Canon® EOS 5D Digital Field Guide

Chapter 8. Portait Photography

In This Chapter

• Overview and trends

• Inspiration and creative resources

• Packing the gear bag

• Shooting portraits

• A compendium of practical advice

Portraiture is an amazing and unique entrée into another person's life. It is all about encapsulating the spirit of the subject. Certainly, this concept is hackneyed, but any photographer who has photographed a fair number of people knows that it is true. Capturing the singular energy of the subject is what brings the subject up and off the photographic paper and into the hearts of those who view the portrait.

Capturing the person's spirit begins by having a bond, a connection with the subject. Ultimately it's the photographer's responsibility to ensure that the bond is established.

But what about portraits where the shooting time is limited to 10 or 15 minutes? That's rarely enough time to create a bond, and it's barely enough time to make the images. Even in those situations, the photographer's experience and knowledge of the subject—perhaps from previous conversations or research on the person—combines with using the lens like a divining rod to quickly hone in on the essence of the subject.

Overview and Trends

Portraiture is a field that crosses many other areas of photography including weddings, fashion, stock, travel, editorial, photojournalism, sports, and commercial shooting. And within each of the areas, various trends abound and change frequently. For the traditional portrait photographer, styles in studio and ...