Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Portrait Photography
Portrait –origins of the word
The word “Portrait” first appears in 16th
Century France, meaning a figure, drawn or painted
It is derived from 13th Century
French “Portret”, the noun form of
“Portraire”, meaning “to paint
or depict”
“Portraire” itself derives from
“Portray”, meaning to “trace/draw
forth”
“Portray” is a conjunction of
Latin “Pro” = forth and “Trahere” = to
draw/pull out
Brief History of Portraits
Ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans represented their deities through carvings, wall paintings and sculptures
During the Middle Ages, portraits were confined to wealthy people, royals and religious figures. A portrait was a status symbol because materials and artists were very expensive
Brief History of PortraitsIn the Baroque period there are more portraits of the common man, influenced by humanist philosophy.
During the mid 19th century, the industrial revolution enabled mass production of oil paints and canvases.
Increased standards of living and increased income for the average population, meant that many more people could paint whatever they wanted.
This led to more paintings of poor people.
Brief History of Portraits
In the late 19th century-1920’s portraits become more abstract in their expression of individuals, in the Impressionists and Post Impressionists artists.
In the 1960’s, portraits from artists such as Warhol and Lichtenstein were more like comments on pop culture.
Now, a huge number of people take selfies on their phones !
Portrait Photography
In this presentation we will cover…
• Who & What – choosing your subject and type of portrait
• Where – background and environment
• How – camera settings and poses
In part 2 we will cover lighting and black and white portraits
Who & What type?
You may have already identified someone you wish to photograph.
However, it may help to consider what type of portrait you want to take.
Portraits can be broadly categorised into 8 types :
• Traditional
• Candid
• Casual / Lifestyle
• Environment
• Glamour
• Artistic
• Group
• Self
Traditional
Traditional portraits are what we visualise when thinking about a portrait. This type of image has been used for a long time, but is popular because the mix of posing and lighting used is flattering.
A traditional portrait often depicts the subject looking directly at the camera.
A traditional portrait is usually posed, to help the subject look their best.
Often, traditional portraits are shot in a studio with a formal photography backdrop.
A traditional portrait composition is a head and shoulders crop.
Glamour
Another type that has been around for a long time, the Glamour Portrait emphasises the beauty of the subject.
This often involves planning the wardrobe and using professional make-up artists.
Glamour photography can also be sensual, involving lingerie or nudity.
A Fashion Portrait is similar, but emphasises the clothing instead of the model.
CandidCandid portraits are unplanned shots, taken, for example, during street photography.
Generally, they are taken without the subject being aware.
However, they needn’t be photos of strangers. Taking a photo when your model isn’t posing can produce lovely natural looks.
Candid portrait photography doesn’t use any direction or posing from the photographer.
Professionals often use a mix of posing and candid during a shoot.
Be careful when attempting candid street photography !
Artistic
Types of Artistic Portraits include Fine Art, Concept and Surreal portraits.
Fine art is inspired by other types of artwork, for example, modelling photography on Renaissance paintings.
Conceptual portraits capture an idea or concept within a portrait image, often using props, setting, or photo editing to achieve that concept.
A Surreal portrait aims to turns dream-like images into real photos.
Casual / Lifestyle
Casual portraits capture people in an everyday environment, often doing everyday things.
Instead of a studio, this genre of photography works in an environment familiar to the subject, for example, in the home.
Casual portraits aren’t posed in the traditional sense, although photographers can provide direction.
Casual family photography can capture the interaction between family members, invoking happy memories.
Group
Portraits of more than one person are often more challenging than portraits of an individual, with more people to pose together and interact within the photograph.
However, with more than one person, you can also capture genuine interaction !
Portraits of groups can still fall under other sub-genres too. Casual Group Photography, for example, is a popular genre for family photography.
Environmental
A mix between traditional and casual, environmental portrait photography gives as much weight to the environment as the person.
This type of shoot takes place in a location that means something to that person, to give the viewer clues to that person’s personality.
While the location is important, unlike casual photography, environmental portraits normally use posing techniques.
The photographer works in a similar manner as a traditional portrait in setting up a pose and lighting. The pose, lighting, person, and background all work together.
Self Portrait
A self-portrait is a serious portrait that takes planning and insight. (A selfie is a quick snapshot !)
Taking a photo of yourself beyond holding a smartphone out at arm’s length can be tricky. We can use a tripod and/or a timer to get rid of that selfie look and extended arms.
Focusing and composing when you’re in front of the camera instead of behind can also be tricky.
Who & What type ?
Model
GlamourArtisticCandid
Family / Friends
CasualTraditionalCandidGlamourArtisticGroupSelf
At Work
EnvironmentalGroupTraditionalCandid
Street
CandidSelf
General rule : Get permission to take/use a photograph, especially of children
Who ?
Model
ExpensiveNeed to prebookWill expect studio
ExperiencedUnderstand instructionsGives Feedback
Family / Friends
May be too familiar Poor photo may offend Inexperienced
CheapReadily availableFlexible locations/times
At Work
Need to prebookLimited timeLocation may be poorMay expect payment/copy control
Unusual settingRealistic Subjects
Street
Dependent on opportunityLocation may be poor
Unusual settingRealistic Subjects
Where ?
To a large extent, where you take your portrait photograph is determined by the type of portrait and the gear you have.
For example, environmental portraits should be taken at the subject’s place of work, or where they are associated with. Candid street portraits should be taken on the street and so on.
Traditional and Glamour shots should be taken indoors, with additional lighting / flashes.
Does anyone have access to a studio/studio gear ?
Where ?
Do you have a flash / studio lamp or even more than 1 ?
If not, don’t worry - use natural light from a window, or take the shot outside
Casual shots are taken when the subject feels at ease and is comfortable – perhaps in their home, even sitting or lying down.
Where ?
In portrait photography the background is just as important as the subject. A busy or distracting background will take attention away from the person in your photo.
Usually for portrait photography you’ll want a neutral, uncluttered background that won’t distract the viewer from your portrait subject.
Where ?
However, you don’t have to choose a completely plain background. For example, an interesting wall or fence could provide contrasting colour or texture.
Another technique is to include an object in the background to provide added interest or context.
How – camera settings : blurred background
Set the Camera to Aperture Priority Mode
Open the Lens Aperture to get shallow depth-of-field. This is a low f-stop number, f4, f2.8 etc
Play with the settings, but make sure your subject’s eyes are in focus and ideally the tip of the nose too.
NB – many lenses lose sharpness at the extreme ends of their range
If the background doesn’t look blurred enough, move the subject further away from the background. The further the background is from the subject the more blurred it will appear.
How – camera settings : focal lengthFocal length has a major impact on your images because it introduces a predictable amount of image distortion which can make or break your portrait photography.
70-100mm focal length (for full-frames) will give you the most accurate representation of your subject because it creates no distortion of their face.
For cameras with smaller sensors, divide the 70-100mm by your crop factor. Try these settings :
APS-C = 50-70mm
Micro Four Thirds = 35-50mm
Compact = 15-20mm
How – camera settings : focal length
Wide-Angle settings (low focal lengths) can exaggerate the length of noses , chins and ears.
Conversely, Telephoto settings (large focal lengths) can make the subject look flat or fatter
NB – these pictures are for full-frame settings
How – camera settings -exposure
In portrait photography the most important part of the scene is the subject’s face. So, make sure that the face is correctly exposed. The background is less important.
If you are finding this difficult, setting your camera’s meter mode to Spot or Centre-weighted may help. This tells the camera to ignore overly light or dark regions around the edge of the scene.
How – camera settings -focus
Portrait photos look best if the eyes are in sharp focus. This improves the sense of eye contact between the subject and viewer, creating a powerful and engaging photo.
Your camera most likely has several Autofocus / AF points which are visible in the viewfinder. Select the central AF point, then position the point directly over one of the subject’s eyes.
A trick is to ensure your light source is reflecting in your subject’s eyes – this will make them more attractive.
How – working with subject – before the shoot
Prepared your equipment – is it clean / charged ?
Try some test shots to check the settings
Do you have a location in mind – what time of day would be best ?
Is the location ready – is your studio set up, rugs / chairs
Will you require any props ? Are these clean/ready for use ?
Is the subject ready ?
Wearing plain, neutral or dark colours works best
Ask them to remove distracting jewellery
How – working with subject
If your subject is relaxed, your photos will look better.
Relax your subject by….
Engaging in small talk
Smile – be relaxed yourself, even if you are a bit nervous !
Tell the subject what type of photo / pose you want beforehand
Be open to their suggestions before and during the shoot
Take breaks during the shoot – only work for a few minutes at a time
How – working with subject A quick word about body language…
Identify discomfort / anxiety in your model – crossed arms, worried face
Put your subject at ease with friendly, clear requests
Be aware of your own body language – try to appear confident and in control
How – working with subject - childrenGet down to their level and talk to them gently. It’s better if they know you already !
Encourage them to play and forget about the camera.
Get the parents on board beforehand – discuss the shoot, what you are aiming for
Use Props – toys, rattles, bubbles
Try “silent mode” on the camera and a longer focal length to maintain distance
Be prepared for children to get up and move about – but keep shooting !
Ask parents to stand behind you and call the child’s name –take a photo when the child looks up
How – working with subject -posing
Think about the poses you want beforehand
Keep posing instructions short during the shoot, but give constant feedback
It is better to try small movements, than a complex pose
“Raise your chin a little”
“Turn right a bit”
“Straighten your back”
“Now look at me.”
Don’t forget to give praise – keep your subject relaxed and confident
How – working with subject –posing menA man wants to appear strong, fit and tall while oozing coolness, confidence, and self-control.
While posing women we usually try to accentuate curves, when posing men the opposite holds true.
A man’s body is not about curves, it is about angles and raw power. It’s about the V shape and the jawline.
How – working with men –jawline
Make sure the jawline is well defined and as angular and sharp as possible.
Ask the subject to push their chin out and a little bit down. This will gently stretch the neck while hiding part of the neck from the camera.
You can further refine the jawline by clever use of shadow.
Never let your subject pull his chin back. This will create a double chin !
How – working with men –quick tips
Eyes – don’t allow big round eyes, try a mischievous/power look instead !
Head tilt – don’t allow tilt towards camera, but slightly away from the camera is ok
If one eye is smaller than the other, pose the smaller eye closer to the camera
When dealing with a heavy blinker, ask your subject to close his eyes and open them on three. You should be able to get a few frames with no blinking right after the subject opens his eyes.
How – working with men –quick tips
If their double chin is a bit too much to handle, block it out of the view by posing the subjects’ hand to obstruct it.
If someone has a big nose, use a longer focal length and shoot the face straight (no head turn)
If your subject has a big forehead or is balding, shooting from a lower angle will help
If the person gets tired and has droopy eyes, shooting from a higher angle would force them to look up into your camera, thus forcing the eyes to open a bit more.
How – working with subject –posing women
There is a lot of material out there, in books and on the internet, covering different poses to use with women and girls.
I have chosen a few for you to try
How – working with subject –posing women
Have the model look over her shoulder.
How – working with subject –posing women
Bare shoulder / back
How – working with subject –posing women
Asking the model to play around with her hands trying different positions around her head or face.
How – working with subject –posing women
Asking the model to sit knees together and leaning forward.
How – working with subject –posing women
Sitting down
How – working with subject –posing women
Playing with hair / flowing hair
How – working with subject –posing women
Leaning on wall / fence
How – working with subject –posing children Traditional Straight On
Sitting Down
How – working with subject –posing children From Above
Hands in pockets
How – working with subject –posing children Hands on Face
Lying down
How – working with subject –posing children Crossed Arms
Natural
Using props – for both men & women
Have your subject sit down. This keeps them still and they’ll feel more relaxed and comfortable.
How – working with subject
How – working with subject
Props are very useful to engage with and to distract children !
SummaryWe have covered
• The different types of portrait and selecting who to photograph
• Different locations and touched on lighting – more next time
• Different camera settings, poses and the use of props
