Portraiture 〈95% DIRECT〉

Don’t let hands dangle like dead fish. Give them a job: hold a cup of coffee, adjust a glasses frame, tuck a strand of hair behind an ear. A pure white background is a choice, not a requirement. Placing someone in their natural environment—a baker in their kitchen, a musician by their piano, a gardener among their tomatoes—adds layers of narrative that a blank backdrop simply cannot.

Technical skill gets you a sharp image. Empathy gets you a great portrait. portraiture

Beyond the Smile: 5 Essential Truths About Powerful Portraiture Don’t let hands dangle like dead fish

That’s when the magic happens. What’s your biggest challenge when photographing or drawing people? Let me know in the comments below. Placing someone in their natural environment—a baker in

We’ve all seen them: the stiff, awkward family photos; the “stand-straight-and-look-at-the-camera” corporate headshots. They capture a face , but not a person .