| e process of time portrait and wedding photography | | | | magical. The possibilities are endless with todays post |
| has changed from the traditional approaches of formal | | | | processing techniques. |
| portraiture to the less formal. The appeal of more | | | | The wonderful thing about photography today is it |
| relaxed and the natural poses are more personal and | | | | doesn’t need sophisticated studio equipment or |
| reflective of who the portrait is really about. | | | | a huge investment. A good digital camera is very |
| The movement of more casual styles may have been | | | | affordable and there are simple ways with a natural |
| influenced by the current fashion photography that | | | | lighting, couple of lighting sources, and a decent post |
| emphasizes untraditional poses. Fashion photography | | | | production software to make incredible and |
| emphasizes details through techniques in lighting instead | | | | professional portraits. |
| of using rigid poses. Also the digital camera has | | | | No matter what equipment you use, what techniques |
| provided a high level of flexibility with nearly unlimited | | | | you are interested in, the essential goal remains about |
| frames where the right shot doesn’t have to | | | | portrait photography: To idealize the subject. The best |
| be created, but rather just captured. | | | | pictures portray information about a person’s |
| The modern day photographer doesn’t have to | | | | self. This can’t be achieved with words and |
| be in a studio, in fact most people today don’t | | | | must be achieved by the pose, the lighting, and the |
| want their picture taken in a studio. A natural and | | | | surrounding elements in the picture. The best way to |
| relaxed photo can be achieved anywhere. | | | | do this is to make sure you know your subject before |
| Post processing has lead to this movement in the fact | | | | you take pictures of them. Then begin taking snap |
| that pictures that aren’t perfect can be made | | | | shots. The beauty of digital cameras is that you can |
| perfect. Natural poses will yield unexpected results. | | | | see your results right away to see if you are taking |
| The best picture may be one where there is a tree | | | | pictures that are capturing the personality of your |
| branch in the way, or a stop sign in the back ground, or | | | | subject. |
| maybe even a little bit of bad posture. All of this can | | | | Now that you know it is important to capture your |
| be fixed in post production software. Even some free | | | | subject’s “self”, you must also |
| software can be used to make such corrections. And | | | | know that it is your job to make your subject look |
| of course the all popular Photoshop seems to be the | | | | good. There are a few ways you can bring out the |
| all in one tool for post production. | | | | best in a subject, but the easiest way is to make sure |
| Does that mean the traditional way of photography is | | | | you have a good lens. For portrait photography with |
| dead? Well quite the contrary. Traditional poses have | | | | 35mm format try using a 80mm lens. For medium |
| been around since the beginning of time with paintings | | | | format try using a lense between 100-120mm. The |
| and certainly continue today in modern photography. | | | | longer lenses will have a slight pinching effect that will |
| The concept is not as popular but the possibilities have | | | | make your subject appear slightly thinner. |
| been enhanced ten fold with modern day technology. | | | | With the movement in modern day photography there |
| Posed shots have shifted from the | | | | are opportunities for all types of photographers and |
| “glamour” shot of yesterday into | | | | the possibilities are endless. We are only seeing the |
| dramatic enhanced effects of background and lighting | | | | beginning of the digital age and there is more to come |
| to reveal fairy tale like effects that can seem almost | | | | in the near future. |