Portrait Photography
Digital SLR, Tamron 70-210mm f-2.8 lens, 1/60 sec at f-2.8
When photographing people you need to show a person's character and style.
Try to capture them as they really are. Your subjects must feel comfortable
in front of a camera in order for you to create an image that shows the
person's true personality. Look for moods or expressions in the face. When
photographing in daylight avoid direct sun as it can create shadows or use a
reflector to control light. The direction of the light has great influence
on the subject. Side lighting gives the best results. Front lighting can
flatten features. Look at your subject from different angles to see how you
want to photograph them.
Decide on a view point. People with strong
expressions are best photographed from a front view while a side view is
best for interesting profiles. Always look for distracting backgrounds as
they can ruin a picture. Exposure is best calculated by reading off a gray
card or an object of medium tone in the same light as your subject (see
learning exposure). An incident light meter is also a great tool for
measuring light.
In the studio a flash is used the most. Do not use flash on
camera as it can create a flat light and cause red eye. You can also use
tungsten lighting and studio flash units. Studio flash units have a modeling
lamp fitted to the flash head. You don't need to purchase a lot of lights to
get good portraits. Most of the time only one light is enough and it can
give the best effect. A second light can be used to illuminate the
background.
You can purchase different types of backgrounds but a plain one
is best as they don't distract the image. Medium telephoto lenses between
85mm to 135mm are great for head and shoulder shots. A wide aperture of f-2
or f-2.8 will blur the background to remove all distractions. Wide angle
lenses can create distortion. Use these lenses when photographing a group of
people. A 50mm lens can be used at a bit further away otherwise this lens
can also create some distortion. For candid shots a longer lens such as a
200mm should be enough. You can also purchase soft focus lenses or filters
for creating a romantic portrait.
Smith Victor KT750 3-Light 750-Watt Thrifty
Photoflood Kit with Corrugated Carrying Case
Thrifty Kits are designed to fulfill basic lighting requirements at an exceptionally affordable price. Each Thrifty Kit has hand spun reflectors made of high strength aluminum with chemically attached interiors for maximum light dispersion. The outer finish is photographic black baked on enamel. The Raven RS6 telescopes to 6' and the Raven RS8 telescopes to 8'. Each Thrifty Kit comes with a photoflood lamps, sockets and cordsets, a corrugated carrying case for storage and transport and the Imaging with Light Guide.