I took these shots of my husband, Shayne, on Christmas day. I’m very pleased with how they turned out. It made me think about what it takes to make a great portrait of someone. Here are the three ingredients I think most important to a great portrait:

3 POINT LIGHTING
Three point lighting is often the best way to create a flattering portrait, shoot a great headshot and make an interview on video look professional. Here is the essence of three point lighting:
Key Light – This is your primary light source.
Fill Light – This light adds illumination to the shadow side [...]

Amy over at Shooting the Kids wrote a great post debating the benefits of having portrait studio-style shots of your kids. Apparently, people have strong feelings about this! Who knew? I really liked her pros and cons approach, and think the shots of her daughter, Sophia, are darling.
I haven’t had any portrait [...]

One of my all-time favorite photographers is George Hurrell. I was looking through one of my books about him today and was struck again by his talent. Not only did he find the perfect angle for every star, but he was a master of re-touching. All skintones were flawless and [...]

Part 2, Working with Your Model to Get the Best Expressions
There are two kinds of people in this world – those who love having their picture taken and those who hate it. I fall in the latter category, not because I don’t enjoy the process, but I usually “ugh” at the results. Sometimes [...]

With a camera, a simple backdrop, soft daylight and minimal Photoshop skills, anyone can take great headshots in a flash. In this three-part article, learn how to set up the shot, work with your model, and polish the final shots using Photoshop.