If taking pictures is a passion of yours, and you love photographing people, you could have a great career as a portrait photographer. It's unlikely that the people who pose for you will be professional models. You will encounter all kinds, shapes, sizes, and colors of clients along the way. There are some simple things you can do to create the kind of woman portrait photography Los Angeles clients will love.
It is important to meet clients before the shoot. During the initial meeting you can discuss what your client's goals are with the photos you will be taking. That will help you determine the best backgrounds, hair, makeup, clothing, and poses for the shoot.
You should ask your client plenty of questions about her life, her work, and her interests and hobbies. This will give you a sense of the personality of your client. It will also inform the photographs you take.
Everyone has a more flattering side, and it is not unusual for the women you photograph to have strong opinions about which side is her best. You may not agree with the client, but you're going to have to take her concerns into account. If you ignore her opinions, you might end up with what are to you fantastic photos. The client will probably hate them however. As you gain experience, you'll learn to adjust your lighting and camera angles to maximize the client's best features.
You need to avoid any awkward angles that make the subject appear stiff. When you're photographing more mature women, you can have them sitting in a chair with their legs crossed. This is a generally flattering pose that makes the client look poised and graceful. You might position younger women on the ground or leaning by a tree with crossed ankles. You can soften a pose by bending the leg.
In somewhat the same vein, you must show women how to position their hands. Because you aren't working the professional models, the subjects you're photographing might have trouble deciding what to do with their hands. You can suggest that they interlace their fingers, bring a hand to the face, or play with their hair as a solution to the problem. Once your subject is comfortable with the hand situation she can relax and begin to enjoy the shoot.
One thing you can count on is that women will be concerned that their pictures will make them look fat. You have to be careful with the angle you choose to keep that from happening. One trick a lot of photographers use is to photograph the subject from slightly below the camera level. This is a way to elongate a neck and define a jawline. You don't want the angle to be so severe though that the subject is looking straight up.
You have to learn to take advantage of the environment. Photos where the wind is rifling through the woman's hair and sunlight is reflected in her eyes are always interesting. If the weather cooperates you should consider shooting outdoors in open shade.
It is important to meet clients before the shoot. During the initial meeting you can discuss what your client's goals are with the photos you will be taking. That will help you determine the best backgrounds, hair, makeup, clothing, and poses for the shoot.
You should ask your client plenty of questions about her life, her work, and her interests and hobbies. This will give you a sense of the personality of your client. It will also inform the photographs you take.
Everyone has a more flattering side, and it is not unusual for the women you photograph to have strong opinions about which side is her best. You may not agree with the client, but you're going to have to take her concerns into account. If you ignore her opinions, you might end up with what are to you fantastic photos. The client will probably hate them however. As you gain experience, you'll learn to adjust your lighting and camera angles to maximize the client's best features.
You need to avoid any awkward angles that make the subject appear stiff. When you're photographing more mature women, you can have them sitting in a chair with their legs crossed. This is a generally flattering pose that makes the client look poised and graceful. You might position younger women on the ground or leaning by a tree with crossed ankles. You can soften a pose by bending the leg.
In somewhat the same vein, you must show women how to position their hands. Because you aren't working the professional models, the subjects you're photographing might have trouble deciding what to do with their hands. You can suggest that they interlace their fingers, bring a hand to the face, or play with their hair as a solution to the problem. Once your subject is comfortable with the hand situation she can relax and begin to enjoy the shoot.
One thing you can count on is that women will be concerned that their pictures will make them look fat. You have to be careful with the angle you choose to keep that from happening. One trick a lot of photographers use is to photograph the subject from slightly below the camera level. This is a way to elongate a neck and define a jawline. You don't want the angle to be so severe though that the subject is looking straight up.
You have to learn to take advantage of the environment. Photos where the wind is rifling through the woman's hair and sunlight is reflected in her eyes are always interesting. If the weather cooperates you should consider shooting outdoors in open shade.
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