Lighting

[the_vulture]

It's very important to pay attention to the lighting of your subject. Make sure your subject is well lit, especially when you are shooting against a bright background. Try to ensure that, if there are any bright highlights, they work to emphasize your primary focus (like the face), not distract from it.  

If you don't have enough light for a good shot, you may be tempted to use a flash. Avoid this, if at all possible. If you can, adjust the lighting. Even taking the shades off of a couple of lamps can help immensely. Move light sources or, if need be, your subject to make the best use of available light. 

You can also slow the shutter speed of your camera down and put it on a steady surface (or use a tripod if you happen to have one). Get your subject to hold still for the shot. This will allow more light into the shot. This kind of picture is easier to shoot if you have a digital with high iso features (800 and over).  

If you must use a flash, try and use an indirect one. Be sure to use any red compensation your camera has. 

Be aware of the colour of your lighting: the warm colours (yellows, oranges, reds) will liven things up, whilst cool (blues, greens, purples) will calm them down. Standard incandescent lights have a warm tint to them, whilst flourescent have green.