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Mastering Portrait Photography is a practical guide to mastering essential techniques required to capture stunning images.
Award-winning photographers Paul Wilkinson and Sarah Plater believe that portraits should not be formal, corporate style poses that reveal nothing of the subject’s emotions or personality. Their modern, fresh and vibrant approach to portraiture aims to capture a moment of the person’s lifestyle and make a lasting impression.
Mastering Portrait Photography discusses all the requisite skills for taking compelling portrait photographs: from choosing the best kit and mastering the essential techniques; to using the most effective lighting and setting to achieve your desired atmosphere and effect; to learning the secrets of working harmoniously and professionally with people of all ages and using the best postproduction techniques to get the most from your prints. This accessible guide shows how to capture beautiful, timeless images that will bring pleasure for generations.
"The book’s strength lies in how it breaks down the essentials of portraiture into digestible sections. Beginners will find plenty of practical advice here, from choosing the best portrait lens and light source to directing a subject naturally and building rapport...Ultimately, this is a book for photographers who are learning the ropes or refining their early technique. It’s about mastering its classic building blocks that help you feel confident before moving on to develop your own style." —Digital Camera World
"Updated edition of this practical guide to creating professional portraits by two award-winning photographers. Packed with tips on everything from equipment and lighting to composition, working in the studio and on location." —Black+White Photography
Praise for the previous edition:
"Wilkinson and Plater have plenty of advice on how to get the best from a subject, from formal adult portraits to lively children captures – as well as offering masses of technical know-how, and tips and hints to back it up."—Black + White Photography
"If ever a book deserved a hard cover and long future of reprint runs, it must be the new Ammonite Press title Mastering Portrait Photography… It’s just a blow-by-blow reference study. You can open it at any spread and learn something."—Master Photographer
Sarah Plater is a multi-award-winning photographer who specializes in studio portraits. She is particularly passionate about working with clients who usually hate having their photo taken, using her knowledge of psychology and interpersonal skills to help people relax and show authentic emotion in front of the camera. She is also the co-author of Foundation Portrait Photography and regularly teaches enthusiasts, hobbyists and semi-pros how to create better images. She lives in Oxfordshire, England.
Introduction
Chapter 1
Equipment 8
Cameras 10
Lenses 12
Accessories 14
Lighting 16
Chapter 2
Technical Skills 20
Exposure 22
Aperture 26
Shutter Speed 30
ISO 32
Metering Modes 34
Shooting Modes 38
Focusing 40
Chapter 3
Lighting 42
The Role of Light 44
The Color of Light 48
Natural Light 50
Window Light 52
Direct Sunlight 54
Shade 56
Overcast 58
Golden Hour 60
Portable Flash 62
Studio Flash 68
Chapter 4
Locations 74
Getting The Most From Any Location 76
Indoor Portraits 80
Studio Portraits 82
Natural Locations 84
Buildings & Urban Locations 86
Environmental Portraits 90
Chapter 5
Composition 92
Use & Scale 94
Formats 96
Rule of Thirds 98
Golden Spiral 99
Angle & Viewpoint 100
Crop 102
Visual Balance 104
Space 106
Eye Contact 108
Lead-in Lines 110
Background Patterns 111
Frames 112
Chapter 6
Posing 114
Interacting With Your Subject 116
Creating Expressions 120
Posing Guidelines 124
Posing Women 126
Posing Men 130
Troubleshooting 134
Groups 135
Clothing & Accessories 138
Chapter 7
Working with Children 140
From Kids to Teens 142
Chapter 8
Postproduction 152
The Role of Postproduction 154
Workflow Essentials 156
How To Stay Creative 168
Glossary 171
Index 173
Acknowledgments 176