How to take professional portrait photos

When using off-camera flash, set your DSLR to Manual mode. Keep the ISO at 100, and set the shutter speed to 1/200 or 1/250 sec, depending on your camera’s maximum flash sync speed. Set the aperture to f/11, and take a couple of test shots. If the image is too bright, either stop down the aperture or turn down the power of the lights, either by adjusting the output or by moving the light further from the subject. Longer focal lengths are more flattering to faces, so step back and zoom in.