FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about my portrait photography gear, settings, and workflow.
How do you record your camera EVF viewfinder or back LCD during a photoshoot?+
I use the Atomos Ninja V external recorder connected via HDMI. It captures a clean feed directly from the camera and records in ProRes to an SSD — giving you full-quality footage of exactly what the camera sees, including the EVF overlays.
Watch the full setup walkthrough:
What is your favorite focal length for portraits?+
85mm is my go-to. It gives flattering compression and a natural perspective, with enough working distance that subjects feel comfortable. At f/1.2 or f/1.4 the background separation is stunning — creamy bokeh without feeling artificially compressed the way a 135mm can. The 85mm is also versatile enough for full-body shots, not just headshots.
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What time of day do you prefer for portrait photography?+
I usually shoot 2 hours to 1 hour before sunset — what photographers call golden hour. The light at that time is warm, soft, and directional: it wraps beautifully around faces, creates a natural rim light when the subject is backlit, and gives the images a cinematic quality that's very hard to replicate artificially.
Midday harsh sun is the hardest to work with. If I have to shoot midday I look for open shade — a building, trees, or an overhang — to keep the light even and flattering.
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How do you compose portraits for better composition?+
I look for natural elements in the environment that guide the eye toward the subject rather than competing with it.
- Building structures and staircases — architectural lines naturally lead the viewer's eye straight to the model. I'll position the subject at the end of a staircase or along a long corridor so the geometry does the compositional work.
- Car door frames — for car shoots I use the door frame as a literal frame around the model. It adds depth, context, and a clean visual boundary that focuses attention on the subject.
- Tall dry grass in open fields — in summer I ask the model to stand in the middle of the field and position the sun behind them. The backlight illuminates the dry grass and makes it glow, creating a warm natural frame around the subject with beautiful texture and separation.
The key idea is to use whatever is in the scene to frame or lead to the subject — rather than looking for a plain, empty background.
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How do you set up your camera for portrait photography?+
I currently shoot JPEG. My typical starting point for outdoor portraits:
- Mode: Aperture priority (A) or Manual
- Aperture: f/1.2–f/2 for subject separation
- Shutter speed: at least 1/250s to freeze motion
- ISO: Auto ISO, capped at 3200–6400 depending on the body
- Autofocus: Continuous AF with face/eye detection enabled
- Picture profile: Classic Chrome (Fujifilm), custom warm tone (Canon), or Nikon's Portrait profile with slight saturation reduction
Shooting JPEG means I dial in the look in-camera and spend less time editing — the files are ready to post or share with minimal processing.
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