Taking better portraits: try it yourself

1. Eye-Level Eye Contact

Shoot subject at their eye level; create connection.

2. Window Light Portrait

Place your subject near a window and turn them slowly until the light gives you a pleasing balance of highlight and shadow. Compare that with the room lighting rather than assuming window light is always better.

3. Simple Background

Before taking the portrait, check the background. Move yourself or the subject to remove one obvious distraction, then compare the cleaner frame with your first attempt.

4. Engage Emotion

Ask subject to think of a happy memory; capture genuine smile.

5. 85mm Equivalent

If you have a zoom, make portraits from different camera distances while keeping the head roughly the same size in the frame. Notice that perspective changes because you moved, not because a particular focal length is automatically flattering.