How to practice portraits

Cowboy Test Shots [Fuji X-E3, 18-55mm, ISO 320, ƒ/4, 1/60]

I bought another figurine today to help teach my student’s photography. Today we took the cowboy figurine outside, looking for suitable locations for shooting portraits.

We found a bend with a tree in the background for the first one.

Cowboy Test Shots [Fuji X-E3, 18-55mm, ISO 200, ƒ/4, 1/80]

By moving the figurine, we looked for good light on the face and an excellent background to match.

This is much harder to do than you might think.

Cowboy Test Shots [Fuji X-E3, 18-55mm, ISO 400, ƒ/4, 1/160]

We started all the photos in full manual mode. We were learning to pick the proper ISO, Shutter-Speed, and Aperture and doing a custom white balance before each new location we chose.

Cowboy Test Shots [Fuji X-E3, 18-55mm, ISO 200, ƒ/4, 1/110]

The first hurdle was nothing more than remembering you are taking a photo. It would help if you looked around the edges of the frame. Can it be cropped out of the picture? Can I get closer?

Just walking closer to the subject, getting as close as you could, and still being focused was an excellent place to start with our figurine.

Cowboy Test Shots [Fuji X-E3, 18-55mm, ISO 100, ƒ/16, 1/125]

Taking a photo in the studio on a white background is simple compared to walking outside and looking for good light and a good background.

Go to the store and buy a figurine. It is a great way to explore the light looking for a good location for a portrait.