Portrait Photography

Inspiration & Exploration

Portrait photography is everywhere once you start looking — in galleries, magazines, social media, and the faces of people you pass every day. Begin your exploration by browsing the free online archives of **Magnum Photos** (magnumphotos.com) and the **Library of Congress photography collection**, both completely free. Search for photographers like Dorothea Lange, Yousuf Karsh, and contemporary Utah photographer **Brian Smale** to see how composition and light change everything. Visit the **Utah Museum of Contemporary Art** in downtown Salt Lake City, which frequently features photography exhibitions. Start a phone camera portrait journal this week — photograph three people (with permission) and three interesting faces you find in public art or murals around the city. Notice what draws your eye to certain images. You're ready for the next step when you can describe what specifically makes one portrait photo more compelling than another.

Tools & Techniques

The best camera for portrait photography is the one you already own. Your phone camera is completely capable of producing stunning portraits. The most important technique to learn immediately is **portrait mode** (available on most modern phones) which blurs the background and makes your subject pop. On YouTube, search **"portrait photography for beginners DSLR or iPhone"** by Peter McKinnon — his free tutorials are clear and fun. Learn three essential terms: **aperture** (controls background blur), **golden hour** (the warm light just after sunrise or before sunset), and **catchlights** (the small reflections in the eyes that make portraits feel alive). The **Salt Lake City Public Library** has photography books by free checkout. Practice these techniques in your backyard or a local park. You're ready for the next step when you can correctly explain what catchlights are and show an example in a photo you took.

First Creations

Your first portrait session should feel low-pressure. Ask someone you are comfortable with — a friend, sibling, or parent — to be your subject for twenty minutes outside. Choose open shade (under a tree or on a porch) rather than direct sun, which creates harsh shadows. Take at least thirty photos, moving around your subject and trying different distances and angles. Do not delete anything yet. Afterward, go through every photo and pick your top five. The free app **Snapseed** (by Google) lets you adjust brightness, contrast, and sharpness without spending anything. Watch **"How to take portraits with natural light"** on the free **B&H Photo YouTube channel**. The goal is not perfection — it is learning to see. You're ready for the next step when you can choose your five best shots and explain what made each one work better than the others you deleted.

Style Development

Style in portrait photography comes from consistent choices about light, distance, color, and mood. Start studying photographers whose work excites you and try to copy their approach intentionally. If you love the warm, golden look, go out during the last hour of sunlight near **Memory Grove Park** or **Red Butte Garden**. If you prefer dramatic black and white, shoot in overcast light and convert in Snapseed. Try three different "looks" this week: environmental portraits (subject in their natural setting), close-up detail portraits, and candid unposed moments. Search **"portrait photography styles guide"** on YouTube's free **Adorama channel**. Look at the work of Utah-based photographers on Instagram using **#utahphotographer** for local inspiration. You're ready for the next step when you can identify your preferred portrait style and recreate it intentionally in two different sessions.

Refine Your Craft

Refining your portrait photography means understanding light well enough to control it, not just react to it. Study the difference between **Rembrandt lighting** (a small triangle of light on the shadow side of the face), **loop lighting**, and **butterfly lighting** by searching those exact terms on YouTube — the free **Adorama** and **B&H Photo** channels both have clear tutorials. Practice each pattern using a window as your only light source, moving your subject closer and farther from the glass. Learn to use a white foam board ($2 at a dollar store) as a reflector to fill dark shadows. Join a local photo walk — **Salt Lake Photo Walk** meets monthly and is free to attend. Review your past photos with fresh eyes and identify the one technical problem you want to fix most. You're ready for the next step when you can set up Rembrandt lighting using only a window and a reflector.

Portfolio Piece

Your portfolio piece is a planned portrait session with intention behind every decision. Choose your subject, location, time of day, and the mood you want to create before you pick up your camera. Scout your location ahead of time — **Liberty Park**, **Gilgal Sculpture Garden**, or the **Fisher Mansion neighborhood** offer great variety. Plan your lighting setup and bring your foam board reflector. Shoot at least fifty frames, then edit your top ten down to three final selects using Snapseed or the free version of **Lightroom Mobile**. Export at full resolution and create a simple before-and-after comparison to show your editing choices. Share your final portrait to the **SLCTrips community** and tag it **#SLCTripsCreative**. You're ready for the next step when you can walk someone through exactly why you made each technical and creative decision in your final portrait.