10 Creative Portrait Photography Ideas for Stunning Shots

Has your style become too predictable? Are you stuck on the same style over and over? Maybe you're feeling uninspired and are looking for new angles to approach your work. We've got you covered!

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New ideas to inspire creativity

Are you struggling to come up with creative portrait ideas? Focusing on one type of photography with the same models can become mundane. And hiring professional models can be expensive, so why not explore some new avenues of portrait photography?

Having some extra, unexplored ideas gives you new opportunities to change up your style and renew your inspiration! If you're finding yourself in a bit of a dead end, then try using some of these ideas to spice up your photography and get your creative juices flowing.

Note: Try and keep costs down when experimenting. Instead of using professional models, use family members for a family photoshoot.

‍Right, let's dive into our top 10 portrait photoshoot ideas!

1. Experiment with different lighting

Lighting can have a dramatic effect on the outcome of your portrait photos. A dim or dark photo can create feelings of sadness or melancholy. If you were to change the colours to something much brighter and cheerful, it then might invoke feelings of joy and happiness.

Different lighting tones can convey different things. Experimenting with different lighting setups can create portraits that feel almost entirely different. Even slight changes in lighting can have a dramatic effect on the mood of the photo.

There are a few different lighting techniques that you can try out:

• Split lighting – This technique focuses on illuminating half of a subject's face, creating a split look.
• Broad lighting – With broad lighting, the subject is turned slightly away from a light source. The light hitting the subject creates a larger, bright area, while the part in shadow appears smaller.
• Short lighting – The opposite of broad lighting, the face is turned away from the camera. The side of their face that is away from the camera is towards a light source, leaving the part closest to the camera in shadow.
• Butterfly lighting – Used to create shadows under the nose and chin, as well as around the cheeks. Butterfly lighting is a popular lighting technique that makes a face appear curved and flattering.

If you're in a studio, there are so many different ways for you to change the lighting. If you're outside, and working with natural light, try taking photos throughout the day to get a range of lighting.

2. Use different colour palettes and filters

Experimenting with colour is one of the best ways to come up with new ideas. You can create some truly stunning images by changing the colour and exposure of a photograph.

Many people have their themes and ideas already in mind when starting a new shoot, but this can limit your ability to what you already know. Don't be afraid to implement some of these colour ideas into your next photo shoot.

Black and white photography

Vibrant colours and dynamic lighting can be used to create all sorts of creative shots and portraits. The use of colour naturally draws us in, but so too does the lack of it.

Adding some black and white to your portrait photo ideas can create a whole new world of possibilities. If you're used to creating bright and lively photos, then changing to black and white could be a great idea to help you explore new methods of photography.

Natural light photography

As mentioned earlier, natural light can be a great way to make creative portraits that can pop. Explore taking pictures from a variety of different angles to make the most of the light. You can play with the tiny details in lighting by experimenting with other times of the day.

Seeing how the light changes the model's face will provide you with a wide variety of different photos. If you plan on using this lighting technique for your next photoshoot, it is a good idea to start early and take photos throughout the day to get the best shot.

Night photography

Portrait photography and self-portraits might not seem to be best done at night, but the night sky combined with city lights can create a portrait that feels like an entirely different world.

If you're not familiar with shooting portraits in a night setting, then night photography is the perfect excuse to try out new methods and creative poses.

Low-key portrait photography

To shoot portraits in low-key light means to only use a dim light. It can be difficult to get right, but when done correctly, you will only illuminate part of the portrait photos.

This creates a certain ambience to the portrait that allows people to focus on the subject of the photo, making it appear more pronounced.

If the subject is a model's face, then this can emphasize facial expressions and features like the subject's eyes. Or you could use it to make a certain facial feature stand out against the rest.

High-contrast portrait photography

High contrast serves a similar purpose to low-key photography. Instead of lighting, high contrast uses colours to make parts of the image stand out. They can be black and white like the image above, or they can use a whole variety of different colours.

Infrared portrait photography

If your camera comes with infrared, this is a good opportunity to create some unique photos with an interesting perspective. Infrared isn't visible to the human eye, so an infrared camera lens can capture things that are usually invisible to us.

3. Finding new locations

Nothing can be more tiring than repeatedly using the same locations or backgrounds. We all have our favourite spots, but overusing them can make photos boring, and won't advance your photography skills.

Visiting new places and locations is a fantastic way to get new photo portrait ideas. A city could be used for contemporary designs, with slick designs and grayer colours. A more exotic location like a beach could have more vibrant colours that make use of the sun to make it come to life.

Travel photography is an excellent way to explore different portrait photography themes. You could even choose a different theme for each location you go to if you want to get creative.

If you travel a lot to different environments all over the world, then research some outdoor portrait photography ideas before you go, so you have some plans for when you arrive.

4. Studio portrait ideas

Studios are great! They come with all kinds of props and proper lighting setups that can help you create the exact kind of picture you want.

If you have the money to use a studio, then it is worth using. If you don't mind an inside area, the studio can be used to create unique photos that you might struggle to take otherwise.

Plan so that you make the most of your time, with prompts in mind for your subjects. Knowing what you're looking for will save you the effort of wasted shots.

5. Practise different kinds of shots

You're not limited to front or side profiles when taking pictures. Many portrait photographers will try out many different shots until they find one that is right. The shooting process can be a long one, making patience key to finding the perfect shot.

Try out these different portrait photography techniques to find what works best for you.

Traditional portrait photography

While not the most exciting of the portrait photoshoot ideas. Traditional photography has endured thanks to its simplicity.

A traditional portrait photo is usually done in a studio, with a simple background and a front-profile picture of the subject.

These kinds of photos aren't necessarily meant to be creative or invoke certain emotions, rather they are meant to show a clear and concise image of the subject.

Close-up portrait photography

Shooting close up shots is nothing new, and might not always be the best option. When you want to get a subject up close, and in vivid detail, then a close-up shot might be what you want.

Taking portraits from up close risks being unflattering, but with the right skills and techniques, you could create a portrait that stands out above the rest.

Candid portrait photography

A candid style photo is a picture taken without the knowledge of the subject. This doesn't mean that the subject is unaware there'll be a photo taken, just that they'll not know when it will be taken.

To shoot candidly during a portrait photoshoot creates a natural and unscripted image. What you're seeing isn't planned out, it's honest.

Low-angle and different perspectives

You can use low angles to create different perspectives. Taking photos from different and unusual angles can create forced perspectives that highlight a certain part of the image, making it stand out against the background and everything else.

Start shooting from one angle, and then move to the next. Different locations and places may look better from a different angle.

If you're feeling like you need a dash of inspiration, then try changing up the perspective and angle for your next photoshoot idea.

Eye portrait photography

If you want to try something really unique, then eye portrait photography is worth a shot. As you can guess, this kind of photography focuses on the subject's eyes.

Eye photography can convey an array of emotions with a simple image. Try out some close-ups of eye shots and see what comes out.

6. Lifestyle portraits

Lifestyle is similar to portrait photography, but it's about capturing moments in life. It is especially good with family photoshoots, to show natural family moments and create lasting memories.

‍Lifestyle photography tells a story of a moment in someone's life. Having a prompt ready can help the subjects know what to convey.

A prompt can be anything from direct instructions to a subtle nudge in a certain direction. The point of lifestyle photography is to make it seem natural, like everyday life.

7. Self Portrait photography

Self portraiture is the art of using yourself as the model in your photography. Selfies are a form of self-portraits and they are exceedingly popular.

Selfies usually refer to the everyday photos of the photographer in an interesting location or just going through everyday life. These kinds of photos are made to show people the lifestyle and journey of the photographer.

Self portraits differ slightly in that they are usually more professional. Selfies are usually shot on a phone while a self portrait might want a photo camera.

There are plenty of self portrait photography ideas that are fun and unique. You could use any of the methods previously mentioned to convey how a location or place makes you feel.

If you want some professional headshots and don't want to hire a portrait photographer, then they can easily be done yourself.

8. Use silhouettes

Like using black and white photography, silhouettes can be used to create a similar effect. Usually, a silhouette would have the subject faded or completely darker. This draws attention to the shape and form of the subject.

If you want to start using silhouettes, start thinking about props and outfits that have recognisable outlines so that you can create discerning shapes without the use of colour.

9. Use motion blur

Motion blur is an effect that can blur parts of a subject or a background. Blurring the background can make a subject appear more vividly and draw the viewer's attention to a certain part of the photo.

It is different from other blurring effects. If you want to blur the background but show movement at the same time, then motion blur can do that for you.

Motion blur is an effect you can put on your photos typically in post production.

10. Post production

After you've done your photoshoots, you might feel that your photos still need a little something else. Things like changing contrasts, applying filters, or a double exposure effect can be used in post-production, as well as a whole slew of other effects.

Software like Adobe can be used to edit and fine-tune your images to make them stand out. There are some free image editing tools such as Canva, but for proper editing, a tool like Adobe would be best for creating your fun portrait photography ideas.

Some basic production effects include:

• Brightness – Changing the brightness of the image can bring out details, or hide them away. It is done on an overall scale, meaning that it will change the entirety of the image. This can be useful if an image is too dark or too bright. Increasing darkness can help to make some of the finer details more visible.
• Contrast – Changing and increasing contrast means changing the intensity of the colours of your photo. A higher contrast means that certain colours will stand out more against others. Dark colours become darker while light colours become brighter.
• Saturation – This affects the intensity of the colours in an image. If a picture is looking a bit flat, then changing the saturation can make the colours appear more vivid. It can also be used to lessen colours if they are too vivid.
• Sharpen – Sharpening an image is at it sounds, it takes soft edges and makes them appear sharper. This technique is useful if an image comes out too soft or blurry, and needs to have better focus.
• Warmth – A useful scale that affects the red, orange and yellow colours in an image. By increasing the scale these colours will become more pronounced. Decreasing the scale will make the colours blue, green and violet appear more prominently (The 'cool' colours).

Highlights – Highlights specifically refer to the brightest parts of a photo. Increasing the highlights will increase the brightness and intensity of these parts.

Explore different camera options

A simpler solution to feeling uninspired may just be a change in camera. Having a new camera can be exciting and make you want to get out there and start taking photos.

You could also try different shutter speeds or photo-taking options. You can try using a fast shutter speed and compare it to a slow shutter speed, or you could take photos in burst mode

.Exploring everything that your camera has to offer might make you realise you missed something that makes all the difference.

Explore and Experiment!

Whether it's trying new shots or using different colours, you will never expand your skills if you don't explore new avenues of photography.

Don't be afraid of messing up and having to do a double take, and don't worry if you don't like the outcome either. The point of trying new things isn't always to succeed, but to widen your horizons.

TYX London Photography Studio

At TYX Photography Studios London, we support our customers with the best equipment, amazing spaces, and expert advice. Our photography studios feature top-of-the-line equipment and lighting to ensure that you get the very best photos you can.

Whatever you're looking for, whether it is something small, or a professional photoshoot, our dedicated team is here to help you capture those moments with crystal clear clarity and creativity.