An actor headshot is a tightly framed head-and-shoulders photograph that casting directors and agents use to judge how a performer looks on camera. Getting a good one is mostly about four things: one soft key light placed slightly off the camera axis, a background that stays quiet, head and shoulder position that flatters, and direction … Read more
To pose couples naturally, you stop arranging bodies and start directing people. Give the couple one simple base position, then hand them an action or a sentence to react to, and keep the camera firing while they play it out. Most of the stiff, awkward results photographers worry about come from holding a pose still … Read more
A reflector is a panel with a light surface that you angle back at your subject to bounce existing light into the shadows on their face, giving you a second light without buying one. Learning how to use a reflector for portraits comes down to two things: place it opposite your key light, and move … Read more
If you shoot people, a mirrorless camera is usually the better tool: eye-detection autofocus holds a subject’s face for you, and the screen shows the exact exposure before you press the shutter. A DSLR still makes more sense if you love an optical viewfinder, shoot long days on one battery, or already own a set … Read more
Last updated For paid portrait work, mirrorless wins: you get instant feedback, hundreds of frames per sitting and retouching latitude before the client walks out. Film wins for personal and fine-art portraits, where the slower pace and the look of Kodak Portra 400 or a Fujifilm Pro 400H scan matter more than the deadline. Plenty … Read more