Portrait photography, also called portraiture, is an art form designed to capture the general nature of a person or collection of individuals by employing effective posing, natural lighting, and carefully selected poses. Portraits of celebrities have become increasingly popular as photographs can readily be licensed from the copyright holder. Portraits of political figures, religious figures, royalty, sports figures, and other public figures can also be professionally done by an expert photographer. The main benefit of professional photography is that professional photographers are experienced at applying the right lighting and backgrounds to properly create the desired effect in the portrait photo.
Portrait photography may take many forms, but there are some basic rules of composition that apply to all types of portrait photography. In portrait photography, light is crucial to the overall effect of the photo. When photographing someone with dark hair and light skin, the light will often be reflected on the skin and will create an orange tint. This is not a good look and should be avoided. Using a light colored background will eliminate this problem.
In portrait photography, it is important to keep a few simple things in mind when taking the portrait. Pay attention to the clothes of the subject as they are the most recognizable part of the portrait and the only image that will show all of the facial features. Always dress the subject for the time of day and avoid being in costume unless you are comfortable with your portrait photography.