait Of a Girl in a Geometric Sweater
Occasionally I notice something inriguing and it calls to me, so I pull out the camera and snap a photo. In this case the item in question was this beatiful purple sweter with geometric print and oversized collar. I chose a sgallow depth of field here in order to give the photo a calm, relaxed, dreamy feel. Every time I look at this shot I wish I could get the cute sweater in my size!
There is definely a lot to talk about when it comes to portraits. At the end of the day, though, I think it comes down the the photographer's vision and creativity to execure a unique portrait that brings joy to those who choose to gaze upon it. Portrait photography is for capturing the best in people, right?
