Portrait Photography How To

Here's a great tutorial for those of you who shy away from people pictures due to the misconception that a studio, expensive lighting equipment, or advanced skills are required to capture impressive portraits.

Shutterbug has teamed up with New York Times-best selling author/photographer Jordan Matter for a new series of How To videos called Tips that Matter. In this his first Shutterbug How To video, Matter shares five great tips on how to shoot stunning portraits at night with very little gear.

One characteristic of great portrait photographers is the way they employ empathy to develop a strong rapport with their subjects, and the New York-based visual artist known as Shotti is a great example. He says, “My process relies heavily on communicating with my subjects on an emotional level, and through that connection I am able to get an insight into our shared experiences.”

Good portraits are taken, great portraits are made. That's the message behind Gavin Hoey's easy and helpful tutorial below where he shares five tips he says will instantly improve your portrait photos.

There are several approaches to photographing couples. As with all portraiture, you can pose the two people for a more-formal look. Or you can shoot a more-candid portrayal that will convey the strong relationship between them. For example, just watch through your viewfinder and click the shutter when you see a special look or gesture that passes between them. Whichever approach...

When taking portraits of a pet, most of the time the goal is make the animal look as adorable as possible. This is either to get your friends go "Aww!" on social media if the pet is yours, or to please a client who is paying you to photograph their beloved cat, dog, or goldfish.

Many up-and-coming photographers might not have a budget to afford to hire a professional model for a portrait shoot. But have no fear: you can shoot great photos of a non-professional model if you just follow some basic advice.