Portrait Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots

2. Camera Settings and Lens Selection

Nikon D800 • ISO 100 • 1/400 sec. • f/3 • 90mm lens

Use the right settings, composition, and lenses for capturing your photos

It all begins with the basics, and this means understanding your camera settings, composition, and lens selection for each shot. Amazingly enough, half of the tips in the Top 10 countdown in Chapter 1 dealt with camera settings. Getting your settings dialed in before pulling the trigger goes a long way toward making your life easier as a photographer and toward producing better portraits as a result.

Let’s wrap our heads around the necessary camera settings and then focus on creative ...