Individuals, groups, and families are photographed professionally a portrait photographer. He or she owns a photography studio or works for one. Before taking photographs in the studio or on location, a portrait photographer discusses photo options with clients.
Many portrait photographers travel to events like weddings and school picture days. Portrait photographers must keep track of their bookings and ensure that they have all of the necessary photography equipment to create high-quality finished portraits. Customers are paying for the finished portrait, not the time it took the photographer to get it, so photographers must be efficient with their time. A portrait photographer, for example, may decide whether to develop his or her own film or send it out for development based on which option is less expensive and produces a better finished portrait.
Before starting a photography business, a portrait photographer may work as an assistant to other portrait photographers to gain experience. Larger photography companies may hire a number of photography school graduates to train as assistants, giving aspiring portrait photographers the chance to learn the ins and outs of the job. Being able to get everyone in the picture to look their best so that the photograph as a whole looks good is an important aspect of portrait photography. For example, if no one is looking in the same direction or has the same expression on their face, the image may appear too casual to be considered a portrait. A portrait is a photograph intended to be kept for a long time and given as a gift to family and friends.
Family portraits are particularly difficult for photographers because it is often difficult for children to remain still while being photographed. As a result, a portrait photographer’s job includes resolving the issue so that portraits aren’t ruined and his or her time isn’t wasted. While the photographer takes the pictures, an assistant may use a puppet to distract the children.
A portrait photographer has many responsibilities in addition to taking photographs, especially if he or she is running a business. Customers must be kept ordering portraits, and marketing and advertising must be done to keep the business profitable. The prices must be competitive with those offered other photographers in the area, and the portraits must be of excellent quality. Portrait photographers must also stay current with trends and have appealing backdrops in the studio, such as a beach scene or a Christmas scene, depending on the season.