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Digital Portrait Photography

Set Everything Up Beforehand

SUMMARY: If you are taking a formal photograph of a subject, try to set your lighting and environment up beforehand.

If you are doing a formal portrait, to as great as extent as possible, try to set up the environment and lighting beforehand.

With outdoor shots, scout a photo location and clean it of loose twigs, leaves, etc., and test the lighting conditions. For indoor shots, set up the background and studio lighting and take a few test shots with a book, stuffed animal, pet, friend, or whatever or whoever acting as the subject.

When your subject(s) arrive, you don't want them waiting around. The less your subject(s) wait, the less of a chance they have of fidgeting while you are taking the photo.

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