Black and white portrait photography is very popular because it adds an air of elegance and drama to the images. Black and white portraits impart rich and timeless appearance. Without the hindrance of colors, the viewer focuses on other elements of the photograph. The lack of color allows texture and form to become more significant features of the portrait. An uncluttered look and simplicity adds a polished look to the portrait. Black and white portrait photography is an excellent way to add a classic and romantic feel to your photographs. It adds an air of nostalgia to portraits and evokes reminiscence of a time prior to color photographs, when all portraits were black and white.

There are a lot of people who consider black and white portrait photography to be an artistic form of expression. They believe that black and white portraits are more of a fine art than color portraits. Black and white photographs contain a distinct sophistication, summoning memories of a bygone era. They soften facial features and capture the delicacy of shape and contour. It is often suggested that black and white portraits look best displayed in silver, anything antique is especially effective. Displaying new modern black and white portraits with heirloom family portraits is an excellent way to incorporate the past with the present for the preservation of the family’s heritage.

Black and White Portrait Photography is the Preference of Some Photographers

Some photographers are so impressed by the beauty of black and white photography that they specialize only in the photographing of black and white photographs. Many of them believe that the elegance and emotion of occasions like weddings are best captured by the art of black and white portrait photography. Newborn baby/family portraits done in black and white can have an exceptionally dramatic effect. A uniform background and clothing color can focus attention on the baby and the family’s loving gaze and embrace become a more impressive and inspiring image, symbolic of their family’s love and devotion.

Though some photographers still prefer traditional film processing, most of them utilize modern digital cameras. Digital portrait photography allows for greater versatility. The majority of black and white portraits are originally shot in color. State of the art technology can then be used to manipulate the photographs to convert them to gray scale. Specialized software is used to erase imperfections, lighten tones, and deepen shadows allowing for flawless, exquisite black and white portraits.

What are the factors that influence the outcome of a portrait and distinguish between ordinary and extraordinary? Don’t get me wrong, there absolutely nothing wrong with the classic and conventional portraits that follow the rules. There are amazing portraits, though, that just stand out above the rest. Sometimes, the most stunning portraits are the ones that don’t conform to the traditional rules. With a few clever portrait photography tips, you can create photographs that rival those by the most talented artistic photographers.

The direction of your subject’s gaze can have dramatic effects on the portrait. Having your subject focus on something outside the view of the camera can create a very candid and intriguing photograph. You can create a story within the image by focusing your subject’s attention on something within the frame, such as another person or an object. Candid shots look natural and can often be more flattering. Instead of having the subject pose, shoot them reacting normally to situations. Candid shots especially work well when photographing children. Black and white portrait photography is another method that adds elegance and drama to photographs while at the same time concealing minor imperfections like blemishes and skin discoloration.

Portrait Photography Tips to Conceal Subjects Imperfections

There are several tricks you can use to help correct issues with the subjects of your portraits. If the subject has a round or fat face, try posing them three-fourths to the camera, using short lighting, and slightly raising the camera angle. Pose models with thin faces facing the camera. If your subject has deep lines or wrinkles, try using softer, frontal lighting. Sometimes scars and blemishes can be concealed by repositioning the subject to shadow the problem areas. When blinking is a problem, try to time your shots to right after the subject blinks. You can compensate for deep set eyes by directing light into the eyes. A bigger nose can be obscured by posing nose straight into lens or raising the chin, whereas a small nose should be positioned at an angle to the camera. Multiple chins can be concealed by having the subject lean their head toward the camera and stretching their neck.

There are several portrait photography tips to stop the glare of eye glasses. You can shoot the photographs with empty frames, removing the glass element all together, position the glasses away from the light, or bounce the lights off of the ceiling instead of shining directly on the subject. When your subject has different sized eyes, you can either create an evening effect by having them turn the largest eye away or shadow the smaller eye while the larger one is turned closer to the camera. By using a higher camera angle or a three-fourths pose, you can diminish the appearance of a subject’s square jaw. These are only a few tips for portrait photography. There are countless other methods that are effective in both adding drama to your images and hiding imperfections. Have fun with your camera, experiment and perhaps you can come up with some portrait photography tips of your own.