Portrait photography is more than just taking headshots of people in a studio. There are different styles, and you need to find the one that fits your way of taking pictures.

As I recently hired Wanderlust Portraits for some portraits that I needed, I learnt about the different styles of portrait photography and you will, just like me, be surprised to learn that there are so many.

Traditional

Traditional portraits focus a lot on the face and how the person looks, so they are usually headshots, two-thirds, or full-body. It's the traditional way to draw a portrait, and it's usually meant to show a person as they really are, so no funny poses.

In this type of portrait photography, the person being photographed usually looks right at the camera. To get the most out of this, they need to make strong eye contact.

Height and angle of the camera need to be carefully planned out ahead of time. If your subject is sitting, you should sit down with them so you're not too high up when you take the picture.

Environmental

Most of the time, environmental photography is about how the subject interacts with his or her surroundings. Like the picture above, a portrait of a chef in the kitchen, an artist in their studio, or a vendor with their goods.

This kind of portrait photography isn't the same as taking pictures of a person at work in a candid way. Instead, environmental portraits are usually set up and planned ahead of time, and the person being photographed is fully aware that they are being photographed.

Candid

Most of the time, the person in a candid photo doesn't know they're being photographed. Because of this, candid photos often give us a powerful look at a person's real feelings or motivations. Most street photography and documentary photography is candid, but not always.

Glamour

The goal of the glamour portrait photography style is to make the subject look more seductive or romantic. Boudoir photography is a type of glamour portraiture that has become very popular in recent years.

A beauty dish, like the Hypop Bowens Collapsible Beauty Dish, is often used to take glamour portraits. This type of lighting for portraits gives off a smooth, even light that looks great on skin.

Lifestyle

Brands that want to promote an "aspirational" way of life that includes their products will often use this image in their ads. It's not so much about the people as it is about how they live. It's a mix of posed, candid, and environment photos.

Lifestyle photos are also popular for weddings and family portraits. They can be taken indoors or outdoors, but they are always bright and happy. The Godox AD400Pro Witstro Portable Outdoor Flash Strobe and the Godox AD600 Pro are the best lights for portrait photography when shooting lifestyle photos indoors or outdoors.

Surreal/Conceptual

This way of taking portraits has a lot to do with fine art. Surrealism is adding a new dimension to the everyday, like in the picture above, so that you see a different world.

Conceptual work is often found in fine art photography, high-end advertising, and fashion editorial photography, where the message of the image isn't always clear. It's often unclear, and it's up to the viewer to decide what it means.

Close-Up/Macro

In close-up or macro portrait photography, a subject or part of a subject is shot from very close up. You can show the details in a person's eye or the texture of their skin. For the best results, you'll need extra portrait photography tools, like a macro lens and a tripod.

Abstract

Abstract portraits show parts of a person and are often used in fine art photography. They might be made into collages and parts of bigger works, or they might not.

Formal

Formal portraits are a type of portrait photography that is often used for business, school, and ID photos. Headshots and portraits for business, like the one above, are posed to make the person look professional.

Street

Portraits and street photography can be taken in a candid or posed way. You can take great street photos just by walking around and getting to know the people around you. Look at the work of great street photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Vivian Maier, or William Egglestone to get ideas.