Portrait photography - some brief tips

By Susie Cox

Here are some short and sweet tips to help you take better photos of your family and friends. I've used portrait photographs from our collection to help illustrate my point.

Doris Lusk

Adrienne Martyn Doris Lusk 1989

Frame your subject to create emphasis

Boys’ Brigade Marches Past The Governor General, Cathedral Square

David Cook Boys’ Brigade Marches Past The Governor General, Cathedral Square 1983

Change your perspective. Get up high and look down on things, or like in this photo, crouch down and show the world from a different point of view.

Bagel Boy

Ivan McLellan Bagel Boy 1988

Think about moving things to one side. Please don't put everything in the centre. It's just boring.

Evelyn Page

Marti Friedlander Evelyn Page  

The light is your friend. Find out where it is coming from and use it

A Poser

Ivan McLellan A Poser 1987

Play with eye contact part A: you can have the subject look at the camera if you want but consider having them look out of the photo's frame.

Eric McCormick - Writer

Kevin Capon Eric McCormick - Writer 1984-1987

Go on... zoom in. Get in close!

The Tynans.

Craig Stapley, Rudolf Boelee, Brian Shields The Tynans. 1996

Play with eye contact part B: Shoot the subject engaged and looking at something (or someone) else.