Professional Photography

Portrait Photography

Portrait photography may sound boring, but the best portrait photographers produce portraits that could pass for fine art. They capture the essence of their subjects in a half-smile, a raised eyebrow, a tilt of the head. They use special lighting, lenses and filters to create a particular "look" — perhaps a raw, gritty photo of a cowboy, or a soft-focused, gentle, almost mystical look for a little girl.

The foundation of expert portrait photographer is more than just plopping the subject in the studio, focusing, creating even lighting, and snapping a few exposures. The good portrait photographer is an artist more than a technician, producing a portrait that may be joyful, somber, profound, gleeful, amusing, hip.

Some portrait photographers may specialize in particular types of portraits: formal wedding photographs, baby pictures, or photos of seniors in their golden age. But many photographers enjoy the creativity offered by photographing a variety of different types of subjects in different settings.

Portraits are often created of a single subject, but group portraits may also be created: A couple, a family, a corporate board of directors, a set of siblings in a family.

Portraits may be formal or relaxed. They can make use of standard photographic backdrops or may incorporate a particular setting or special props in the foreground or background of the photo.