General portraiture tips using basic equipment?

[shutterbug]

Hi all,

First of all i'm competent enough on my camera,i'm just looking for general tips on outdoor portraiture? do's and dont's sort of thing? Not looking to be spoon fed but some tips would be grateful to get me kick started,Canon 650D,wide angle lens,and 17-55mm lens is what i have to to use,no fancy flashes,reflectors,deflectors etc

Just a personal thing i would like to practice without splashing out cash on equipment,

Regards,


Roy.

 

[stevewestern]

The first thing to look for is light - not meaning to be silly but you will often want a soft light - ie not in direct sunlight. The shade of a tree, a cloudy day - that sort of thing will help.
A reflector can be anything light - a sheet of card, tin foil, stuff like that can help bounce light back onto a face, and standing slightly taller than your subject can help reduce chins and enlarge eyes.
Your wide angled lens may not get much use as it can distort a face and your 17-55 will be used at its longest most of the time I expect if you want to flatter.
Otherwise, you need to be able to talk to your subjects, distract them maybe and make them relax in order to get them to open up. Wine helps too (but maybe that's just me..!)

 

[Phil V]

Study some portraits (not just studio portraits - which are the thin end of interesting mostly), look at the light, then think about the relationship between the photographer and the subject.

Unlike every other area of photography, portraiture relies not just on skill and knowledge - but on communication.

The gear is about the least important part - which is great news if you don't want to spend more.

(Google wideangle portraits too - there's no reason to write off any kit)

 

[shutterbug]

Perfect thank you for the advice,i asked a local photographer for advice and the only answer i got was 'your better too use a studio' haha!