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Improve your portrait sales by following these simple rules - part 2 of 1 2 3 4

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Keep poses simple and elegant

Avoid football shoulders-The body should not be turned straight to the camera.

Presenting the subjects shoulders square to the camera is very rarely the most flattering angle especially for a female

Generally speaking, angling the shoulders slightly gives you shot balance and helps lead your viewer's eye into the shot towards your main focal point. It also stops your subject seeming out of proportion as it lessons the width of the shoulders slightly.

Proper Head Tilt- Never tip a man's head to the high (feminine) shoulder as he will look feminine. Women's heads can be tipped toward either shoulder, but the feminine shoulder is generally more appealing.

Proper eye direction-generally speaking, the eyes should follow the direction of the nose.

Lean the subject forward slightly-"Over the belt buckle." This eliminates the static straight up and down look and will give a feeling of movement and motion to the portrait.

Proper camera height - Generally speaking, the camera lens should be at about eye level for head and shoulders portraits, chin level to chest level for ¾ length and chest level to waist level for full-length portraits.

Lighting

Avoid Flat Lighting.

Learn and understand how to light your portraits

Catch lights, An old saying states that "the eyes are the windows to the soul." In photography, as in life, eyes are very important. A little glimmer in somebody's eyes can make all the difference. It can reflect life, beauty, emotion, inner depth, sensitivity, kindness, and sometimes even mischief. In photography, these little sparks are referred to as catch lights or catch lights

Limbs

If It Bends, Bend It-This rule is perhaps the single most important rule. 21 a. wherever there is a joint, "break" it.

Don't Photograph The Back of Women's Hands - While this may seem like a small detail, making the hands look smaller can have a real impact. Angle your subject's hands so that you're seeing the edges of them, not the palms or backs.

Fingers should not be facing into the lens.

Male hands should be more closed, female should be more open.

Fingers should not be intertwined

Never rest a head on a fist.

Fingernails must be clean and well manicured.

Sales of feet should not be pointed at the camera lens

With babies, children and young adults remove shoes and socks if the feet are to be included in the composition - this also works well for adults though sometimes a little gentle persuasion is required.

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last update 09/12/2022 14:55:11

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