Portrait photos capture people in various ways, based on the situation, the purpose of the photograph and the creative vision of the photographer. Let us look at some of the basic styles of portrait photography, and where they are commonly used.

 

Classic Portraits

Classic or traditional portraits are taken as close-ups of the subject’s face, with them looking directly at the camera. These photos are used as head shots for school yearbooks, company brochures and the like. To add variety, part of the person’s body may be included, but the face remains the prominent feature.

 

Glamour Portraits

These kinds of portrait photographs are taken for fashion magazines. The stylish and alluring aspects of the subject’s face and upper body are highlighted by playing with background and lighting.

 

Candid Portraits

Here, the picture is taken without asking the subject to pose, or in some cases, even without their knowledge. There is no advance preparation; the photographer simply waits for the opportune moment to take the shot. Candid portraits make great photographs for travel blogs and while covering events.

 

Lifestyle Portraits

Photographs of happy faces at a family picnic or a couple dancing in each other’s arms are examples of lifestyle portraits. Here, some emotion of the subject(s) is captured to depict their way of life. The food, clothing and editorial industries use lifestyle portraits to positively associate their products with customer lifestyles.

 

Environmental Portraits

Environmental portraits capture the subject in his or her natural surroundings. This style of portrait photography has some similarity with lifestyle portraits. The difference is that the former focuses on the career aspect of the subject’s life, while the latter focuses on the personal aspect. In environmental portraits, the surroundings are used to give more meaning to the photograph.

 

Now that you know the common types of portrait photography, you can experiment with these styles and bring out the uniqueness of each one. For more information and useful tips on portrait photography, visit https://bokehonline.com/blog/2013/04/bokeh-volume-05-is-now-available-for-download-in-your-bokeh-ipad-mag-app/.

 

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