Hobbies And Interests
Instructions
Look for available light. The diffuse light pouring in through a window curtain will provide enough illumination for proper exposure, and it will flatter most skin tones. A soft lamp or the glow from a fireplace can also add a warm mood to the resulting portrait.
Position your model so that she faces the light source. Direct the model as needed to achieve your desired effect. For example, to shroud one side of her face in shadow, have her turn partially away from the light source. Peer through the viewfinder of your camera occasionally to preview how the portrait will look.
Change your sensor's sensitivity, or ISO, to 200. This sensitivity will allow for reasonably fast shutter speeds and provide a resulting image with little, if any, noticeable grain. If your conditions are dark, bump up the ISO to 400. The higher your ISO, the faster your available shutter speeds are.
Widen your aperture, or the size of your lens' opening. A setting such as f/2, f/2.8 or f/4 allows available light to reach the sensor quickly while throwing the background out of focus to emphasize the model. The softness created in the background and edges of the frame works well in low-light portraiture.
Select a shutter speed that will allow for safe hand-holding of the camera while allowing enough light to reach the sensor. Generally any speed that is faster than the focal length of your lens will be suitable. For example, if you're shooting with a 50mm lens, any shutter speed of 1/60 or faster will produce a sharply rendered image. Most indoor lighting calls for a shutter speed of 1/30th to 1/25th of a second, depending on your selected ISO.
Adjust your camera's white balance setting. If you're using a lamp to light your indoor shoot, select the Tungsten or Indoor option. If using ambient light, select the Cloudy or Shade option.
Take several test shots and view your results on the camera's LCD screen. If necessary, adjust your exposure compensation to brighten or darken the results.
Experiment with different types of lighting for unique portraits. Pairing a soft lamp with light from a nearby window often provides beautiful results.