Ok heres the deal... I have to take my friend's senior picture for her but I want it to look perfect. So my quesion is : How do I take a better picture of a person? I mean I need some help -thank you for your time!

-- Lindsay Tanner (lindsay18@netzero.net), August 16, 2001

Answers

Come on Lindsay - how about some detail. Nobody can read your mind. Black and White? Color? Formal portrait, environmental portrait? What kind of camera do you have? What kind of experience do you have. Who will do the developing and printing, and etc & etc. We can help you, but you have to ask a specific question, not the meaning of life.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), August 17, 2001.

Maybe even tell us what you thing is wrong with the portraits you've taken, since you're looking for "better". Answer the question: Better than what?

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), August 17, 2001.

Lindsay:

I'm not sure what all you are wanting us to cover here. You might learn a lot if you go to http://www.zuga.net/freelessons/portrait.asp. They cover a lot of the details of lighting and posing. It might help.

-- Ken Burns (kenburns@twave.net), August 17, 2001.

Of all kinds of pictures, perfect ones are the most boring. Add oddness, grit, and riddle, and you will have a fine shot.

-- Tony Rowlett (rowlett@alaska.net), August 20, 2001.

The first rule of portraiture is: "if you want a better picture... bring a better face."

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), August 23, 2001.

It will vary upon lighting, indoor or outdoor photo, noise emission, and how the person would like to be photographed. I'd personally open up the aperture all the way, and have a black and white close-up face photo. They always come out the way you want. I've always loved the stringy, long haired woman photo's I've taken in the past. I've even sold a few around where I'm from. So good luck, and I hope you take my advice, oh, and have fun.

-- Francis Frank (francismap@yahoo.ca), September 17, 2001.