Portraits should be photographed in studio in color on a medium to dark gray neutral background (they can be converted to duotones later). Backgrounds should be soft, if possible, and a slight gradient of lighting is preferred. Photography should include a range of emotions, including serious, proud, tough, confident, pleasant, slightly smiley, and really happy. It’s important to have people looking straight at the camera, and lighting should allow “catch light” (i.e., light reflection) to be visible in the eyes and on camera. It’s also a good idea to shoot a range of compositions from tight to medium to wider. If time is limited, shooting medium is the best, most flexible option–providing the image will be able to be enlarged and cropped tightly. Wider compositions allow for bodies to be turned, arms folded, hands on hips, etc.
“Fierce” photography should be more tightly defined. The subject’s head should be chin down, and eyes should be open (eyes forward is optimal, but peering into the distance is acceptable). It is preferable to have no teeth, as “fierce” is more serious. Body should be slightly turned.
If arms are crossed, the subject should cross them lower on the body (‘U’ shape).
