Daniel Lezano - 100 Ways to Take Better Portrait Photographs

Producing a book like this requires the cooperation of many, and my thanks go to everyone who helped Bjorn and me put it together. I would like to thank my family for their support (in particular my partner Jo who must have wondered when I would return to normal life), my daughter Ellie and her friend Ruby for being such wonderful child subjects, and the various professional models we worked with, in particular Charlie and Vanessa. Finally, many thanks to Canon UK for providing a superb range of digital SLRs and lenses to shoot with, The Flash Centre in London for the use of their superb Elinchrom studio flash outfits, Lastolite for their reflectors and diffusers and Manfrotto for their support.

Daniel Lezano

Well, Dan has said it all really, but I would like to reiterate a special thank you to Chris Whittle of Elinchrom and all the wonderful staff at The Flash Centre, the great people at Canon UK, especially Angela, Ashley and Hayley for their continued support, Charlotte Thomson for her contributions as a model and a PA, and all of the models without whom this book would not have been possible.

Bjorn Thomassen

Over the years I have tried just about every branch of photography, from product shots of three-piece suites to landscape and even aerial photography. However, my natural passion for people has driven me to specialize in portraiture. I enjoy all aspects of portrait photography, almost without exception, from capturing the endearing first smiles of a baby to the challenges of a more formally composed corporate portrait. I even enjoy covering weddings, with all the pressure of highly charged emotions and limited time that they bring.

I believe that to be a good portrait photographer, you must be in touch with your feelings and emotions. It is vital that you are able to form a relationship with your subject so that they feel comfortable with you taking pictures of them. If the atmosphere in the session is stiff and awkward, your subjects will communicate this in their pose and expression, and there is no chance that you will get the sort of warm and relaxed portraits youre after. I sometimes feel that the success of a session ultimately has more to do with interpersonal skills and psychology than it does with technical know-how.

That is not to say that you dont need technique though, and, as with all genres of photography, light is everything. Early in my studies I learnt that expanding my knowledge of lighting enabled me to tackle portraits, even in the most difficult situations, with a greater degree of confidence. My consequent study of light has led to a fascination that still consumes me today. I am constantly in awe of the lighting masters, and still hungry for knowledge. I believe that you could study lighting for a lifetime and still run out of time.

This book covers a diverse range of styles, techniques, ideas and tips, the majority of which do not involve complex or expensive equipment and are therefore within the reach of any keen photographer. I hope that this will provide some enlightenment and inspiration and help you take better portraits. I wish you every success with your portraiture.

Bjorn Thomassen

Photography dominates my life, both at home and at work. When Im not writing about it, Im reading about it or best of all taking pictures. Although I am keen on all types of photography, I am most passionate about portraiture. I certainly get a buzz from shooting landscapes, still lifes and other subjects, but nothing comes close to the excitement and enjoyment of taking portraits. Why? Well, among other things, its great to receive a positive reaction from the subjects themselves, and satisfying to capture a moment in somebodys life. Above all though, I find people incredibly interesting. I am a naturally gregarious person, and although I enjoy the solitude that comes with shooting scenics or nature, I far prefer interacting with other people.

I also think that portraiture is a challenging and stimulating form of photography. There is far more to taking a portrait than simply pointing the camera at your subject and pressing the shutter. A good portrait reveals something of the subjects character, whether its a mood, a hint of humour, or some other aspect of their personality or lifestyle. The skill to revealing this is in how you interact with the subject; if you can gain their trust and put them at ease, youre halfway there.