portraitphotography
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Portrait Photography
“A portrait! What could be more simple and more complex, more obvious and more profound.” -
Charles Baudelaire
“Portraiture is a window to the soul”
Holding Virgina - Sally Mann
Types of Portraits
Candid PosedFormalCoupleEnvironmentalSportingChildrenGroup
When we speak of portrait photography in general terms there's a tendency to overlook the sub-categories. From the strictly formal to the candid street shot. Here is a range of the more common types of portrait photography.
Candido un-posed andunplanned photo
Posed Communication
between photographer and the subject about the body position and expression
Formal Communication between
photographer and the subject regarding clothing, location, style and mood
Couple Interpretation of a relationship
between two people
Hiroshima, August of 1945
Small Group Interpretation of a
common bond between members of a group
Environmental An environmental portrait shows the subject(s) in their own
territory.
Sporting shows the subject with their uniform, equipment
in their sporting environment. The important factor is to let the equipment and
location tell part of the story.
Children
Portrait Tips Choosing the Right Background Focus on the Eyes Lighting, Lighting and more Lighting Change the Format Framing Alter Your Perspective Experiment with Subject Expressions “Play” with focus Give Your Subject Space to Look Into Reflection & Shadow Movement Get serious
Choosing the Right Background
Focus on the Eyes
“the eyes are the window to the soul”
Lighting, Lighting and more Lighting Lighting is the most important element in any photo composition
and sets the mood, feeling and character of your photo.
Change the Format Framing Mix your framing
Alter Your Perspective completely
change the angle that you shoot from
Experiment with Subject Expressions
Same shot+different focus=different story
(UN)Focus It adds
some mystery to the image
Give Your Subject Space to Look Into
Reflection & Shadow
Movement Use movement
to show action, even if it blurs out the subject entirely.
Get serious Not all
portraits need to have a smile, capture the serious emotions too
but not too serious….Take 35 self portrait photographs in order to create a contact sheet for next lesson , take into consideration how you can represent different aspects of your life and personality . The 35 frames do not have to be 35 different images – try different compositions and angles !
MOOD BOARD
BEN WATTS
DIANE ARBUS
THOMAS RUFF
CINDY SHERMAN
ANNIE LEIBOVITZ
DAVID LACHAPELLE
Ben WattsDiane ArbusThomas Ruff
Cindy ShermanAnnie Leibovitz
David LaChapelle
Research one of the above photographers include :
•A brief history•1 portrait image•An analysis of the chosen image– composition, lighting , colour , framing and your personal interpretation.