Portrait photography is by far one of the most popular genres of photography, and it comes with its own sets of challenges and things you should keep in mind. If you're new to portrait work, this great video will give you six helpful tips and tricks.

High-speed sync is a hot topic in the world of portrait photographers today and Francisco Hernandez is someone who has this technique dialed in.

The challenge of portrait photography is that beyond needing to master an array of technical things like lighting setups and often fairly intricate editing techniques, you also need to be able to make your subject comfortable in front of the camera, all while managing the photography side of things. If you are wondering how you can improve your own portraiture, check out this fantastic video tutorial that will give you five tips to help you take better images.

As most wedding and portrait photographers know, the annual WPPI conference in Las Vegas is right around the corner from February 27 - March 6. While at the conference you'll see a few photographers that have a following, literally treated like rock stars filling a packed stadium of adoring fans. I remember last year I saw one photographer who had a group of about 20 people follow him all over. But what about those that do a lot for the industry, though often fly under the radar.

When it comes to portrait photography, most people will reach for a lens with a focal length between about 85mm and 135mm, maybe a little longer or wider for certain applications or creative exploration. But there is no rule that says portrait photography has to be shot at those focal lengths; you can easily push into more extreme options for a bit of fun and creative invigoration. This short video will show you some of what you can create when shooting portraits with a supertelephoto zoom lens.

Photographer Tony Ross and Designer Nephi Garcia imagined what Disney princesses would look like as fully grown queens, and the concept resulted in this wonderful series that captures the imagination and unites daughters and mothers and mother-in-laws. Check out the final images and go behind the scenes of this Disney-themed shoot.

One photographer has set out to prove you don’t need a beautiful location to take amazing snaps by holding a photoshoot inside a Lowe's store.

I thought this was a cool retrospective video that DigitalRev put together using clips from their old episodes of Cheap Camera Challenge. This piece essentially shows how some veteran shooters keep composed when faced with on-set challenges. Everything from face-planting onto concrete while trying to take a photo to dealing with deadly snakes just inches away

Canon's RF lens range has been expanding but some of their earlier lenses are closing in on early classics for Canon mirrorless. One that has been particularly well-received, is the 50mm f/1.2.

The full name of this video is "Idiot continues to take daily self-portrait for 16 yrs despite better projects, longer projects, more popular projects, his face," and it's massively entertaining. JK Keller spent over 5,000 days taking photos of himself, and the result is fascinating.

Renowned actor Norman Reedus, best known for his portrayal as Daryl Dixon in the television series The Walking Dead, is also an international artist and photographer. Step inside the inventive mind of Reedus by taking a look at his recently published book, The Sun’s Coming Up… Like a Big Bald Head. It is filled with dark and gruesome images that exist somewhere between Reedus's reality and our own.

Canon and Nikon, after a slow start, have both been consistently releasing excellent mirrorless bodies. Their respective newest cameras are more or less direct rivals, so how do they compare?

Take a look at these portraits and see if you can tell what you’re actually looking at.

This year Patrick and I were invited to Gulf Photo Plus in Dubai to film a behind the scenes look of what it's really like to go to this exotic workshop. The experience itself was one of the highlights of my life but the most memorable moment for me was the few minutes I had with each of the instructors. I decided to interview them about the pitfalls of their careers and what it takes to become successful as a photographer.

Mastering portraiture involves more than knowing which lens to use to ensure your photograph does not show unflattering perspective distortion. It is not enough that you understand where to place strobes to create dramatic lighting. As portrait photographer Mark Mann explains in this excellent video, it is important that you make a personal connection with your subject.

Alexis Cuarezma is back again sharing the "hows" and "whys" behind one of his latest shoots: fitness portraits of IFBB bikini professional Ashley Pfaff. He has graciously included a very in-depth video where he explains how he set out to accomplish these shots, and he also provided his mood board, gear list, and lighting diagrams along with extensive commentary on the "whys" and "hows" of it all. You absolutely don't want to miss any of what he has to say! Start with the video and then dive in below!

Are you thinking of trying out portrait photography and want to get some insight as to exactly what you need to create beautiful portraits without a lot of trial and error? Read on for some tried and true suggestions that will get you started without all the hit-and-miss experimentation.

If part of your business is capturing headshots, then this is for you. Even if you're thinking of adding it to your portfolio, it's worth checking these essential tips and tricks as, if you're a commercial photographer, you can up your customer's average spend by offering this essential service.

Whenever we see an amazing image, the first thing that pops into our heads is "that's an amazing shot! It must be Photoshopped!" In this behind the scenes breakdown, see how Alexis Cuarezma created these dramatic colorful portraits using effects that were all done in camera.

For the last three years or so, Scarlett Johansson has been the face behind the acclaimed Spanish clothing company Mango. In their latest Spring/Summer 2011 campaign, set in the Goldstein Residence in Beverly Hills, photographer superstar Mario Sorrenti builds his images exclusively with natural light and reflectors. It's hard to imagine a wet haired Johansson ever not looking incredible, so it should not come as a surprise that Mario and company produced some stunning images. Hopefully these photographs will encourage a lot of photographers to step away from the strobes every now and then...

Last week, I took a look at personal projects and showed how I created my most recent portrait series. These personal projects are a great way to grow as a photographer and create new work you have a passion for, as you have the opportunity to create images with full control of the visual style. However, they may not always require you to step out of your comfort zone. To expand your repertoire of photographic knowledge and to create a more diverse, yet consistent portfolio, you need to experiment.

It’s been almost 3 years since I moved to London to pursue photography as a career. I’ve learnt that there are many misconceptions about those who take photos for a living - so here I’m setting the record straight about what day-to-day life is really like for a portrait photographer in one of the world’s biggest cities.

The rise and democratization of digital photography over the past 15 years has been, I would describe, as one of the most socially changing movements in the world, ever. Though the cellular phone may have been the initial catalyst, the camera accompanying that communication device has now allowed billions of people to interact and share worldwide events from a nation's political upheavals to the birth of their own child. With sales of standalone cameras dropping nearly in half in the past seven years, has photography changed for the better, and is this the end of making money in photography?

Trevor Sherwin recently traveled to Kenya, and decided to use this opportunity to create some amazing images for his portfolio. Most people who travel to the area tend to focus on the wildlife, but Trevor wanted to focus on something else - people. He wanted to create dramatic portraits of the local tribes in a way that shows both the people and the location. Check out his great video explaining his method of shooting.

Last week I made a list of 10 of my favorite photographers to follow on Fstoppers and a few people complained that too many of them were "portrait" photographers. I've scoured the community again and today I've created a new list with 10 incredible, additional photographers who shoot much more than your average portrait.

People are one of — if not the — most beloved subjects to photograph. But with so many different lenses, there are a lot of ways to do it. Which lens do you reach for primarily when taking portraits?

We demand a lot of portraits lenses. They must be sharp wide open. They must focus well. Their bokeh must be pleasing. A stellar portrait lens is the holy grail for a lot of photographers. So, just which lens is the ultimate Canon portrait lens?