Photographing people, especially friends and family, is a lot of fun. Now it’s time to get creative and take your portrait photography skills to the next level. These tips will help you turn snap-shots into photographs you will cherish.

1. Do not place your subject in the middle of the frame. Rarely do you want someone in the center because it does not make for an interesting photograph. Experiment putting your subject to one side of the frame- by doing that you include some background which adds context.

2. You will want soft lighting for portrait photography. By keeping the light source to your back, you will avoid backlighting your subject, which makes them dark (this is a cool effect sometimes) losing detail in their face. Natural, outdoor lighting is best, and that is usually before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

3. Some cameras will have a „Portrait“ setting, which sets a shallow depth of field that creates a blurred background. This is a great feature because you subject is the main focus. Manually, you can set your aperture below 5.6 to get the same effect.

4. Don’t be afraid to get close to your subject. Zoom in; fill the frame with their face. Also, photograph your subject looking somewhere else besides the camera. Always make sure that your subject is comfortable and having fun.

5. While many portraits are of the subject’s face, not all of them have to be. Try capturing a portrait without the subject’s face. What do their hands, feet, or possessions say about them? Where do they work, where are they in their element, where do they enjoy spending time?

6. Be creative. Try tilting the camera, or have the person move around. In low lighting (and using a tripod), you can use a long shutter speed to create streaking effects.

There are no set rules, so just have fun. Your subject may have some great ideas for specific shots or locations. It is always nice to send your subject a great photo of them after the photo shoot.