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Portraits are a lot of fun to take, especially of your friends and family. However, you are probably looking for ways to get more creative and make your photographs look more professional. What follows are tips to take stunning portraits, steering away from the boring ’snap-shot.’

1. Generally, you do not want your subject in the middle of the frame. When you have a subject in the center, you photograph is not as interesting as it could be. By placing your subject on either side of the frame, you not only construct a more exciting photograph, but you now add context by revealing some of the background.

2. Place your subject where the sun is gently lighting their face. If your light source is behind your subject, they will end up being darker than the background and you will lose detail in their face (there are some occasions where you would want this effect). The best natural (outdoor) lighting is in the morning and afternoon, specifically before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

3. Your camera may have a “Portrait” setting, creating a blurred background because it sets a shallow depth of field, blurring the background. This feature is very useful, and it will allow the viewer to focus on the subject. If you want to create this effect manually, set your aperture below 5.6

4. Move in close to your subject. Zoom in; you can fill most of the frame with the person’s face. Try having your subject look in different directions as opposed to directly into the camera. Remember you want your subject to have fun and be comfortable.

5. Don’t forget that a portrait does not just have to be a subject’s face. Challenge yourself to capture your subject without including their face. Can you tell a story using your subject’s hands, feet, or possessions? Where do they enjoy spending time, where do they work, where are they in their element?

6. Be creative. Try tilting the camera, or have the person move around. In low lighting (and using a tripod), you can use a long shutter speed to create streaking effects.

There are no set rules, so just have fun. Your subject may have some great ideas for specific shots or locations. It is always nice to send your subject a great photo of them after the photo shoot.