16 Inspirational Portrait Photography Techniques
I'm learning that portrait photography can be tough in more than one way thanks to my participation in the December Challenge. I'm already getting bored with taking the standard cookie-cutter portrait, so I started digging around Flickr for some inspiration. Here's what I turned up:
And yes, I realize that the accompanying text is much shorter than I would usually supply, but the idea of this post isn't to teach these techniques — it's to introduce you to them and hopefully give you some inspiration with your own photography. I feel that these photos are strong enough to stand on their own without lengthy descriptions.
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1. PHOTOSHOP
If you're good with post-processing and manipulations, use it to your advantage. Get crazy with the adjustments, try some new Photoshop techniques, and maybe even a composite image.

Photo by Paul Moody [CC by-nc]
2. TEXTURE
If texture is a big part of your subject, make it stand out and make it obvious. Match up the textures between your subject and your background. You might even try texturizing the entire photo for additional impact.
3. OVEREXPOSE
Blowing out the highlights or making a high-key image makes a nice soft portrait with kind of a light airy feeling. Another advantage of high-key photos is that the smaller details and defects are blown away, making the image look much smoother.
4. UNDEREXPOSE
A dominantly dark or low-key image will naturally draw your eyes to the lighter parts. These tend to have a grittier and harder look to them than the high-key images.
5. BACK-LIGHT
Hair lights up like crazy when it's back-lit, so if hair is a big part of your subject make it stand out by placing your subject between you and a light source. You could also take this a little further and push the image to a silhouette.
6. POSING
Get crazy with the pose and positioning — extra points if it looks uncomfortable. Not only with the poses, but also with your own positioning — shoot from different angles to achieve different impacts.
7. CULTURE
Capture the local culture — what's mundane to you is exotic to us. Culture is everywhere, even in your own town. Just image you're visiting from a different country — what things would then seem more interesting to you?
8. REFLECTIONS
Make use of different surfaces to add that extra dimension — windows, mirrors, and water are all very good reflective surfaces that give a different result and texture.
9. SHADOWS
Make the shadow an important part of the image. Sometimes the shadow can even be more prominent than the actual subject casting the shadow.
10. GET CLOSE
There's no rule against cropping out most of the subject's face. This draws more attention to the parts that are left in the frame.
11. (UN)FOCUS
Out-of-focus subjects can be more interesting than the in-focus subjects. It kind of adds some mystery to the image because you can't quite make out who that person is.
12. MOVEMENT
Use movement to show action, even if it blurs out the subject entirely. In cases like this, think of the person as a means of creating the subject rather than being the actual subject.
13. CAPTURE THE MOMENT
Catch somebody doing something they love, even if it's not staged. Street photography is one of my favorite genres because it captures life as it happens — unstaged and unposed.

Photo by Mireia [CC by-nc-nd]
14. COLORS
Use vibrant and contrasting colors to draw attention to parts of your subject. This could be makeup, clothing, accessories, or whatever else you can get your hands on.
15. GET SERIOUS
Not all portraits need to have a smile, capture the serious emotions too. Some of my favorite portraits have no hint of a smile in them, and they're highly emotional.

Photo by Saad Akhtar [CC by]
16. PROPS
Use the props and tools around you to make the setting more interesting. Find things to place your subject in, on, under, around, etc.
Brian
February 14, 2009Your photography is amazing. I’m going to Prague for a job, but want to get into photography while I’m there. Tons of cool castles, etc. I’ll be trying some of these techniques for sure. Thanks again.
Nancy
February 18, 2009Great photographs. These photos are very inspiring. Thank you.
Max
February 20, 2009Amazing photos!
Tarah
February 20, 2009I really love all the insightful tips plus the amazing photographs to go along with them. Amazing work!
– Tarah Cranford
San Francisco Photographer
Devanand Singh
February 22, 2009I’m researching for improving my photo quality. Most of the time all I get is words. It’s really great to see some actual picture representations to base my standards upon. Thanks much, I really do appreciate this blog.
Torimon
February 22, 2009Comparto una par de mis fotos que caen dentro de estas categorÃas ilustradas:
Hi Key
https://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=7176469
Low Key
https://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6076502
Saludos a todos!!
Alex
February 26, 2009Wow! This small collection of "emotions" is brilliantly made. My favourites are Underexpose and Get Serious. The overall impression is "inspirational". Many will feel like that, I am convinced.
Diet Blog
March 4, 2009These are amazing, my favorite is the first one. Such creative ideas.
lucy
March 24, 2009the images are really beautiful, and source of inspiration, compliments!!!!!
Rehan Ahmed
March 29, 2009Just WOW , Actually Cant find words for these pictures and techniques
Dani
April 1, 2009great pics and thanks for the tips…I hate posing so I always look for alternatives and shooting from different angles is a great idea. I will try that my next shoot and see what I come up with!
thanks for the post.
Albert
April 3, 2009So amazing, the facial expression on every single photo has something compelling on every photograph. Can’t stop to stare at them for at least 5 minutes each. A great capture of the moment. I am a big fan of photography.
Elaphotography
April 14, 2009They are all fantastic! My favorite is number 7, entitled CULTURE. You really captured the moment!
Melayu Boleh
April 25, 2009nice sharing!! really love the 10th photo.
Good collection yo!
Tkaniny Obiciowe
May 7, 2009Portraits with visible texture are amazing! Too bad they’re so hard to make that barely anyone even tries.
Mirasol
May 21, 2009just bought a new cam last 2 months and as a beginner this info are very useful.. I like the back-light and props.. will try it for sure…
Akbar
June 13, 2009Really cool stuff Brian, thanks for sharing. Just a question for you or anyone else – what lens do you reccomend for indoor portraits without a flash?
Help appreciated!
Brian Auer
June 13, 2009anything fast. a 50mm f/1.4 is a popular choice.
Tony Lee
June 16, 2009Wow! The “movement” shot can really play some tricks on your eyes….Thanks Brian (and Authors) for sharing these interesting shots and perspectives.
niki
June 18, 2009i like all the photos especially the black-light and the (un)focus. .
i like its mystery parts. .
. .got an idea for our first FMA on Digital Arts. .
thanks for the inspiring photos..
Hamo
July 26, 2009Wow, some nice ideas… I am currently looking for ways to shoot hair accessories (on models) to make them stand out. So you have given me some ideas to think about.
Susan Eckert
August 6, 2009Great list! I think I’ll bookmark it for inspiration! : )
Thanks!
Susan
Dwain Thomas
September 4, 2009Great post! Bookmarked!
http://www.digitallureonline.net
Bill Gassett
September 16, 2009This is truly amazing work! In my line of work (Real Estate) good photography is a critical element.
elizabeth
September 20, 2009Oh Cool!! I have not really considered doing this for competitions but some of the points you have raised are simple enough to make me want to try them out….especially love the posing tip and already using props in some of the children’s portrait photography sessions that i do.
mike
October 5, 2009what great pictures! you have captured the art of portrait photography emphatically, and these examples are great. I have posted a link on twitter to advertise your work,
thanks for sharing
April
October 7, 2009Wow, I’m truly in awe of these images. I would truly love to be able to create images that are even half as good as these. I did an evening course on PhotoShop a number of years and I didn’t learn much at all.
Michael Graham
October 26, 2009Beautiful photos indeed.
James
December 12, 2009Excellent Tips Brian..
Thanks for sharing with us.
Keep it up..:)
George Packard
December 19, 2009I favor photo number 8. It demonstrates how emotion can be brought out by objects that can be included in your photos. Some of the most wonderful photos I’ve seen were made with water reflections.
Thanks Brian and Gary!
Eric
December 22, 2009What crap advice…Photoshop? that’s the number one answer…what a joke…
Please…stop giving advice now….and if you are going to suggest “reflection”…then for god sakes know what an actual reflection is….
Hameediii
January 6, 2010Lovely set of portraits.Thank you for sharing the tips.Will try to keep them in mind.
Nick Karvounis
January 14, 2010Very inspirational indeed!
Jinger Studios
January 23, 2010Thanks so much for this great list – I know if I incorporate as many of your tips as I can into each of my genres then I’ll be a happy snappy photographer chappy! A big boo to that “THAT GUY” btw!
Jackie
January 31, 2010great post, thanks for the tips!
Rod Horne
February 1, 2010Great portrait tips for natural light photography. It would be great to put together a list like this for studio work.
Nathan Ciurzynski
February 5, 2010Great ideas!
Jermaine
February 6, 2010Awesome photos you have here! It’s almost like you can see the deepest details you have in each picture, thanks for sharing these amazing photos.
Geeta
March 4, 2010Did you check out https://softlight.us? This website has amazing portraits of babies and children, even families. Most inspiring.
themisfit
March 14, 2010what a great set of inspirational images. Thanks for posting.
Stewart
April 7, 2010What about depth of field / bokeh? Undoubtably one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal. Nice post though…
Simon Ellis
May 16, 2010Some outstanding shots and some really great portrait tips. I struggle to get people to smile until I read on another blog about getting people to put their tongue to the roof of their mouth.