Portrait photography - a practical guide

Before every portrait session I ask questions and you probably do too. What light source am I going to use? How will the light fall on the subject? How will the background look in the finished photograph? What film should I use? What camera and lens should I use?

Answering these questions will help the photographer create an acceptable image. But an acceptable image is not enough for me; I want an exceptional image. As a portrait photographer, I need to know my client, knowing their background, desires, pains, and motivations helps me create distinctive portraits. For the portrait to be distinctive, a touch of the client's personality needs to emerge from the photo. This is especially true in taking female portraits. I don't want a pretty face, all painted up by a make-up artist; the result is a facade without knowing what is inside.

I seldom do a photo session without first meeting and talking with the client. There are many reasons to do this. One important reason is to build rapport between the client and the photographer. More importantly, I want to talk with the client; I want to talk about anything they care to talk about. I ask questions. I study their expressions, body language, and how they project their passion. I also look for 'transitions'. My definition of transitions is when the subject moves from one train of thought to another. Often, the transition will reveal a unique movement of their eyes or mouth. I try to capture that in my portraits.

Except for fashion and editorial work, I give complete freedom to my client in term of clothing, makeup, and hairstyle. I give suggestions and recommendations, but will leave the decision to the client. Because of this, a planning session is very important. I need to know their wardrobe and their look. My job is to select the locations and the time of day for the photo session.

Lighting is always critical. I prefer a gentle directional light that casts a bit of shadow. Train your eyes to see the subtle differences in the lighting of a space. Our eyes tend to even out the light level inside a space. Our brain makes the adjustments without us realizing it. Film does not make that adjustment. Different types of film react to the light level and contrast of a space differently. Some films have more range than others. In some of your images, you may want to reduce the range to create a more dramatic effect. I like to use Kodak T400CN, Afga APX, Fuji NPS, and Fuji NPH. I like them because of my experience in using different type of film, but this is just my preference. Try using all type and brand until you find the ones you like for your style of photography.

Alex Lee is a portrait photographer in San Francisco. He specialises in female portraits, and his portraits have a great deal of dignity and sensitivity as described by other photographers. Alex is an engineer by training with a MA in Liberal Studies. It was during his graduate studies that art and photography became a passionate part of Alex's life. See his portfolio on www.softlitephoto.com