How to Get Great Portraits Without Fancy Equipment

So, I'll be the first to admit, that I am always looking at what new gadget or photography tool is coming out to help me achieve better photographs. But I'm also always amazed at how some of my favorite photographers are able to achieve beautiful photographs without hardly any fancy gear at all.

It's so easy to feel like having 12 studio lights, 3 flashes, 2 reflectors and the newest tripod will make you a better photographer, but at the end of the day, the best photographers are the ones that know how to improvise and still create beautiful results when the equipment isn't there- or worse, when it fails.

Take this portrait of my dad for example.

At the time, my big wishlist item was a studio backdrop. I didn't have one. In fact, I barely had anything besides a camera, which is still my preferred method in most cases.

I had just gotten a new camera however, and I was wanting to test it, so I asked my dad if he could pose for me.

I was visiting my parents for the weekend so we were at their house, and I literally just opened their front door, which happened to be black, to let in some natural light and took the photograph. There were some patterns on the door that I was able to hide in the shadows, but that's honestly all it was! A black door, some natural light and a camera.

Too often I feel like we try to over complicate photography. We want it to sound crazy technical and intense to make it seem like we know more or we are more professional, which to an extent can be true. But don't ever underestimate what you can accomplish with just a camera and some good lighting.

Do you want to know the most important things I look for in order to get beautiful photographs every time? Here are my top 3 things to pay attention to that will instantly improve your photos:

1) Good Lighting

I mentioned it before, but really good lighting is the most important part of taking great photographs, since photography, in essence, is all about capturing light.

I always try to use natural light from the sun as much as possible because it has a much more realistic and natural feel to it. Next time you shoot, position your subject near a window if they are indoors, or in a full-shade or full-sun area if you're outdoors (to avoid weird shadows on the subject.)

As you shoot, play with the position of the subject and the position of the light by moving around with your camera, or asking your subject to turn one way or the other.

Photographers use light positioning to create a variety of different looks and styles. Backlight can create a kind of hazy, glowy shot, or a nice silhouette while front lighting (or light shining directly on the front of a subject) had a more stark, poppy feel.

I like to use light that filters in on the front, or at a side angle, like the photo of my dad, because it creates a more dramatic effect and adds more interest to the angles of the face.

This was taken in an outdoor stairwell with natural light pouring in from the top. All we did was have Belle look up so her face was well-lit and we got some great illumination while also achieving shadows on the opposite side of her face and under her neck which added dimension and interest.

2) Clean/Clear spaces

Another really big one is the clutter or cleanliness of the space you're shooting in. This is why so many professional photography studios are basically big empty rooms with lots of windows.

Too much stuff in the background or foreground or a shot can be distracting and take focus away from your actual subject. You want to make sure that you have a clean and fairly empty background so whoever is viewing your work can see what you actually wanted them to focus on- your subject.

For me, I feel like I avoid a lot of really "natural" or "rustic" spots outdoors. In Utah that usually means a lot of random tree branches and bushes sticking out in random directions. Not to say you can never shoot outdoors, but make sure that when you do, you're still paying attention to the space and finding a spot that's not too busy or distracting. The last thing you want is to get home and realize that there's a big tree branch that looks like it's sticking out of your model's head in every shot.

If you don't really have a space like that where you shoot, trying making something to take with you. A lot of photographers will use some kind of plain foam core board that they can prop up behind their subject to make it look like they're in a clean space. Or try using a front door like I did!

Another option is to use some kind of fabric or material. Even though I still have fancy photo studio backdrops on my wishlist, I find that you can still get-by just using a nice sheet or fabric. Just make sure that it's not wrinkled or crooked.

I loved shooting photos of this couple at the Utah State Capitol Building where the clean marble walls added just enough texture and interest without stealing the focus away from the lovely pair.

3) Focus

One of the biggest mistakes I see, and sometimes made myself! was when you have a great shot, but the camera was focused on the wrong spot. This can really come into play if you have a low f stop but your shot has different dimensions (when there are other objects in front or behind your subject that create a sense of depth). Sometimes, if you leave your camera on autofocus, you might find that it shows your subject to be in focus, but when you look back later, it was just their hair that was in focus and not their face.

When I shoot I try to place the focus of my camera not just on my subject's face, but on their eyes. This makes a huge difference, because the eyes are generally what we look for and where we feel that sense of connection to the subject, even if they are looking away from us.

How could eyes like that NOT be the focus of attention?

I hope these tips help you with your next shoot and give you confidence to try things out and play around, even if you don't have all the fancy gear.