Improve your portrait photography with your Nikon Quickstart cheat sheet
Nikon Team •Nikon Quickstart•28 aug 2025•3 min read
Download your free cheat sheet for these tips and tricks for better pictures of people
Nikon Quickstart is a series of Nikon magazine cheat sheets for beginners, in which we’re demystifying some of the techniques and tricks that will instantly improve your photography and video. A great portrait tells a story and reveals something of the subject through lighting, pose and composition. It can seem daunting at first but if you follow our six top tips you’ll be well on the way to taking portraits that stand head and shoulders above the rest. Read on for the basics of getting it right and some suggestions for great portrait lenses – download your free Nikon Quickstart cheat sheet as a handy reminder.
Use eye-AF
A sharp eye is the key to a good portrait. Use eye-AF to ensure sharpness and then experiment with different apertures to see how depth of field can alter a portrait’s feel.
Choose the right focal length
Wide-angle lenses will distort the face, so classic portraiture is usually taken with a longer focal length, often 85mm, 105mm or 135mm.
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Be at the same height as your subject
For a natural look, make sure the camera is at the subject’s eye level. Get the subject to look at the camera and raise their chin slightly.
Use window light from the side
Window light from the side is great for portraits. You could also add a lamp on the other side for ‘fill’. Lighting from the side accentuates the contours of the face whereas light from the front flattens faces out and is less flattering.
Use a friend
Invite someone you know well to be your model when starting out. The process will be more relaxed and you’ll feel more confident in asking them to move around.
Choose a plain background
Props can tell a story but try to stay away from busy backgrounds which could distract the viewer from the subject.
Great lenses for portraits
Classic portrait focal lengths tend to be 85mm, 105mm and 135mm, while a large aperture is great for separating the subject from the background.
Classic portrait
FX zoom option
DX choice
NIKKOR Z DX 18-140mm f/3.5-6.3 VR
Download your Nikon Quickstart portrait photography cheat sheet here
Want more? Click here to see all the Nikon Quickstart cheat sheets
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