Portrait Photography Skills, part 1

For further photography-related information check out my compendium of tips.

Good old window light provided the illumination for the shot of my daughter Emily above, see further pictures from this shoot in the April 2008 gallery, an east-facing window at about 11am, when no direct sunlight was streaming in. If your subject looks towards the light source then you get a catchlight in the eyes, which I think makes a huge improvement to a portrait. Having a neutral background also makes a big difference but don't forget to compensate for exposure if it's very light or dark.