Portrait photography involves taking pictures of a person or group. This usually requires photography skills in lighting, composition, posing, and direct interaction with the subjects. Portrait photography ranges from wedding portraits to high school yearbook photos, and everything in-between. Here are some reasons why every photographer should consider learning portrait photography.
For photographers who are just making their big step from amateur to professional, portrait photography is a great, cost-effective starting place. There is not much required equipment and typically you won’t need a huge selection of lenses. Portrait photography can be done in a studio or on-site, so there are tons of ways for budding photographers to cost-effectively find business and get to work.
Portrait photography involves direct interaction with a lot of people. Learning portrait photography is a great way to also learn how to best interact with clients that nearly every kind of photographer will deal with at one point or another. It is also a great way to build connections and establish oneself in the industry.
There is a reason so many photographers offer portrait services! There is a ton of business in portrait photography, enough to keep most photographers at work full-time. A photographer may take portraits of a newborn, and then be the family’s go-to photographer for every life event following. It is a great way to build connections and ensure steady work, even when pursuing other photography endeavors.
Portrait photography allows many photographers to work for themselves. Because of the low startup costs, many photographers can begin marketing themselves immediately to start finding work. With resources such as My Wedding Photographer & More, photographers can sign up to gain access to tons of people looking for portrait photographers with specific skill sets.
Lastly, learning portrait photography is great experience. It offers lessons in the importance of light, composition, posing, relationship building, and timing. It is the ideal starting place for many photographers, and often the ideal lifelong career.