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Maki Kawakita - Ten Tips on Making Portraits More Interesting Olympus Shooter and Celebrity Portaitist Maki Kawakita offers Ten Tips on How To Make Portraits More Interesting Article rating: 8.16

1. Research your subject and have a couple of concepts in mind for the shot. Bring a few different props to the shoot so that you can experiment. It could be something as simple as a bowl, a banana, or yellow tape to wrap around the subject. You never know what people are going to be willing to do, and often they surprise you.

2. Pay attention to your background. Choose something interesting and view it as an integral part of your image. If there’s a Coca-Cola billboard with script behind you, use it as part of your composition. If there’s signage, it could be interesting to shoot your subject from below and get the signage floating above him.

3. Choose an interesting angle. To make someone look tall and imposing, shoot from a low angle. Conversely, shooting from above will foreshorten the body and can make your subject look like a cartoon character. For a beauty shot of a woman, it’s often good to shoot from just slightly above and to one side.

4. Make your portrait into a story. If you’re shooting a little girl, consider giving her an interesting prop: a big piece of candy, for example. Even if you’re shooting a subject against a plain white background, the subject’s gesture can help create a narrative. In Herb Ritts’ portrait of Eddie Murphy, Murphy is shot against a white background but he’s just breaking into song, and that’s what makes the portrait sing too.

5. Keep it simple. One idea is plenty. You don’t need a girl eating candy in a playground with a dog and three parrots. Obviously, some people can pull complicated ideas off, but they know how to work the situation perfectly.

6. Find the moment that’s right for you and the subject. Focus on the shoot and don’t miss out the crucial second.

7. Consider using a wide-angle lens. This makes whatever is in the center of the frame get bigger, which can make a portrait look more animated. But beware: some people (including Hollywood celebrities) might not like being shot that way, so make sure to take a regular lens as well.

8. Invest in a simple, foldable round reflector. They usually cost between $20 to $80, depending on size. If you have a shadow on your subject, use the reflector to bounce light onto the subject. It makes for a more professional and stylish look.

9. Avoid white clothing and direct lights. If you shoot a woman wearing a white shirt, it will blow out the highlights in your shot and the woman will look bigger as a result. A direct light source in the frame will show up as a white spot on your image and people’s eyes will be drawn to it.

10. Be prepared to shoot a lot. Often, the subject is stiff at the beginning of the shoot, and loosens up progressively. Bring extra Smart Media cards for your camera so that you have plenty of storage. Sometimes, you’ll get the best shot of all at the end of the shoot.

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	What an interesting artist this Maki K. is! She looks at a particular person or idea and creates a universe. She has exquisite visual depth as well as perceptive depth in bringing her imagination to life. I could fall into her photos and never come back. Posted by: W. Newman Jan 9, 2008 @ 12:44 AM EST
	It's OK but after 20 years of playing with photography it's nothing new !! Posted by: Winston J. Cushing Jan 15, 2008 @ 5:40 PM EST
	It's OK but after 20 years of playing with photography it's nothing new !! Posted by: Winston J. Cushing Jan 15, 2008 @ 5:42 PM EST
	This is very interesting that I have seen from Maki -- seen one of here photo shoots from Shutterbug back about five years ago.....keep up the adventure. Posted by: MickeyD ----- Friend of Louie Suero which is a Friend of Maki Jan 15, 2008 @ 11:40 PM EST
	I wish I could take amazing pics like these. I've just bought a Canon G9 to start with and I'm just so impressed with what this little thing can do...I just need that magic ingredient to get the most out of it....these photo's are an inspiration. Posted by: Simon Sherwood Jan 17, 2008 @ 3:36 PM EST
	I think Maki is a very talented photographer who uses a lot her inner feelings and her unique imaginitive world... we worked together in Kuwait and she did a great job in giving the pictures an aspirational look while taking into account the Arab culture...quite a difficult job when it was her first time in Kuwait ! she also works fast and has a charismatic presence on the shoot. It was a pleasure working with you! And thanks for the 10 tips, very useful :) Hala Nasrallah, January 25, 2008 Posted by: Hala Nasrallah Jan 25, 2008 @ 8:35 AM EST
	Quit interesting article. Posing ideas are simple but unique and appealing. Other subjects / portfolio will be welcomed ! Shankar Posted by: S.B.GAIKWAD Feb 8, 2008 @ 2:33 AM EST

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