Portrait Photography How To

Photographers never get tired of debating the qualities of zoom lenses vs prime lenses for shooting portraits. There are proponents of both camps and there's really no right answer (it's ultimately a matter of preference) but it's a fun optical debate, nonetheless.

We've been featuring photographer Manny Ortiz's "NO BS" series of portrait photography videos where he shares handy, real-world tips in less than five minutes. One of his recent "5 Minutes of No BS" tips features "straight to the point" advice for shooting portraits in urban, outdoor settings using only natural light.

Photographers don't, necessarily, need expensive and cumbersome artificial lighting set-ups to capture great portraits. A fabulous source of light you can take advantage is often right in front of you: window light.

Yesterday we shared a lens shootout with you where a photographer compared capturing portraits with a 35mm lens vs an 85mm lens. If you decided that an 85mm is preferable to your shooting style, here's a great tutorial on how to get the most out of shooting portraits with that prime lens.

Everyone loves shooting people pictures, but amateurs are a distinct disadvantage when it comes to making compelling portraits. That’s because, unlike pros, hobbyists typically lack a studio with expensive lighting equipment and a budget for wardrobe and props.

There's been a movement in boudoir photography circles lately to keep posing and lighting simple to produce beautiful imagery that highlights dramatic sensuality and we're here for it. Recently, boudoir photographer Critsey Rowe shared her one posing secret with us and now Yuliya Panchenko explains how you only need one light and one pose to capture stunning boudoir photos.

Posing men for portraits can be harder than posing women. Maybe it's because men are often more self-conscious in front of the camera than women. It's even harder though when your male subject is not a model, but just a regular guy.