PORTRAITS

Learning from the masters

JOHN RANKIN

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7227864n&tag=mncol;lst;2

DOROTHEA LANGE

What makes a good portrait?

Is there a story?

HOW TO CAPTURE A GREAT PORTRAITAlter Your Perspective

Most portraits are taken with the camera at (or around) the eye level of the subject. While this is good common sense –

completely changing the angle that you shoot from can give

your portrait a real WOW factor.

PLAY WITH EYE CONTACT

Looking off camerahave your subject focus their attention on something unseen and outside the field of view of your camera. This can

create a feeling of candidness and also create a little intrigue and interest as the viewer of the shot wonders what

they are looking at. Or Looking within the frame

alternatively you could have your subject looking at something (or

someone) within the frame.

BREAK THE RULES OF COMPOSITION

Rule of ThirdsPlacing your subject either dead center can sometimes create a

powerful image – or even creative placement with your subject right

on the edge of a shot can sometimes create interesting

images.

EXPERIMENT WITH LIGHTING

Another element of randomness that you can introduce to your

portraits is the way that you light them. There are almost unlimited

possibilities when it comes to using light in portraits.

Side-lighting can create mood, backlighting and silhouetting your subject to hide their features can

be powerful.

EXPERIMENT WITH LIGHTING

Silhouettes are another way of creating dramatic lighting

effects.

Matthew Jordan Smith, photographer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WAKTLBP1AU

MOVE YOUR SUBJECT OUT OF THEIR COMFORT

ZONE

Ask your subject to do something out of the

ordinary for some really extreme shots.

NOTHING DANGEROUS!

SHOOT CANDIDLYSometimes posed shots can look somewhat…. posed. Some people

don’t look good in a posed environment and so switching to a candid type approach can work.

Photograph your subject at work, with family or doing something

that they love. This will put them more at ease and you can end up getting some special shots with them reacting naturally to the

situation that they are in.

STEVE MCCURRY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Uic6p4lwX8Most of my photos are grounded in people, I look for the unguarded moment, the essential soul peeking out, experience etched on a person’s face.- Steve McCurry

INTRODUCE A PROPAdd a prop of some kind into your

shots and you create another point of interest that can enhance your shot.

Yes you might run the risk of taking too much focus away from your main subject but you could also really add

a sense of story and place to the image that takes it in a new direction

and gives the person you’re photographing an extra layer of

depth that they wouldn’t have had without the prop.

FOCUS UPON ONE BODY PART – CLOSE

UPJust photograph a part of your

subject. Photographing a person’s hands, eyes, mouth or even just their

lower body… can leave a lot to the imagination of the viewer of an

image.

Sometimes it’s what is left out of an image that says more than what is

included.

TAKE A SERIES OF SHOTS

COMPOSING PORTRAITS

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8AC4VeIgkg

PORTRAIT ASSIGNMENT

Part 1 – Research master photographer

Part 2 – Take 1st set of 12 images, emulating photographer

Part 3 – Take 2nd set of 12 images, develop your own style

Part 4 – Print contact sheets and large photos

Part 5 - Critique

MAST ERS O F P HOT OGRA PHY. COMCHECK L IST

Start with the RESEARCH portion of the project first

Use masters-of-photography.com or

Google images to collect your images - appropriate portrait images ONLYSave all images into a folder called PORTRAITS

Decide which master photographer you will study

Type 1 paragraph biography on master photographer

Save to your Portrait folder

When all of the above is complete then you may move onto taking photographs

Emphasis on hands

Emphasis on feet/shoes

Close-up

Extreme close-up

Medium shot against a blurred background

Full figure (long shot)

1ST SET OF 12 PHOTOS

Profile (side view)

Back of figure

¾ Medium shot

Low Angle – Worm’s Eye view

High Angle – Bird’s Eye view

Face in a “Crowd”

1ST 12 PHOTOS

Emulate your chosen photographer’s style

Print a contact sheet of all 12 black & white photos to lab 208 4700 laser printer

Pick your best two photos to print in large scale

Put all 12 completed photos on my flash drive in a folder with your first and last name

2ND SET OF 12 PHOTOS

These photos will consist of your own style

Using the photographer you studied for inspiration, you should now feel confident to break free and create your own sense of style

The last 12 photos will be shot in color but you can choose to convert them to black and white, sepia tone or a combination of both, but they should be consistent

Print a contact sheet

You will be printing your 2 best photos and submitting all remaining 12 photos to me on my flash drive

STUDENT EXAMPLES

STUDENT EXAMPLES

STUDENT EXAMPLES

STUDENT EXAMPLES