Whats the best way to practice portrait photography?

No studio. No backdrops. No lights.
Just a man, his 6D, his 50mm 1.8, and a Speedlight 430EX II

I have a girlfriend ready and willing to be a model for me. I want practice because I have only shot landscape photography before. Never really got into portrait style shots, but I realize that is where the money is. I want to learn and get some practice in before buying all that stuff I mentioned in the first line above.

Cheers!

During daylight hours indoors, find a window and place subject near window. Play with subject's distance from window. During daylight hours outdoors, find a shade and go nuts. I'm sure others will chime in.

I should add do not use your speedlight until you get the hang of things with natural light.

protege wrote in post #16174446
During daylight hours indoors, find a window and place subject near window. Play with subject's distance from window. During daylight hours outdoors, find a shade and go nuts. I'm sure others will chime in.

Shooting inside, is there anything that makes a good natural backdrop? Plain walls, on a bed, couch, garage, etc?

Can people maybe post some portraits out of a studio with no equipment used?

Just get out there and practice. I would recommend shooting with both ambient and flash, but not combining the two at first to keep things simple.

After you take some pics, post em up and let us know what you like and don't like about them. After that I can give you some ideas on what to focus on while shooting portraits.

doidinho wrote in post #16175993
Just get out there and practice. I would recommend shooting with both ambient and flash, but not combining the two at first to keep things simple.

After you take some pics, post em up and let us know what you like and don't like about them. After that I can give you some ideas on what to focus on while shooting portraits.

Super rainy weather right now but I will for sure when I get a chance.

Yeah, rain is not typically desirable. Overcast days are nice though; I'm sure you get plenty of those.

Here are a couple of blog post that may give you some ideas.

http://robertmccadden.​tumblr.com …ding-ambient-light-part-1

http://robertmccadden.​tumblr.com …ng-ambient-light-part-two

doidinho wrote in post #16176058
Yeah, rain is not typically desirable. Overcast days are nice though; I'm sure you get plenty of those.

Here are a couple of blog post that may give you some ideas.

http://robertmccadden.​tumblr.com …ding-ambient-light-part-1

http://robertmccadden.​tumblr.com …ng-ambient-light-part-two

Thanks for the info ill be sure to check out those links.

Shoot lots. Experiment. Read Robert's tumblr as well, it's excellent.

if it is raining, find a porch, or shoot in the garage next to the open door.
learn to see natural light

learn how to bounce:

http://neilvn.com …s/the-black-foamie-thing/

Learn how to pose classically, then try other things. Look for inspiration in magazines, try to copy them.

ksbal wrote in post #16182962
if it is raining, find a porch, or shoot in the garage next to the open door.
learn to see natural light

learn how to bounce:

http://neilvn.com …s/the-black-foamie-thing/

Learn how to pose classically, then try other things. Look for inspiration in magazines, try to copy them.

That link is very interesting and i may have to give that black foam thing a try.

Go to an office supply store and get yourself a $15 folding foam board. It makes a nice reflector or even a white background for head shots. As a practice tool it is effective and cheap.

Not sure which is the BEST; but I'm sure which is NOT:

Don't use your own teenage kids unless you can get the job done within 0.001 second.

have a look at meetup. it has groups from all over the world so your bound to find one that close to you.

Bring your 50 to festivals and ask everyone you see:

http://www.flickr.com/​photos/towhit/sets/