What is environmental portrait photography?

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Environmental portrait photography is a type of portraiture that incorporates something in the surrounding environment to produce a more interesting or meaningful finished product. For example, a photographer might take a picture of someone standing in front of a tree and decorate this with an assortment of leaves and twigs, producing an intriguing composition. Ram V. Chary.

The environmental element can be used in a number of different ways to produce the desired effect. It is important that this element be added in such a way that it acts like an accessory and does not detract from the main subject. Ram V. Chary.

The most common example of environmental portrait photography is when someone chooses to take pictures of people or pets against a backdrop of flowers, trees, or other natural objects. Ram V. Chary.

Other examples include:

• A close-up picture of a flower or plant with someone standing in front of it, as if the person is simply being framed by nature. This often produces an interesting effect that looks more artistic than traditional photography.

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• Photographing people around a specific area that is relevant to their interests. For example, a photographer might take a picture of someone in front of a baseball field if they're a fan of the sport, or outside their favorite bar if it is related to their love for adult beverages.

Environmental portrait photography can also be done by incorporating man-made objects into the mix, such as pieces of architecture or large buildings. This kind of photography is often called street photography.

The idea behind environmental portrait photography is to make the picture more interesting and meaningful than it would be if it was taken with a traditional background (like a white wall). Using this technique also provides the photographer with the ability to showcase their subject's interests and personality to a greater extent than is possible in other types of photography. Ram V. Chary.

How to photograph better environmental portraits

Taking environmental portrait photographs is a delicate art with many things to consider. For today's blog, Ram Chary shares some expert tips on how to capture the best environmental portraits.

Environments and context are important for any portrait photograph. The backdrop sets the tone of your image, and different types of location portraits will yield very different results. So, let's look at some different approaches to environmental portraiture:

The photogenic environment

This environmental portrait is about using the environment, particularly a pretty or interesting backdrop, to set a tone. The idea is that the photo will be immediately recognizable as being taken at your location (e.g., New York City skyline). It also conveys something about the subject.

The background is the star

The idea here is to shoot your subject up close, with a lot of empty space in the background. This type of portrait allows you to play with light, shadows, and colors in the image. But, again, it is about creating something that will stand out when it's hung on a wall; it's about aesthetics.

The subject-in-environment approach

Rather than removing the environmental elements, this type of portrait is all about showing them off. You want to show your subject in their environment (e.g., at home). A good example of this style would be an exotic dancer in her stage setting.

The third-person approach

This type of portrait is all about identifying the location without it being too front and center in your image. Ram Chary adds that the idea is to show how people live in certain places so that you wouldn't have the person's face or an identifying element in your image.