Portrait Photography: Tips and Methods

By: Richard Schneider

Portrait is defined as, “A likeness of a person, especially one showing the face, that is created by a painter or photographer, for example.” In the area of portrait photography there are some guidelines that you should consider when you go to take photos of people.

The different types of portraits are: close-ups, facial shots, upper body shots or environmental portraits. Environmental portraits are where you focus on the subject and on their surroundings that provide more character to the subject.

When people have a camera in their face it usually makes them nervous and they will try to put on a face that does not portray who they really are. The real skill to portrait photography is trying to capture photos when the subjects are comfortable and not worried about a camera.

Many professional photographers try to capture their subject’s true essence by using tricks. One example of this is counting to three so the subject prepares and then while they are relaxing after taking a planned photo the photographer will snap a few more unplanned photos. In most cases the subject won’t even know that more than one photo was taken but it’s usually the photos that the subject wasn’t expecting that capture their true essence.

Another more common strategy professionals use is to tell funny jokes that make their subjects genuinely laugh or smile. I’m sure that you have probably experienced something like this yourself.

CLOSE-UP PORTRAITS

These usually have the subject’s shoulders and head or less. They are framed around the face. These are the most common and best at capturing expressions and glamour shots. For these it is very important to have the light coming from a good angle. To accent wrinkles or small details you should have the light coming from the side or from the top. To create flattering pictures you should choose a cloudy day or try to create diffused light so there are hardly any shadows. Also make sure the subject is brighter than the background to reduce distraction.

For close-up portraits you should use a wide aperture (low f/stop) to make the background out of focus and therefore less of a distraction. Professionals commonly use a fixed telephoto lens that’s 90 mm or higher for portraits in order to de-emphasize the subject’s nose or any other unflattering feature. It works because at that distance the nose or any other feature does not seem closer to the camera than the rest of the face.

UPPER BODY OR MIDRANGE PORTRAITS

These are easier to capture because the subject is probably more relaxed because it’s less personal. These include a little more of the background than close-ups. These are commonly used for both single subjects and multiple subjects. This is the kind of portrait used to mark occasions such as graduation, yearbook, birthdays and other parties. The ideal lens would be about a 90 mm fixed telephoto or more wide angle depending on how many subjects there are.

ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAITS

These are the portraits that let you into the life of a subject. They might include the whole subject in a scenario or the subject participating in some hobby that they enjoy. These are best for telling a story to the viewer about the subject. They are almost always used by photojournalists to look into the lives of interesting people. They also make great Black and White pictures.

Use this information to develop what kind of portrait style you would like to take, and then practice it before dealing with any serious clients.

Teen with Emotional Problems

by: Nivea David

A high percentage of teens -- nearly one-half -- had experienced some traumatic event in their adolescent years. Nearly one-fifth of the nation's teens are suffering from emotional disorders.

Some have faced violence and abuse in their lives and have enormous difficulty dealing with it. The result: clinical depression, even posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For others, the trouble is internal -- they battle an inherited anxiety disorder, triggered by troubling life experiences. Unfortunately, few adolescents are getting the psychological help they need.

People with good emotional health are in control of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They feel positive about themselves and have good relationships.

They can keep their problems in perspective. They have both self-awareness and self-control.Your child's teenage years can be a difficult time. Teens may feel overwhelmed by the Emotional and physical changes they are going through. At the same time, teens may be facing a number of pressures -¬ from friends to fit in and from parents and other adults to do well in school, or activities like sports or part-time jobs.

The teenage years are a time of transition from childhood into adulthood. Teens often struggle with being dependent on their parents while having a strong desire to be independent. They may experiment with new values, ideas, hairstyles and clothing as they try to define who they are. Although this may be uncomfortable for parents, it is a normal part of being a teenager.

Communicating your love for your child is the single most important thing you can do. Children decide how they feel about themselves in large part by how their parents react to them. For this reason, it's important for parents to help their children feel good about themselves.Don't ignore a problem in the hopes that it will go away. It is easier to cope with problems when they are small. This also gives you and your teen the opportunity to learn how to work through problems together.

Is it a behavioral disorder such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), a pattern of negative, defiant, and disobedient behavior, or Conduct Disorder, where your child repeatedly and persistently violates rules and the rights of others without concern or empathy? Perhaps the most important question of all for parents to consider is, how much distress is your child’s problem causing you, the child, or other members of the family?

If you suspect there is a problem, ask your teen about what is bothering him or her. And then don’t be afraid to ask for help. Many resources are listed here

http://www.abundantlifeacademy.com/

http://www.restoringtroubledteens.com/

http://www.troubledteensdirectory.com/

http://www.troubledteensguide.com/

They can be of great help. They are user-friendly guide for professionals who supervise, manage, teach, or treat teenagers who get into trouble.

Shy and Withdrawn Teens

by: Monica Craft

Shy or Withdrawn Behavior as Destructive or Maladaptive. Hundreds of thousands of teens are bullied every day. Bullying has everyone worried, not just the kids on its receiving end. Yet because parents, teachers, and other adults don't always see it, they may not understand how extreme bullying can get.

Social withdrawal is fear of, or withdrawal from, people or social situations. Shyness becomes a problem when it interferes with relationships with others, in social situations, or other aspect's of a child's life. Problems with shyness are usually evident by the time a child is three years old.

The shy/withdrawn adolescent may have major conflicts and issues but nobody knows. In fact, sometimes parents are not able to detect the internal storm or struggle in the shy or withdrawn, largely due to an external calm.

Shy and withdrawn teens are oftentimes highly sensitive to their immediate environment. Parents thus need to be available and consistent in their actions. Many adolescents lack an internal structure for control and find it difficult to focus on a consistent and constructive problem-solving plan. Parents can help by providing meaningful structure..

Unfortunately, teens may not have the self-awareness to recognize how their detachment and withdrawal can stimulate frustration and even anger in parents. At the same time, they need a strong relationship with a trusting adult. By learning more about how shy/withdrawn behavior in teens occurs via assessment, parents and practitioners can learn how to treat its negative aspects.

Assessment: One way to conceptualize shy/withdrawn behavior is to view a teen as "internalizing" his difficulties by becoming preoccupied or self-conscious. This type of behavior is often contrasted with the sometimes more obvious "externalizing" problems of an outgoing, direct teen who is busy stealing cars, drinking and causing trouble for others.

Common Reasons for Shyness and Withdrawal:

1) Self-consciousness (related to appearance, behavior)

2) Under-developed social skills

3) Substance abuse

4) Underlying feelings of insecurity and/or inadequacy

5) Significant introversion with ambivalent emotions

6) Identity confusion or uncertainty

In assessing your teen, look at whether or not your child is compliant or defiant, reserved or outgoing, routine or spontaneous. The shy/withdrawn teen will tend toward compliance, be reserved and prefer routine. He/she may move away or avoid others when difficulties arise. At times, withdrawn behavior can take on the role of indirect (sometimes passive-aggressive) anger.

Below are suggestions for children who are socially anxious, while parents should contact a licensed professional for more specific anxiety problems.

Build your child’s self esteem

Develop your child’s social skills.

Allow your child to warm up to a situation and don't push them too hard.

Expose your child to different situations

Provide love, affection, and attention to your child

Teach positive self talk

Why is it you know exactly where your shy and withdrawn teen is? Go to :

http://www.abundantlifeacademy.us

http://www.abundantlifeacademy.info

There are ways to help manage the fear and all it takes is some effort to find those answers. Advice for teachers on how to work with shy children in the classroom. Experienced professionals who specialize in anxiety disorders provide useful insights and tips for adults, children, parents and teachers.