Shoot Impressive Portraits with People Highlighted

[Peter_S.]

If you defocus backgrounds and emphasise people, you can shoot impressive photographs with a clear theme.
These photographs are called portraits, and this technique can be used for everyday snapshots as well as memorial photographs in birthday or wedding events.
When shooting unintentionally, we often include the entire figure of the person in the frame, which results in monotonous composition like a record photograph.
In this chapter, you will learn some tips to highlight the person and give a more impressive finish to your photographs.
When shooting, set the camera to the A-mode and open the aperture as much as possible.

Shooting on the telephoto side

If you use a zoom lens, get as close as possible to the subject, and shoot on the telephoto side (with longer focal lengths). In this way, you can eliminate unwanted surrounding objects and defocus the backgrounds more, so that only the person will be emphasised.

In the examples above, the photograph [2] was shot by getting closer to the subject and zooming in on the upper body. As a result, the expression of the subject stands out, rendered more expressively. By shooting at close range, the background is defocused more and the expression of the girl is highlighted.
For memorial shots in tourist spots, photographs like [1], which includes the surrounding landscape in the frame, may be better. However, if you want to make only the person stand out, [2] looks more impressive.

Considering the composition

Changing the composition makes a great difference in atmosphere of photographs, even when you shoot the same subject.
In casual shooting, we tend to compose a photograph with the subject in the centre of the frame. When you shoot portraits, however, try using the "Rule of Thirds" for your composition.
In the "Rule of Thirds" composition, the frame is divided into 9 sections (3 horizontal x 3 vertical), and the main subject is placed at the intersections of the dividing lines. For portraits, place the centre of the face or the eyes at the intersection.
The "Rule of Thirds" is the basic rule of well-balanced photographs. If you are not sure how to compose your shot, try using the "Rule of Thirds". By keeping this rule in mind, you will automatically be able to shoot many good photographs. The α cameras have the function to display the "Rule of Thirds" grid lines on the monitor at the back of the camera. Use this function if you need a guide for your composition when shooting.

Just by placing the centre of the head on the dividing line, the above shot has become quite impressive and well-balanced. Moreover, by leaving a space in the area where the subject is looking, the photograph even conveys the atmosphere of the moment.
Also, as the basic principle, a portrait photograph should be taken in the vertical orientation as in the above photograph. By placing the body of the person in parallel with the long sides of the image, the backgrounds will be naturally organised, and you can easily make the photograph simple and clear. Shooting in the horizontal orientation is good if you want to include the backgrounds. However, if you want to emphasise only the person, using the vertical orientation is recommended.

Using back light

Another important point is the angle of light. Particularly in portraits of women, the skin and hair can be rendered softly by shooting with back light. For desirable back light, avoid the daytime when the sunlight is strong, and shoot late in the afternoon when the sunlight is getting weak, or on a cloudy day if possible. If you need to shoot under strong sunlight, try to find a way to weaken the light, such as shooting under a tree.
Conversely, if you shoot with front light, shadows will be created on the face, and the expression of the subject will be grim due to the strong light. If you can control the angle of light, try to create back light.
If you shoot with back light, however, the face may become dark. In this case, adjust the exposure using the exposure compensation function to make the face bright enough. Although the backgrounds will be a little whitish, this will enhance a gentle atmosphere of the subject.

This is a woman's portrait shot with back light on a cloudy day. The subject is illuminated from behind on the right side. There is no unwanted shadow on her face, and the light shining through her hair creates a soft and airy look.

Trying fixed focal length lenses

Fixed focal length lenses are recommended to defocus backgrounds more and make only the person look impressive. As fixed focal length lenses allow a large amount of light to enter into the camera, they can reduce blurring when shooting in low-light situations, as well as portraits.

Focal length: 50 mm / F-number: 5.6 / Shutter speed: 1/50 sec		Focal length: 50 mm / F-number: 1.8 / Shutter speed: 1/4000 sec
SAL50F14 This quintessential fast "normal" lens offers outstanding corner-to-corner resolution, while the combination of F1.4 maximum aperture and circular aperture design makes it possible to elicit silky-smooth defocusing effects to enhance image depth and isolate important visual elements. Due to the large aperture, more light is allowed, facilitating easier hand-held shooting, even in low-light situations.		SEL50F18 This is a mid-range telephoto lens with the 50 mm focal length perfect for portraiture. The large aperture and circular aperture design can produce beautifully defocused backgrounds. Moreover, by working together with the built-in Optical SteadyShot image stabilisation system, it can shoot crisp and clear images under low-light conditions.