If you want to flatter your subject, you'll probably want to minimize their nose. Stand about twelve feet from your subject, so that their nose isn't significantly closer to you than rest of face. However, at such a large distance from camera, if you want to fill frame with just your subject's face, then you need a high magnification lens. Typical "portrait" lenses are therefore between 90 and 135 millimeters long when you are using a 35mm camera.

Whilst a lot of portrait photography is completed inside a studio, prospect of natural light can be very flattering. This can be achieved inside by positioning your subject in front of a window. Environmental portraiture presents different challenges. These portraits are best enlarges, otherwise subjects face gets lost in background. Slow film and use of a tripod; help to keep your images sharp. There are a number of professional photographers who argue that a portrait is not shown to it’s best advantage when it is clinically sharp and they use a filter, but with modern digital cameras, you can make an adjustment in Photoshop at a later time. However if you are using a digital camera you will achieve best results with a camera with a true single reflex lens.

Natural light or umbrella lighting can achieve soft lighting; both of these reduce shadows and show face in a “better more attractive light”. However there is another type of portrait photography, which is high impact photography. This is a very dramatic type of portrait photography, which uses very strong light with a high contrast of tonal color. This technique is more effective indoors, as it is achieved by controlling light, and their is too much light to control out of doors. Position your subject at different angles to light, from one side, or from underneath. This lengthens shadows, rather than muting them, and gives a distinctly dramatic effect. You can achieve this in varying degrees, but if light source is placed at 90 degrees to face, it will throw whole of opposite side of face in shadow. If you are using a digital camera you can also manipulate contrast later to achieve a more dramatic effect.

You can also improve your photographs if you include some motion shots, as well as traditional stills. Just make sure that you use correct film speeds.

If you are looking to carpet a high traffic area, or have a limited budget, carpet tiles are another option. Carpet tiles can be purchased for around $1.00 per square foot. Carpet tiles usually come in 18 inch squares and are made of a tough nylon loop that will not unravel. They don't require padding as normal carpeting does, although some do come with a padded underside. Carpet tiles are an easy do-it-yourself project for any homeowner.

The next consideration would be color and/or pattern of carpeting. Light carpeting colors create a spacious effect, making a room seem larger. Light color carpets of course show soil much more easily than dark. However, most stain and soil treatments put on carpeting today do help to prevent this problem. Dark or dull carpet colors will absorb light giving room what some call a "cozy" feeling. Rugs with patterns will make a space seem smaller. Your color choice could be based on paint color used on your walls. It is suggested that if you do this, color of carpet be darker than color on walls. Also, when choosing your carpet remember that carpet installed on your floor will appear darker than small sample you see in store. Ask to take carpet samples home so that you can see how they actually appear in daylight and at night.