Studio Portrait Photography Tips

Studio Portrait Photography Tips:

Here are some helpful Studio Portrait Photography Tips that you should consider. Studio Photography is another one of my favorite shoots to do and allows you to be creative. I hope these tips are helpful to you, if you have any questions or blog ideas please message me!

 

Black and White Photography

 

 

  1. Prime Lenses: If you can try to stick with prime lenses when shooting in the studio. These will make your images a lot sharper and stand out. The lenses I use are 80mm to 200mm. Although full frame shooters will use from 85mm with an f-stop at 1.2 and 135 at f/2. Using these lenses build more quality to your image. A prime lens will be much lighter than a zoom lens, so it will be easier to shoot in certain situations. Prime lenses will result in better depth – of – field as well. Some of the specialty prime lenses include Fisheye and Macro. Fisheye has a great focal length of less than 20mm and captures 180 degrees. While Macro lenses get really close to your subject, creating a larger feel to the image. Some lengths include wide angle, telephoto, and have a short focus distance. These lenses also show the detail of your subject as well.

Prime Lens 50mm

 

  1. Camera Settings: When it comes to finding the perfect settings for your camera, it takes some getting used to. Once you keep doing studio photoshoots, you can get an Idea of what mode and settings you need to be in for any situation. It takes time to adjust to it if you are starting out. For Studio shots set your camera to manual mode and set the ISO to 100- 200. As for the Shutter Speed, usually around 1/125 but no lower than that.

Camera Settings

 

  1. Using Light Meters: Using a light meter can help you get your exposure right where it needs to be. Light meters measure the amount of light and make the measure of the appropriate exposure based on that. Most light meters offer incident and reflected readings. Using this takes the guesswork out of the field and allows you to get an appropriate reading for your shot.

Using Light Meters

 

  1. Setting a White Balance: Setting your white balance is one of the first and important things you need to do before a shoot. Studio light influences the color output, so doing this before a shot will set up a more accurate balance of color. Even using a poster or solid white paper for an example, will work to set your white balance. Also, try different lighting styles and be creative with the light you have.

Cards for setting white balance

 

 

  1. What to focus on: Make sure you are focusing on the subject’s face, and eyes. This will give your image a mood and catch the viewers’ attention. Even making portrait black and white and the eyes in color will make your image stand out, and be dramatic. The eyes of your subject tell a story about him /her even facial expressions.
Demonstration of focus
Blue man eye with contact lens, macro shot. Shallow depth of field.