Portrait photography is a type of photography that focuses on capturing the personality, mood, and expression of a person or a group of people. The primary goal is to highlight the subject’s face, but it can also include the upper body or full body, depending on the context and artistic approach.

Key aspects of portrait photography include:

1. Subject Focus: The subject, whether an individual or a group, is the central element. The photographer aims to showcase their emotions, characteristics, or even their essence.

2. Lighting: Proper lighting plays a crucial role in portrait photography, helping to accentuate features, set the mood, and highlight the subject’s best aspects. Natural light or studio lighting can be used depending on the desired effect.

3. Posing: The way the subject is posed can convey a range of emotions or stories. Photographers guide their subjects in posing to achieve the most flattering or expressive outcome.

4. Composition: How the subject is framed within the image, along with the background and environment, influences the overall impact. Simplicity is often preferred to keep the focus on the subject.

5. Emotion and Expression: Portraits are effective when they capture a real or candid moment, revealing something about the subject’s personality or mood.

Portrait photography can be formal, like professional headshots, or informal, like candid photos that capture natural expressions. It can also be divided into several sub-genres such as family portraits, newborn portraits, environmental portraits, and fine art portraits.