Portrait Basics

This is a good photo because it feels like a profile picture one would use in business. The back lighting is a bit off-center and could be less harsh, but there’s a nice professional feel to it.

1. Important factors to consider when shooting a portrait are good lighting and the subject’s expression. Lighting should bring a nice illumination/glow to the person’s face and the subject has to look comfortable, or else the portrait is going to look awkward.
2. The difference between broad and short lighting is that broad lighting is where the side of the face the light hits on is closer to the camera. Short lighting is the reverse, with the shadowed side of the face turned towards the camera.
3. In a classic basic portrait set-up, the main light is the strongest light source in the photo. It helps provide the general shape and outline of the subject.
4. In a classic basic portrait set-up, the fill light “fills” in the shadow areas created by the other light sources. It gives the picture an overall even, non-directional light.
5. In a classic basic portrait set-up, the background light illuminates the background, in order to separate the subject from the background.
6. We had trouble getting the back light to look a little less dramatic in our photos. It was difficult trying to make sure it didn’t look there was a “halo” around our portrait subjects. I would like to review the different types of lighting in the next class, just to be sure I completely understand them.