Inspiration: Portraits in the Studio

Sunday 15 February 2026, 17:17 by Elja Trum | 1,781 views | 0 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

When the weather is good, it is fun to take portrait photos outdoors too, but the winter months are often better suited to taking great portraits in the studio. In this article, a few practical examples and useful suggestions.

Vary clothing and hairstyle often

Avoid ending up with dozens or hundreds of photos after a shoot that all look alike. Sorting through them becomes a major task, and the number of 'unique' and usable images from the shoot will be small.

Tímea
You can create a lot of variety by asking your model to change something about their pose after each photo, and by changing your own viewpoint regularly too.

When I have a shoot, I also regularly ask the model to change outfits. That immediately makes the photo look completely different. Changing their hair can also instantly create a completely different look.

This way, you end up with lots of different photos from a shoot.

Use props

You can create completely different images by photographing not just your model, but also props. This could be a hat, but also a guitar or a small lamp in the background.

Reza - f/8, 1/13s, 50 ISO @ 78mm
In the photo above, I add a lamp, a flower and a small chest to change the look of the photo. Small details that create a completely different image from just a portrait of someone.

Another fun thing is that your model does not have to look at the camera to create an interesting photo. Have your model look away, which can of course simply be to the side, to turn your photo into a little 'story'.

Photograph a detail

A photo where only part of your model is visible can also be interesting. Play with light and an unusual close-up to add even more variety to your photos.

Lisa - f/9, 1/160s, 50 ISO @ 55mm
Keep your studio photos interesting by making them varied. Change clothing, viewpoint and props to create plenty of variety.

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