Skip to main content
The Keyword

Frame this: 10 tips for getting great portraits on Pixel 2

Article's hero media

PortraitMode_Distance.jpg
PortraitMode_SubjectatFront.jpg
PortraitMode_Change Perspective.jpg
PortraitMode_RulesThirds.png
Fill the frame.
Shoot in front of clean backgrounds (like photo studios do!).
Often, less is more. Try including "negative space" around your subject to set it apart.
Check the outside edges of your photo to avoid intrusions, like tree branches, signs or this umbrella, from protruding into the sides of your picture.
Check the outside edges of your photo to avoid clutter behind heads.
PortraitMode_FollowLines.jpg
Take midday portraits in the shade. People in the shade don’t squint or have dark shadows under their eyes—and colors are often more saturated.
Windows are a free source of beautiful light when shooting indoors.
Overcast days are your friend! Cloudy days reduce harsh shadows and create soft diffuse light.

Find lights at night. If you can’t find it in your surroundings, try creating a spotlight with the flashlight app on a second cell phone placed off to the side. Try to avoid the LED flash, which creates harsh lighting and shadows.

Catchlights—the small lights caused by reflections in the eyes—add pizzazz to your portraits. Facing your subject into the light and taking photos from a slightly higher position can help get catchlights in your subject’s eyes.
PortraitMode_Group.jpg

Let’s stay in touch. Get the latest news from Google in your inbox.

Subscribe