Portraiture !!top!! »

Technical skill gets you a sharp image. Empathy gets you a great portrait.

That’s when the magic happens. What’s your biggest challenge when photographing or drawing people? Let me know in the comments below. portraiture

Next time you make a portrait, forget the camera settings for a moment. Focus on the human being in front of you. Ask them a real question. Notice the light on their skin. And wait for the moment their guard drops. Technical skill gets you a sharp image

Don’t let hands dangle like dead fish. Give them a job: hold a cup of coffee, adjust a glasses frame, tuck a strand of hair behind an ear. A pure white background is a choice, not a requirement. Placing someone in their natural environment—a baker in their kitchen, a musician by their piano, a gardener among their tomatoes—adds layers of narrative that a blank backdrop simply cannot. Focus on the human being in front of you

Beyond the Smile: 5 Essential Truths About Powerful Portraiture