Author: rmichals (Page 3 of 8)

HW 7: Environmental Portraits

April 12, 2022 / rmichals / 0 Comments

4 pts. Due April 26.

Shoot a total of 30 environmental portraits of three different subjects- 10 each.

Environmental Portrait-a portrait executed in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and so that the surroundings illuminate something about the subject’s life.

When shooting indoors, remember keep the shutter speed faster than 1/60. Better the raise the ISO. It may be too dark. If so change the location!

When shooting outdoor, shoot in diffused light: either shade or cloudy weather.

Make sure that there is light on your subject’s face.

Environmental portrait examples: https://www.popphoto.com/how-to/2013/10/tips-pro-brian-harkin-environmental-portrait-photography

gregoryheisler.com/contextual

Week 10 – Portraits: Posing, the Fill Light and Three-point Lighting

April 12, 2022 / rmichals / 0 Comments

Portrait Lighting Styles

Posing

Read Yousef Karsh’s own words about taking this photograph.

Posing your model

Some basic tips for standing poses:

Ask your model to:

1.Shift weight to create contraposto-weight on one leg so the body makes a subtle curve.

2. Lean forward

3. Put their weight on their back leg – shoulder goes back

4. Cross arms

5. Lower chin (push forehead forward)

The single most useful pose suggestion that you can make to your model is to lower their chin. Peter Hurley explains his approach to this in the video below.

Watch .55 to 7.40

The Fill Light

Clint Eastwood.
Photographer: Martin Schoeller

Terry McMillan.
Photographer: Matthew Jordan Smith

Nicole Richie.
Photographer: Timothy Greenfield-Saunders

The fill light brightens the shadows. It can be an actual light or you can use a reflector. This video shows how to use a reflector as the fill light.

3-point Lighting

– standard lighting for portraits, video and film

Main light-is the brightest light and creates the shadows

Fill light-brightens the shadows

Background light-creates separation between the subject and the background. This light can be aimed at the background or it can be aimed at the subject. If the later, it would be called a hair light. If accenting the edge of the face or shoulders, this light would be called a rim light or a kicker.

Labs

Lab: Adding a fill and background light

Homework

HW 7: Environmental Portraits

Lab: Week 9 – Basic Portrait Lighting Styles

April 5, 2022 / rmichals / 0 Comments

Set up:

The subject should be at least 4 or 5 feet in front of the backdrop to avoid casting a shadow.
Use 65mm focal length when you are using a camera with a cropped frame sensor
Focus on the subject’s eyes.

The key or main light is the light that casts the shadows.

Working with just the key light:

Front view:

Photograph your subject with:

Rembrandt light – the light is at a 45 degree angle to the subject. Look for the key triangle -a triangle of light on the darker side of the face to position the light.

Do not place the light too high because this will cause shadows around the subject’s eye sockets.
Split light – the light is at a 90 degree angle to the subject. One side of the face is dark but light does fall on the other side.
Front light (butterfly) – Light falls on the subject from the camera position.

Three-quarter view:

The model’s face is turned to a 45 degree angle from the camera.

Photograph your subject with:

broad lighting by placing the light on the side of the visible ear. There will be a broad highlight on the subject’s hair. This works for subjects wearing glasses.

short lighting by placing the light on the side of the invisible ear.

Profile:

The model turns their face at a 90 degree angle to the camera. Place light like a side light. The subject faces the light BEING VERY CAREFUL NOT TO LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE LIGHT.

Put your 20 best photos into an album on Flickr. Make sure to represent each one of these lighting styles. Send your 2 best to the class group.

HW 6: Window light portraits

April 5, 2022 / rmichals / 0 Comments

Due April 12. 4 pts.

Create a series of 30 portraits of at least 3 different subjects using window light or outdoor diffused light.

For each subject, shoot some in front view, some in three quarter view and some in profile.

Try the 5 lighting styles: front light, Rembrandt light, split light for front view poses, and broad light and short light for three-quarter poses. When you are working with a window, you can’t move the light source so you and the subject must move.

You should be near or next to a window during the day.

The window can be in the photo or you can just use the light from the window.

Pay attention what is in the frame and make sure the background adds to the photo and is not distracting.

Your photos should use light and expression to be expressive. No props. If you have curtains or venetian blinds, you may use them as elements in the photos.

Experiment with different expressions and gestures and different framing (how much of your subject is in the frame.)

Upload the 30 photos to OpenLab and put them in an album. Send your best 3 – the best of each subject- to the class group.

Examples from previous semesters

Week 9: Portrait Photography

April 5, 2022 / rmichals / 0 Comments

Portrait Poses

There are three basic positions for someone’s head and face in a portrait.

Front view
3/4 view
Profile

Front view.
Photographer: Celeste Sloman

Expression

For family photos a smile is a must but not so for a portrait. It is however important that your subject look comfortable. It is your job as the photographer to talk with your subject and make them feel comfortable.

Focus

When shooting a portrait, the subject’s eyes must be in focus. Full stop. period.

Portrait Lighting Styles

There are a 5 basic lighting styles for portrait photography. Each style is defined by how light falls on the face.

Rembrandt Light – the model is face forward, main light is at 45 degrees and casts a light on the opposite side of the face to form a triangle on the cheek.

Rembrandt Lighting — Michael B. Jordan. Photographer: Peggy Sirota

2. Broad Light-model’s face in 3/4 view-light falls on the side of the face with the visible ear. Good for controlling the reflections on glasses.