We’ve all got an everyday hero, whether it’s our mum, dad, best friend, or our kids, and we love capturing amazing moments with them to add to our bonusprint photo books. But sometimes those snaps don’t always do them justice. That’s where we come in. We’ve got easy portrait photography tips to help you take great shots of your special someone.
1. Choose between candid or posed shots
Before you start snapping, consider the kind of photo you want to take. Think about the style you like best, whether it’s posed or a candid shot, but most importantly, what kind of photo your hero is most comfortable with.
The great thing about candid shots is they can capture an expression or a little moment that might get missed in a posed shot. If you want to photograph your hero off-guard and show what makes them special to you in a more natural situation, a candid shot is a good way to go.
On the other hand, posed portrait photos let you decide what elements will show off your everyday superhero the best. Instead of waiting to capture the perfect shot in the spur of the moment, you can create an image just the way you want it and tell a more complex story in the process.
Whichever style you pick, you should consider similar elements before you press the shutter button. Always remember to focus on all aspects of your image, not just your subject. It’s easy to get caught up taking a great shot of them and to forget about everything else around them. So, make sure you get your composition right – check there’s nothing in the background that you don’t want to photograph and that you’ve got everything you wanted in the frame.
2. What makes that person a hero to you?
We look up to our everyday heroes for a reason, so think about what makes them an inspiration to you. It might be their job, the experiences they’ve been through, a talent they have, or their personality that shines through. Whatever it is that makes them a living legend in your eyes, try and think about how you can reflect that in your photos. It could be with the setting of your shot, props you use, other family members you include in the photo, or through an activity.
3. What does your hero love the most?
These photos are as much about your subject as they are about you. Show their personality in your pictures and the things they love the most, to capture more of a sense of who they are. You can surround them with their pets, include objects that relate to a hobby or talent, or take a family photo with the people closest to them.
4. Time to get creative with your portrait
Once you know the kind of shot you want to take and have decided how best to show off your everyday superhero, it’s time to take your photo. As long as you’ve sorted your composition and have familiarised yourself with your camera modes beforehand, you can start experimenting and take a portrait that’ll let your special someone shine.
When you’ve captured everything you love about your number one person, why not create a photo gift for them? You can make a photo book full of all the great moments from your shoot, or pick that one perfect portrait and create matching wall art that’ll look great in your home and your hero’s too.