Few photographers escape the magic of portraiture. Few of us don’t have a few on Facebook, Instagram, Flickr or on our mobile phone. We’ve been doing portraits for as long as we can remember, ever since we drew Mom or Dad with a circle and four sticks, since we’re going to take the first camera and press the trigger. We portray our friends at a party, take vacation selfies to make those who stayed at work envy ?, we represent our sons and daughters, our pets and all those in front But it is only when we enter the world of photography that we understand and begin to enjoy the magic of portraiture in all its splendor. It is when we stop in front of a well-made portrait, in front of a portrait that leaves us breathless, when we see all its power, its ability to move us and transmit endless messages, stories and feelings.
And as our main goal as photographers is to try to escape indifference, move, stand out, and as our image is engraved on the viewer’s retina, we will see some tricks to make portraits more expressive, with more strength, energy and impact. .
- Not only will you get expressive portraits with eye-catching prints.
- But it’s clear that an eye-catching model will bring you closer to an expressive portrait than a softer or less striking face.
- A face wrinkled by the passage of time.
- Someone with one end Hairstyle or clothing.
- An unusually beautiful or attractive person (or otherwise).
- Or with a characteristic (an imposing nose.
- Large eyes?) can bring them closer more easily to a more expressive portrait.
However, it is only with the physique of the model that you will not get a beautiful portrait; anyone is a candidate for a great hyper expressive portrait, just add a little more ingredient to the recipe.
Look for emotions in the face of the person you’re photographing: anger, sadness, joy, surprise or mystery are just a few of them, the fact that the emotion is easy to identify on the part of the viewer will make it better and receive it more intensely. the expressiveness of the face.
He doesn’t just talk about the face of our models. Everything about a person, are the arms in jugs, the arms crossed, the palms up or down?Body language in a portrait is a form of expression as valid and prominent as a smile.
It is the mirror of the soul and one of the most important elements of any type of portrait, as human beings, it is customary that our gaze is naturally directed towards the eyes of the represented person, so this is an element that comes out. Naturally. To enhance the look, it is important that it is located somewhere in the framework that enhances this interest. A good option is to keep an eye out for one of the strengths of the third-party rule. And even more important than where we look at the frame, is that the eyes are well focused, aren’t we going to get tired of repeating it ?, hey, and if they also have a touch of brightness, do you already have half a photo taken?
If you want a particular expression, don’t rush, let your model feel comfortable, ask her to talk about an important experience in her life, for example, and pay attention to her expressions, her appearance, the essence of her expression and your mood.
To get a good result in these types of portraits it is essential that you plan something of the session, you do not need to have a study or think about it a week before, but at least for now you must stop to think about what you want and why, how you can improve the image, what is missing or what is left, and above all that you do not leave to chance neither the attitude nor the pose of your model. Don’t be afraid to direct it, let him know what you want and how you want it. Do tests and other tests, and if they’re tired of you or if you can’t find volunteers, you can always turn to yourself. Check out this article that perfectly explains how to get a good self-portrait.
To create a hyperexpressive portrait, you need to make sure it has strength and impact, so it’s critical that you use everything around your subject to enhance your message.
Light and directivity will be your great allies when it comes to seeking expressiveness in your portraits. Hard lights (strong shadows and high contrast) or diffuse (soft shadows and less contrast), natural or artificial light.
Play with the directionality of light to create different sensations
If you are looking for extreme portraits, try more extreme lighting, with hard light, not diffuse, with marked contrasts, etc.
Both techniques have a high visual impact and can be good allies when looking for the expressiveness of your portraits. Light portraits are portraits with a white background with lots of light and contrast that transport us to a scene of innocence, purity, joy. positivism. On the other hand, discrete portraits are dark, mysterious, sometimes negative. Depending on what you want to convey, these two techniques will help you express it.
How you position your subject and why says a lot about what you want to express, so don’t leave composition to chance. Think carefully about how you position your model, how far you want from the background, your lens, and how far from your camera. Don’t forget to take a look at the composition rules applied to portraiture. Here’s an article with composition tips specific to portraits, Can you follow the rules or break them? Taste The most used in portraiture are:
What do you think, dare you create a portrait full of expressiveness?Do you think that every time you press the shutter, you are a closer photo to reaching it, perseverance and practice will be your best allies to achieve any kind of image?
I hope this article helped you. If so, don’t forget to share it on your usual social network. Thank you and soon?