What Makes a Photo Work as a Portrait Reference
Sharp eyes, even light, and a head that fills the frame. Everything else is negotiable.
By Ruff & Royal
· 1 min read
We can work with a lot, but three things are hard to rescue after the fact.
The eyes must be sharp
Everything else can be soft. If the eyes are blurred there is no portrait, because that is where a viewer looks first and stays longest.
The light must be even
Harsh midday sun leaves half the face in shadow and the other half blown out. Overcast days are better than sunny ones for this exact reason.
The head must be large in the frame
A photo of your dog across a field has no detail in the face, no matter how many megapixels the file claims.
