Mastering: Portrait Photography

Photographic portraits should not be the formal, corporate-style poses of yesteryear, which reveal nothing of the subject's emotion, personality or mood – so believe Paul Wilkinson and Sarah Plater. Theirs is a modern, fresh and vibrant approach that aims to capture a moment in the lifestyle of the person or persons in the picture. This authoritative guide contains clear, concise and jargon-busting text that discusses the essential technical aspects of photography from choosing a camera and equipment to an appreciation of exposure, aperture, metering, shutter speed, depth of field and white balance settings, in addition to how natural light, colour and movement affect a photograph. A guide to posing helps to ensure dynamic and arresting images. Along with advice on using artificial light, there are tips on pre-shoot preparations such as building rapport and choosing locations. Post-production techniques include skin retouching and colour correction.