The following chart identifies some of the situations that may occur when doing portrait photography and makes suggestions to minimize these characteristics.
| Characteristic | Suggested Solution |
| Prominent forehead or receding hairline. | Tilt the chin upward Lower the camera position |
| Long nose | Tilt the chin upward Face directly toward the lens Lower the main light source Lower the camera position |
| Narrow chin | Tilt the chin upward |
| Baldness | Lower the camera position Soften or remove hair light Blend the top of the head with the background tones Diffuse the light |
| Angular nose | Minimize the effect by turning the face toward the camera |
| Broad face | Raise the camera position Turn the face to the three quarter position Use short lighting |
| Narrow face | Lower the main light source Use broad lighting |
| Wrinkled skin | Use diffused lighting Lower the main light Turn the face to the three quarter position |
| Double chin | Raise the main light Tilt the chin upward Use a high camera position relative to the subject |
| Facial imperfections | Select the subject's best side as the highlighted side |
| Prominent ears | Turn the head to move the far side ear behind the head Keep the nearer ear in shadow Consider a profile view to place the camera toward the ear |
| Glasses | Have the subject raise or lower the chin slightly Adjust the fill light laterally to avoid strong catch light on the lenses. Use a small light source and correct the negative or retouch the final print. |
| Deep-set eyes | Lower the main light to fill under eyebrows |
| Protruding eyes | Have the subject look downward |
| Heavy-set subject | Use short lighting Blend the body with the background tones When the print is composed vignette the shoulders and the body. |