Photographs serve to record cherished memories besides being the expressions of one’s creative mind. Precious moments of life need to be immortalized one way or the other, and there is no better way to do so than utilizing portrait photography. Portrait photography or portraiture is a type of photography in which a person or group of people is captured along with the expression, personality and mood of the subject. Portrait photography has various types depending upon the focus of the photograph: although it is usually the person’s face, the entire body and the background or context may also be included.
Styles of Portrait photography vary depending upon the type of lighting which plays a fundamental role in portraiture. Under control of the photographer, the different lighting styles—Rembrandt, Butterfly, Split, Broad, Loop, Three-point, Key-light, Accent-light, and many more—can be used to capture the subject in varying degrees of depth and intensity.
The focus of the photograph is another major feature which decides the style of portraiture. Ideally, the subject’s eyes and face are captured in sharp focus while other less important elements are rendered in a soft focus. However, expert photographers take the liberty of using various other body components together with fantastic looking backgrounds with a purpose to produce unique works of art.
Another component of portrait style photography is the background. Portraits vary depending upon the environment and the context in which a scene/subject is captured. In this regard, portraits may appear to be spontaneous, posed, formal or environmental.
Some major styles of Portrait Photography are:
Candid Portraits
As the name suggests, candid portraits are natural and spontaneous. The subject may or may not be aware of the presence of the photographer, and may be captured in the middle of a conversation or some action. In this type of portraiture, the photographer lacks space to change the environment or emotions of the person being photographed.
Posed Portraits
In this style of portraiture, the subject is fully aware of the presence of the photographer, and may assume a specific pose or use a particular costume for intended effects.
Formal Portraits
This is also a type of posed portraiture, but in this case, a portrait is prepared specifically for business or other formal occasions.
Fashion Portraits
This style of photography focuses on the type of clothes worn by the subject. Background plays the pivotal role in this portraiture as clothes need to match with it.
Close-ups
These portraits are framed around the face and usually include the subject’s head and shoulders. In this case, the subject needs to be brighter than the background to avoid any distraction. This style of portraiture is common in glamour shots.
Midrange Portraits
These portraits are a bit less personal than close-ups. The subject is more relaxed and the photographer has the liberty of adding a little of the background. Such portraits are commonly used for single and multiple subjects.
Environmental Portraits
The main focus of an environmental portrait is the relation of the subject with his environment. These normally include the subject in a scenario or in a hobby they particularly enjoy. Such portraits give an excellent opportunity to glance into the life of the subject being captured. In case of environmental portraits, the subject’s relation with his environment is more dominant than his facial expressions.
