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CAMERA SETTINGS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

Quick Guide
Written by Jo Plumridge
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 I’ve specialized in portrait photography for over Here’s what we’ll cover:
20 years, and I think it’s probably one of the most
fascinating genres. A good portrait creates an ·· Camera gear
emotional connection with the viewer and makes ·· Composition tips to get you started
us wonder about the person portrayed in the shot.
And we all also use portraits to capture significant ·· Camera settings for different portrait
moments and people in our lives. photography opportunities

In this guide I’ll be looking at some camera settings ·· Where to go next

to help you start out with, as well as exploring other
tips and tricks to help you get the best portrait Recommended Reading: If you’d like to
images possible. learn how to create amazing portraits, grab a
copy of Photzy’s premium guide: The Art of
Portrait Photography.

CAMERA SETTINGS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 3

 CAMERA GEAR

When it comes to taking portraits, the most important piece of

gear to have is a decent lens.

Portraiture requires pin-sharp eyes, so you need good glass to get

the best results.

The best lenses for portraiture are, in my opinion, a 50mm, 85mm

or 135mm. You will still get decent shots using a zoom lens that
covers these focal lengths, but you can pick up a 50mm f1.8 lens
fairly cheaply and they’re surprisingly good quality.

A 50mm lens will give you the equivalent field of view to a 75mm
lens on an APS-C camera, meaning they’re a great portrait
photography investment. Some portrait photographers argue that
a 50mm isn’t great for single person headshots due to perspective
exaggeration, so if you’re wary, you can still use one (on a full
frame camera) for full length and group shots.

You will need a camera that allows you full manual control, and it’s
also a good idea to use a tripod when you can (although tripods
are not essential).

Unless you’re shooting portraits daily on a professional basis,

you’re unlikely to want to invest in studio lighting, but a flashgun
can be extremely useful.

Make sure you invest in some diffusers to soften the harsh light
that it produces. Finally, I always carry a small sunfire (strips of silver
Photograph by Valerie Elash and gold) reflector to help direct light onto my subject’s face.
Good glass makes a big difference in portraiture, allowing you to get sharp and detailed images.

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 COMPOSITION TIPS TO
GET YOU STARTED

Key Lesson: As I mentioned

already, a good portrait always has
pin-sharp eyes. You immediately lose
the connection to the subject if the
eyes are soft. Whenever you’re
shooting portraits, it’s important to
select an AF point manually on your
camera, which you place between or
on the subject’s eyes. This will ensure
sharpness. If you’re shooting a head
and shoulders shot, make sure you
place your subject’s eyes in the top
third of the photograph. This is the
most natural place for the eyes to be
and is where a viewer will
automatically look.

Although you want your subjects to relax

and be as natural as possible, it’s still
worth helping them with their poses to
ensure the most flattering results.

Photograph by Alexander Krivitskiy

Don’t be afraid to go for a bold crop with your portraits.

Black and white can also be very powerful!

CAMERA SETTINGS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 5

 Most people do not photograph well if the portrait is Think about your perspective and framing. It sounds
taken straight on. This flattens the face and can make flippant, but so many beginners forget that their
even the slimmest people look a little chunky. Think camera can also be used vertically!
about your angles.
Think about shooting from above or below your
So much of photography is about finding the angles subject. Try filling the frame with your subject or use
and using them to draw the viewer into the picture. negative space around them to draw the viewer’s eye
into the image.
Most people have a ‘good side’ and will look better
if turned slightly. Get your subject to turn slightly to Obviously, there are multiple composition tips to
this side, and then tilt their head back towards the explore, but these are just a few to start working
camera. This creates a strong jaw line. with.

In addition, remember to remind your subject to

keep their shoulders back, so that they don’t look too
slumped in the photos.

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 CAMERA SETTINGS FOR DIFFERENT
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY OPPORTUNITIES

Before we look at specific portrait photography situations, there

are some settings that you will want to use for all your shots.

Shoot in RAW so that you have more scope in post-production.

As I’ve already mentioned, you will want to use a single point AF

so that you can direct the camera precisely where to focus (you
can extend this to a group of AF points when shooting groups of
people, if your camera has that function).

I’d also advise leaving your white balance on auto, unless you’re
shooting in a studio with lights where you are going to use a
custom white balance with gray card.
Photograph by Bruce Mars

A shallow depth of field helps to blur out a distracting background and highlight your subject. With every type of portrait shot you will want to set your
aperture first, as depth of field is absolutely crucial for this type
of work.

INDIVIDUAL HEADSHOTS

Key Lesson: A headshot is used to describe a head

and shoulders shot and is the ‘classic’ portrait shot. This
crop is one of the easiest to use to minimize distracting
elements in the background of your shot. I also often shoot
slightly longer shots, with a little bit more of the upper
body included, as I find it gives a flattering and slimming
angle.

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 Outside – I like to use an aperture of around f4 for FULL LENGTH INDIVIDUAL SHOTS
headshots. This blurs out the background, which
helps to make your subject ‘pop.’ Start with an ISO Full length shots can be tricky for your subjects.
of 100 (or as low as your camera will go). If it’s cloudy, People find it hard to pose naturally! Consider asking
use a shutter speed of 1/60th and raise your ISO a them to sit on a chair or, if they have to be standing,
little if you need to get more light into the image. to angle their body towards the camera. Experiment
Alternatively, you can use a flashgun and reduce the with different hand gestures and hands in or out of
power so it acts as fill-in. In bright sunshine, start with pockets.
a shutter speed of 1/250th and make it faster if your Outside – Follow all the instructions for outside
shot is still overexposed. You can use your reflector individual shots but close down your aperture to
to help direct light onto your subject’s face. around f8 to get the whole body sharp.
Inside – Stick with an aperture of f4 and use a shutter Inside - Follow all the instructions for indoor
speed of 1/60th. If you have a flashgun, keep your individual shots but close down your aperture to
ISO at 100 and use the flash with your reflector around f8 to get the whole body sharp.
to bounce light. If you don’t have a flashgun, you
will probably need to use an ISO of 800 and up,
depending on how much ambient and natural light is
coming into the room.

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 CHILDREN

Kids don’t tend to stay still for very long,

so you need to adjust your settings
accordingly! Whether you’re inside or
out, I tend to use an aperture of f5.6
for children, which keeps them sharp
while still blurring out the background.
You really need a minimum of 1/125th
of a second to freeze kids (and higher if
they’re running about!). Use the lowest
ISO you can for the light available and
consider adding in some flash. This will
help freeze any movement as well.

Photograph by Bruno Nascimento

Children move quickly, so use a faster shutter speed so that you can capture sweet moments like this.

CAMERA SETTINGS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 9

 GROUPS

If you’re shooting large groups of people, you will probably be

using a wider lens (e.g. 24mm) to get everyone in. This means
less compression, so you can start with an aperture of f11 which
should keep everyone sharp.

Use a shutter speed of 1/60th for cloudy days and inside. On

bright days you can probably use an ISO of 100, but you’ll need
to increase it substantially for shooting inside. Again, you could
add in some flash, but the danger is that a single flashgun will
not adequately light a large group.

Key Lesson: Check the guide number of your flashgun

to find out how many meters it will illuminate.

Photograph by Chang Duong

Recommended Reading: If you’d like to learn how to
A group photograph requires a larger depth of field to ensure everyone is sharp.
create amazing portraits, grab a copy of Photzy’s premium
Group photos don’t have to be dull and staid – have fun with your subjects!
guide: The Art of Portrait Photography.

Another thing to keep an eye on with group photography is any

vignetting from using a wide-angle lens. Bring people slightly
closer together and arrange them in rows to avoid this problem
and add interest to the shot.

If you are photographing people in a line, ask the two on either

end to turn in slightly to give the group a slight curve. This looks
far more attractive than a straight line of people!

CAMERA SETTINGS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 10

 WHERE TO GO NEXT

As I will stress in all of my ‘camera settings’ guides, It’s also very important to remember that in
there are no absolutes when it comes to camera portraiture, aperture is king. This is because it
settings. Your settings will alter with the available controls your depth of field. Unless you’re shooting
light, as all photography is reliant on light being in a studio with a completely blank background,
available. So, after you’ve tried out shots with my portraits run the risk of a distracting background
suggested settings, make sure you take the next step ruining them. This is why using a shallower depth
and try out different settings that suit the light you of field is so important! It allows you to blur the
have available. background and focuses the viewer’s attention on
your subject.

CAMERA SETTINGS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 11

 Photograph by Fantastic B

CAMERA SETTINGS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 12

 CONCLUSION

Whether you’re an enthusiastic amateur or a this guide, you will be able to elevate your portraits
professional, you will want to be able to take great from snapshots to professional photographs that
portraits of those nearest and dearest to you. With you’ll be proud to share.

CAMERA SETTINGS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 13

 Self-Check Quiz:

1) What small accessory helps you to direct light?

2) Which part of the face should always be pin sharp?

3) What aperture should you use for headshots?

4) What minimum shutter speed should you use for children?

5) What shutter speed should you start with for groups?

CAMERA SETTINGS FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY // © PHOTZY.COM 14

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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Congratulations! You’ve completed
this Photzy guide!

If you liked this photography tutorial, check out

this premium guide to help you create inspiring
portraits: The Art of Portrait Photography.

Jo Plumridge is a UK-based freelance writer and photographer.

She writes photography, travel, and opinion pieces for
magazines, websites, and books, and specializes in portrait and
corporate photography. You can view some of her work on her
website, www.joplumridge.co.uk, and follow her on Twitter at
JoPlumridge. IF YOU’D LIKE TO CONTINUE
LEARNING AND IMPROVING
YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY PLEASE
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