How do I get better at portraits when I don't have

Stsrt making friends or give up.

shoot portraits of inanimate objects until you feel confident enough to look for wannabe models online

>>3137465
first you need to get better at finding models.

ask literally everyone and I mean EVERYONE. Join a portal, craigslist etc etc etc.

even strangers on the street will let you photograph them if you ask.

>>3137465
>>3137478
Also Instagram. If you get good at making people look good it will be easy. Just post stuff and ask people with an example.

Self portraits, dip shit. Get a wireless remote and wireless speedlight triggers.

Here's how I did it:

1. Start going to events. You probably have some Facebook friends. They probably incessantly invite you to their events. Start going to them. Get your ass outside of your mom's basement. Bring your camera.

1a. If you truly have no friends, look up local coffee shops and bars and see if they have open mic nights. Go to those open mic nights.

2. Take pictures at the above events.

3. People will be all "Hey, are you going to post those pictures?" Say yes. Post the pictures on your Facebook page. The initial friends will tag the new people, and they will send you friend requests, and your social network will grow.

3. Now you have new Facebook friends. Ask them if they would like to do photoshoots with you.

4. Do a lot of photoshoots with new friends. Send them the pictures. You will get better at it over time. People will see the pictures of their friends when their friends post them and want to be friends with you because they will want good pictures of themselves.

This is how I did it. Basically started by going to one open mic night at my then-girlfriend's coffee shop and expanded to the point where I'm doing portrait sessions several times a week.

Message people on IG.

That's it.

>>3137824
But you had a gf

>>3137465
Coworkers? Neighbors? Setting up a booth in a parking lot and offering, shooting tethered, and printing on the spot for cheap as fuck? A mannequin head on a stick? An entire mannequin?

>>3137465
if you can't make friends then you're not meant to be good at portraits. just shoot landscape

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>>3137824
>Start going to events.
I actually want to get better at portraits (or photography in general really) specifically because of anime cons and cosplay photography. Hallshots feel really boring though and I don't feel confident enough to pull someone aside and ask for a small shoot or setting something up beforehand.

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>>3138064
Also thanks for the advice so far guys, I actually do have friends but I don't know if I want to try practicing with them as it feels like it would be really fucking awkward.

>>3137825
>>3137476
>>3137478
Can I just message people on IG saying I'm new/shit and want to practice by doing a small short shoot if we're going to the same con

>>3137947
>But you had a gf

True, but there was no rule at the open mic night that you had to be fucking one of the employees to be granted entry. I could also have found out about it by googling local coffee shops and looking at their event calendars.

>>3138067
>I actually do have friends but I don't know if I want to try practicing with them as it feels like it would be really fucking awkward.

It will be, at first. A big part of becoming a good portrait photographer is getting over that awkwardness.

>>3138067
>Can I just message people on IG saying I'm new/shit and want to practice by doing a small short shoot if we're going to the same con

yes

if youre going to the same con go further and ask to setup a 30 minute session so you can "capture your costume properly".

what gear do you have?

>>3138064
Dude, just start asking to take a photo. In return give them your facebook/instagram/site. Anime cons are attention whore land.

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>>3138114
Welp time to work on my social autism too.

>>3138116
I'll prob look into some lesser known cosplayers that don't expect much in that case.
Currently have a D90, 35mm 1.8, kit lens and a speedlight that I don't know how to use, probably gonna buy a diffusion box/sphere thing to stick on it too.

>>3138159
I do this but I don't hand them my insta or fb, I kinda wanna do more than just hallshots.