Tip of the week ... how to take a snappy portrait
Plan ahead. Don
Tip of the week ...
how to take a snappy portrait
Plan ahead. For any picture you intend to distribute to the public, “decide on everything before you start shooting,” from clothing to setting. The former should be simple—no bold patterns. The latter should have proper lighting.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Don’t use direct light. “To avoid accentuating Mom’s wrinkles,” employ indirect light. Find a place, indoors or out, where the sun reflects off white walls. “Reflected daylight is incredibly flattering.”
Ditch the tripod. “Sure, it keeps the camera steady,” but you’ll like the results better if you can move around and take shots from several different angles. Particularly if you’re photographing pets or children, “you need to enter their world.” That means getting down on hands and knees.
Play with Photoshop or other photo-editing software, and learn a few simple but useful effects. Just be sure to save the original. “If you modify some areas too much,” you may want to revert back.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Taking aim at Venezuela’s autocrat
Feature The Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Nicolás Maduro. Is he a threat to the U.S.?
-
Comey indictment: Is the justice system broken?
Feature U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying and obstructing Congress
-
Government shuts down amid partisan deadlock
Feature As Democrats and Republicans clash over health care and spending, the shutdown leaves 750,000 federal workers in limbo