As a commercial photographer, you would have to practice portrait photography assiduously; the profession so demands it. You can use both point and shoot camera or a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera to click portrait pictures. But since you are doing it for commercial purposes and your photographs have to be really impressive, you should always take care of the quality of the pictures you shoot.

While what camera you use is important and you should pay close attention to it, there is one thing that you have to take care of and that is your subject. Your subject is a human being and, therefore, he or she has a personality. A good commercial photographer always knows how to bring about that personality in the picture rather than just shooting the face of the subject. And with practice and creativity, you can bring about that personality or a specific look in your photographs.

A lot depends upon the model you are shooting. When you are shooting with professional models, you don't have many problems in getting the right expression. With experience and expertise, professional models are mostly successful in emoting in the desired way. They can give you the perfect look that your project and client seeks. But when you are with an amateur model, you really have to build the right rapport with him or her. It is very essential for good images that the commercial photographer and the subject share some rapport.

You can also get the right look on your model, when the subject is relaxed. An efficient expert commercial photographer knows that the best time to capture a desired look is when the person is least expecting a shot. The face muscles are relaxed and at ease. These little details add a lot to good portrait photography.