How to take stunning portraits

I'm by no means a photographer, but I love taking snapshots of everything that crosses my path when I'm armed with a camera. I'm seriously considering taking a few photography courses to really improve my photos, get some hands-on experience, and meet people who have a passion for it and can teach me a thing or two. There are plenty of courses available online, but one of my favorite resources is the Digital Photography School founded by Darren Rowse. If you're a newbie like myself, I suggest you head on over to DPS to find helpful tips that will help you take some very interesting shots.

One of my favorite things to photograph is a person's face, and Darren just compiled a list of 20 tips that will help you take stunning portraits. Now don't expect these tips to be conventional or safe in any way. Darren really goes out of the box in this two-part series, and breaks a few rules for the sake of art and striking portraits.

So are you ready to take portraits that have the 'Wow' factor? Here are some of the highlights:

1. Alter your perspective: Taking photos at eye level has been overdone, so the next time you're experimenting, try doing something new by changing the angle that you shoot from. Darren suggests getting up high and shooting down on your subject or get as close to the ground as you can and shoot up. You'll get an interesting shot either way, and the best part is you tried a new angle that may help you take better photos in the future.

2. Break the rules of composition: Everyone loves breaking the rules, and in photography, sometimes breaking the rules gets you closer to achieving that wow factor we've been talking about. But before you start breaking all the rules, DPS says you should always learn them well first to ensure breaking them is all the more effective. You're probably familiar with the Rule of Thirds, right? One of the tips mentioned is to place your subject just outside or right in the center of the areas suggested by the Rule of Thirds in order to achieve some excellent results. So the next time you're in a creative mood, go ahead and place your subject right on edge of your shot and feel free to experiment with different settings and angles until you get the perfect shot.

3. Experiment with lighting: To me this is the hardest part of photography because lighting can really make or ruin a photograph. For this one, I recommend you get a bit more familiar with your own camera settings in order to determine what works best in either low lighting or in front of bright lights. Darren offers a couple of examples, but one that really struck me was of a man in the shadows with a zebra-like pattern lighting his face. It's simply stunning.

4. Hold your camera on an angle: The next time you're out shooting, try tilting the camera in an angle that makes your shot a lot more interesting. Go ahead and dare to ask your subject to jump or walk towards you as you hold the camera diagonally. If you're feeling adventurous, then try taking the shot above or below eye level.

5. Experiment with subject's expressions: Kids are great for this one since they tend to go through a range of emotions in one sitting--which also tends to make them hard to photograph. Again, get familiar with your camera's settings and learn how to take snapshots in burst or continuous shooting mode. You really want to get close to your subject when you try this one.

6. Fill the frame: Eyes are the windows to the soul (really), and the best way to capture them is by filling the frame with your subject's face. When you do this, your subject's face becomes the focus of attention, which can make for a very intense photograph. Anyone remember the famous Afghan Girl photo taken by Steve McCurry that graced the cover of National Geographic?

Check out the full list over at DPS, and feel free to give us your own portrait taking suggestions in the comments below.