Portraits
Get to know the pro
Name: Ali Sharaf
Website: www.alisharaf.com
Photographic specialism: Fashion and beauty
Ali
Sharaf , One professional photographer shares his secrets for achieving
successful portrait shots.
Studio or location? Location as natural light is what I prefer to work with
Who would you most like to
photograph? I would love to photograph a range of celebrities on the go
someday.
Preferred kit? I work with Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III and Canon EOS 5D Mark II. I also
use Profoto to get the light right.
Mini bio:
Ali is a Bahraini photographer who specialises in fashion, beauty, portrait and
lifestyle photography for the advertising and editorial sectors. His style
reflects his vision whereby his ideas are translated into masterpieces.
Ali Sharaf’s words of advice
Balance the light
Light is a photographer’s most valuable
tool, as without it, there wouldn’t be a photograph. Always light your subject
with two or more light sources to balance the exposure and get a flattering
effect.
Strengthen your composition
Always remember to compose your photograph
so that the reason for making it is obvious to the viewer. Try to arrange elements
along the diagonal of the image as this complex composition can help strengthen
the visual space.
Guide your model
Having said that, many portraits are
successful because they are conceptual, particularly if they indicate an
emotion, mood or expression in the eyes. Be a good director of content in order
to provide guidance and direction to your subject.
Get creative
Don’t be afraid to shoot your way. Push the
boundaries until you decide a clear path with regards to your shooting style.
Be creative with your setup and always remember to have patience.
Fill in with flash
It’s always a privilege to be there, doing
what you love – right? Have fun. It can take a few accessories and a bit of
time to create some truly stunning images. You should always use a second light
to fill in shadows and gels to inject drama into a shot.
Portraiture pointers
Focus on the eyes
Ensure your model’s eyes are sharp and in
focus, even if there is no direct eye contact in the image. Your viewer will
naturally be drawn to the subject’s eye first.
Ali
Sharaf Photography
Use a prime lens
If you’re serious about portraiture, invest
in a good-quality prime lens. An 85mm lens is ideal for headshots as it won’t
create distortions and should offer you wider aperture settings for more
artistic effects.
Bring out character
Maximise the personality in your portraits
by matching your shoot style to your subject and bring out their character. For
example, if you are photographing children, think about using bright and bold
colours that highlight their youth and playful nature.
Find flattering angles
Avoid shooting a portrait from unflattering
low angles unless you are taking a full body shot. Always angle your camera
slightly down onto the face to shoot, this way you will accentuate the model’s
eyes.
Adjust light intensity
Adjust light intensity
If you can’t control the output strength of
your light source, move your subject closer or further away from the source in
order to get varied results.
Avoid lens flare
If you’re shooting outside on a bright
sunlit day, use your lens hood. This will decrease flare and prevent you from
getting hazy shots that will need more editing work in Photoshop.
Putting it into practice
1. Settings
Settings
When working in the studio, set your camera
up to shoot in manual mode. You will need to adjust your shutter speed to
1/125sec if you’re working with the flash, you can then adjust your aperture to
control depth of field. Don’t forget to keep your ISO low.
2. Setup
Setup
Light your model in the studio with one
main light that is angled above their face. A softbox will create a nice catch
light in their eye. You can use another light or reflector to the side to fill
in shadow areas of your shot.
3. The results
The
results
There is a great catchlight in the model’s
eye, which is lit using two lights in the studio. By using the correct focus
settings, the model’s eyes are nice and sharp.
