Portrait Photography

create dramatic portraits with natural light live view for camera settings
Couples Portrait Photography example

What is Portrait Photography?

If you’re a social person and you love to capture the essence of people in real-life shoots, then portrait photography might be the discipline for you.

Unlike candid shoots, portrait photography sees your subject posed in front of a specific backdrop.

how to use natural light for high key portraits
Bridal Portrait Photography Example

History of Portrait Photography

Portrait photography is one of the oldest photographic disciplines in the world, first arising thanks to the affordability of daguerreotypy in the 1840s. These early cameras had long exposure times, and as such, early subjects often look expressionless and are posed very simply. As photography advanced and cameras started to have shorter exposure times, it gave photographers more ability to experiment with poses, lighting, and costume.

Approaches to Portrait Photography

There are four key archetypes of portrait photography that are in use today:

Creative

Creative portrait photographs are staged shots where the photograph is manipulated to change the final output. This is what we commonly think of when we talk about portrait photography, as modern creative portrait photographers use programs like Photoshop to change the subject’s appearance or setting.

Candid

Candid portraits are taken of people in their natural environment and without their knowledge. While this can produce stunning images that showcase the subject’s personality, this use of photography has been widely condemned as the paparazzi have made it more exploitative and invasive for the subject.

Environmental

Environmental photography is a less invasive form of candid photography, where subjects are captured doing something that relates to them. These shots have been popular throughout history and as such photographs from this discipline are considered a vital source of historical information.

Constructionist

In a constructionist portrait, subjects are photographed working in a situation that pertains to a certain idea that the photographer wants to capture. These kinds of portraits are popular in technical environments, for marketing purposes, and in business.

See the latest portrait photography news, tips and tutorials in the articles below.

natural light portrait

2 Natural Light Portrait Setups for Couples at the Beach

Pye

It’s sunset at the beach and I’m going to show you two of my favorite natural light portrait setups for ...

An Unconventional One Light Studio Portrait Setup

Pye

If you had only one light for your portrait, where would you place it? Usually, we’d think of placing the ...

lightroom color grading

6 Step Lightroom Color Grading Guide for Stylized Portraits

Pye

When you’re working with gels, you’ll find that dialing in the right colors in post can be quite tricky. In ...

portrait studio setup

Creative Studio Portrait Setup with Rotolight AEOS II LED Lights

Pye

The new Rotolight AEOS II LED lights pack a punch and opens up a ton of creative possibilities with its ...

signature portrait feature image

Step-by-Step Guide to Capturing Our Favorite Signature Portrait

Pye

The over the shoulder shot is my favorite signature portrait when photographing couples. In this video, I’ll be walking through ...

image006

How to Balance Flash with Natural Light Using the Profoto A2

Pye

We’re at the beach to capture some golden hour portraits. In this video, I’ll walk through how to balance flash ...

portrait composition feature

Portrait Composition and Editing Tips to Make Your Subjects Pop

Pye

How do you draw attention to your subjects? In today’s tutorial, I’ll be walking through portrait composition and editing tips ...

featureimage

Profoto A2 Review | The Perfect On-Location Flash for Destination Portraits

Pye

The recently released Profoto A2 is a new tiny flash that packs a punch.   Roughly the size of a soda ...

Tips for Improving Your Maternity Photography Compositions

Pye

Simple adjustments can turn simple walk-up shots into incredible portraits. In this video, I’ll be walking through composition tips for ...

light painting portraits

How to Create Light Painting Portraits With a DIY Light Ring

Pye

Let’s get experimental with our portraits. Today, I’ll be walking through how to capture long exposure light painting portraits using ...

compositional techniques

Combining Compositional Techniques For Stronger Portraits

Pye

A good composition can make all the difference in a portrait. In this video, I’ll be walking through how to ...

business headshots by kevin thai IMG 2612

Mastering the Art of Business Headshots: A Guide for Photographers

Alice Houstons

A successful company may be the sum of its employees, their work and its products, but the human face of a company will often be represented by a small number of people: the CEO, the members of the board, and the officers who make the key decisions.