Portrait Photography
Photographing people well: the purposes and history of portraiture, lenses and working distance, connecting with and directing subjects, posing bodies and faces, genuine expression, light on location, environmental portraits, headshots, groups, families, children and pets, inclusive portraiture, and releases, ethics and business.
PHOT-220 Year 2 3 credits 12 lessons · 5 h
Offered by HSM University · Photography
This is the Canadian version of this course. See the American version.
What you'll learn
- Explain the history, purposes and approaches of portrait photography and define a portrait brief
- Choose lenses, working distances, apertures, crops and camera heights for flattering, purposeful portraits
- Build rapport with subjects and give clear, kind direction using prompts and activities
- Pose bodies, weight, arms, hands and legs naturally for standing, leaning and sitting portraits
- Direct face angles, jawlines, eyes and expressions to capture genuine smiles and engaged neutral looks
- Find and shape light for portraits on location using shade, windows, backlight, reflectors and a single flash
- Create environmental portraits that balance subject and setting with meaningful locations and motivated light
- Produce consistent headshots and business portraits for corporate, branding and actor clients
- Arrange, light and focus small and large group portraits so every face is clear
- Photograph families, children, newborns and pets safely, warmly and efficiently
- Photograph people of all skin tones, bodies, abilities, genders, ages and cultures with accuracy and respect
- Apply consent, releases, privacy and copyright principles, run a portrait business and present a portrait series
Course content
12 lessons · 5 h total · final exam
- 1 Portraiture: history, purposes and approaches 25 min · quiz
- 2 Lenses, perspective and working distance 25 min · quiz
- 3 Connecting with and directing subjects 25 min · quiz
- 4 Posing fundamentals: body, weight and hands 25 min · quiz
- 5 The face: angles, eyes and expression 25 min · quiz
- 6 Finding and shaping light for portraits on location 25 min · quiz
- 7 Environmental portraits 25 min · quiz
- 8 Headshots and business portraits 25 min · quiz
- 9 Group portraits 25 min · quiz
- 10 Families, children and pets 25 min · quiz
- 11 Inclusive portraiture 25 min · quiz
- 12 Releases, ethics, business and capstone 25 min · quiz
- E Final exam 20 questions
Requirements
Recommended background. You can start any course at any time.
Description
Photographing people well: the purposes and history of portraiture, lenses and working distance, connecting with and directing subjects, posing bodies and faces, genuine expression, light on location, environmental portraits, headshots, groups, families, children and pets, inclusive portraiture, and releases, ethics and business.
Part of the Film & Photography stream, typically taken in year 2.