Master the Portrait Background
To Create Spectacular Portraits

Do you begin thinking about what pose would "work best" with the environment?

Or, does it only occur to you AFTER you look at the final photo, thinking: "Oh, that looks nice (or, awful)."

Or, like most people, do you picture the close-up face of a child filling up the frame, without even noticing what the background is?

When taking portraits, there are three basic elements to consider:

1. The Subject, and how much of their face will fill up the entire frame

2. The Portrait Background – what to use (if indoors) or where to pose the subject (if outdoors)

3. Fine-tuning Touches like props, expression, and poses

However, to create a portrait that's a definite cut above the others, all three elements should be addressed and balanced. Therefore, let's explore the many facets of the portrait background.

As for what is the BEST portrait background – that is far beyond the scope of this website. But what we will do here is provide lots of options, suggestions, and approaches to make the portraits you do take, as stellar as possible.

1. Distraction:
   
   Think about the background for your portrait. For the most part, this is simply common sense. Which type of background do you think distracts viewers more:
   • A busy wallpaper pattern that screams: "Look at me!" Or,

   • A background having a solid wall color (or backdrop) that is not overpoweringly bright? (Don't you wish the tests in school were this easy?)
   
   
   
2. Eliminate The Competition:
   
   Background COLOR also plays a part, but not as critical a one as you might think. Bottom line, as long as the background color does not overpower or wash out your subjects, it's fine. Photographers often get into endless discussions regarding the best background color, be it white, black, or something in between.

   The critical thing is for your SUBJECT TO BE THE PRIMARY POINT OF FOCUS in the portrait. That means that  (like what this text is doing).

   Having your subjects sitting on a piece of furniture can work well or be a disaster; depending upon how much the viewer's attention will be drawn to the furniture rather than the subject.

   For example, a jewel-studded throne will be considerably more distracting than a plain wooden chair.

   (If you're still glancing at the rainbox text above, remember that viewers of your portraits can be just as distracted by the portrait background.)
   
   

3. Take Numerous Photos:
   
   One of the "obvious secrets" in digital photography is to take gobs and gobs of photos. It's much easier to delete unwanted shots than it is to try and recapture a priceless portrait.

   It's easier to let your creative juices run wild, when each click of the shutter doesn't cost you 50 cents, like in the days of film. And don't stop at just capturing portraits of individuals. Expand the photographic envelope: Take group pictures focusing on different aspects, such as:

   • Positions - everyone facing the camera at the same angle; facing each other, etc.

   • Same-sex pairs and groups (all men, aunts, etc.)

   • Multigenerational

   • Very playful poses.

   Then for the photographs, take close-ups, three-quarter shots, full body, etc. in both landscape and portrait view.
   
   

4. Wash Off the Dirt:
   
   In addition to not wanting a distracting portrait background, you also don't want your subjects to have anything distracting on them when you take their picture.

   Provide enough time so that everybody has a chance to check themselves out in a mirror to remove that last "goodbye lipstick kiss" from Aunt Jenny. If you are at a family function such as a family reunion, anniversary party, or birthday party, give everybody enough notice by announcing your intention of taking family photographs... and tell everyone when you plan to do so.
   
   

5. "I'm Going to Disneyland:"
   Develop a "theme park" mentality. If one of your subjects had just received an award or was somehow honored, pose the family in such a way as to immortalize the award by reenacting the event. The most important thing is to have fun trying out new positions and groupings that will be fondly remembered in the future.

If the group does wear coordinated outfits, the portrait background takes on even more importance because this time, the portrait background should really match the overall color scheme. You've gone through all the trouble to coordinate everyone's look; don't ruin it with a portrait background that clashes.

Spring

Placing individuals or groups in front of trees and flowers of various colors will produce a portrait to be remembered. Just remember depth of field - to blur out the background (probably not what you would want to do in this situation), use a small F-stop such as F/2.8. To include the background, use a large F-stop such as F/11.

Although some might argue that this is not a traditional portrait, here are some suggestions when photographing groups so that you can take advantage of different portrait backgrounds:

• Everyone sitting on a grassy hill

• A stream or river in the midst of complimentary foliage

• In the middle of flowers in the field

• Take advantage of rustic wooden structures such as old barns, fences, or fallen trees in the woods

• Incorporate brightly colored objects such as fruits or vegetables in a theme with your family

Summer

There's nothing wrong with those ideas, but I'll bet we could get a little more creative.

• Rather than take "traditional" beach photos, pose your family underneath a pier. A family portrait where everyone is posed between and next to the pier's pylons, with their feet in the water, will present a new definition of "our family at the beach."

• In most large cities, there are numerous festivals and street fairs full of color. After posing your family against one of these backdrops, stick around to take some shots of the event.

• Hot air balloons

• Amusement parks

• Use the water. How many different ideas or themes can you think of involving water? If you go down to a harbor, you can get some great fun shots posing in front of different yachts. You can even have one person handing a set of keys to another while pointing to the yacht.

Fall

That's when you want to get everyone together for that special fall portrait.

• Find a large fallen tree trunk in the woods for your family to sit on while you capture the family portrait in the midst of brilliant colors.
  
  
• You can also make good use of the fallen leaves by using them as a portrait background, as in the photo above.

Winter

• Have your family wear their most brightly colored snowsuits and get ready to have some fun.

  You'll have almost too many possibilities to manage… from close-ups in colorful masks and hats to everyone forming their own version of snow angels.
  
  

• If your family enjoys skiing, almost anywhere you go will have perfect nature-filled portrait backgrounds, such as mountains, trees, lodges, ski jumps, etc.
  
  
• If you don't want to drive off to the mountains, take a look around your own area, even your home. After a fresh snowfall, there are numerous portrait backgrounds in the form of snow drifts, snowmen, and icicles.

Simple Photography Portrait Tips that Everyone Can Apply

How to Create Effective Portrait Backgrounds