Loving Model

[tommykelso]

Loving Model



http://www.lightartforum.com/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=1149

Hey ya'll!

A portrait of Angela using a single modelling light.  Converted it to black and white in photoshop as it just worked better in B&W.

[Tim N]

I just saw this on another photoforum type website ... this comment was made by one of the very regular posters who works a lot with models and does heaps of modeling portfolios etc ...                                     "Recomendation: if you're going to take a headshot, go vertical not horizontal. The horizontal just looks awkward, and you're in a bit close.. back up a little bit."

I dont think you need to back up at all tho ... if you swing to vertical (or portrait) then you could probably move closer / zoom in to fill the frame. I think you are right with this one in B+W ... if you had been outside with some nice background (not Irish grey tho ) then colour would have suited.

[bigbob]

tin's rite to much empty space to the right try cropping it, that should work

[tommykelso]

Cheers lads!

Will take that on board!

Must learn to shoot Vertical... must get a battery grip lol

[admin]

I am going to partially disagree. I believe horizontal portraits can be very effective.
In this particular shot, for it to work the face needs to be a little more to the right, but they do work best where there is some background interest, without distracting the eye away from the subject.

A good example would be where you shoot with a shallow depth of field and the background is presented as palette of out of focus colours. I had a bit of a dig around and found this example taken from a jewelry shoot.
Believe it (or else), I included this specific piece of wall, because it picks up similar colours in the models eyes.
There are others in the series where we dressed her in a bride-like white outfit and used a bunch of desaturated red roses to match a similarlry colour red agate stone in a pendant.

The client bought 6 (verticals) as A1 posters for a seaside mall jewelry shop. The posters were overlayed with the company logo and displayed around the mall.

[Ross and Cher]

Nice Tommy - Now if we all just had Admin Dude's experience and gear and it would be so easy!!!

[OZZI-BLOKE]

What Mr Admin dude said. There's nothing wrong with horizontal portraits if there done right.

[tommykelso]

So what you are basically saying is... shooting portraits in horizontal is ok as long as the background helps make the photo... Buts shooting in vertical is better if its a plain background or a background with no interest/relevence to the shot??

So as mine is a plain white background.. would it have been better in vertical??

I just tried to take a different type of portrait rather than the normal format of taking portraits... maybe I got it wrong then 

[Tim N]

maybe I got it wrong then 

In photography there is no WRONG as such (IMHO) ... just a bending of the rules ... its more about what works i.e. is pleasing to the eye of the beholder, and, what doesnt work i.e. what is not pleasing to the eye ... so never say you are wrong (about photography anyway)

[bigbob]

how rite you are Tim.
it is all about what you like.
if you like it it is good

[admin]

Ditto... There is no wrong.
There may be a consensus of what "works", but even this is in the eye of the individual beholder.
One of our members 'Bibblebabe' posted a few very 'selective focus' shots which I enjoyed a few weeks ago, but there was a flurry of opion. Perhaps these images were successful just because they divided opinion?

For portaits, my own rule of thumb (which I regularly bend) is that the background - unless it adds true value, (such as a location of significance like in a travel ad) should be diminutive to the subject. A sure-fire way of doing this is to move the model (assuming control of the shot is yours) well forward of the back ground. Then by using a relatively wide apperature focus on the eyes (unless the object of intended viewer devotion is something else).

We shoot primarily 'location lifestyle' portraits because we favo(u)r natural light, but still have control of the background.
When we shoot a beach shot, you rarely see the beach, but we successfully infer it by using it as the back ground 'drop sheet', by throwing it (sand, ocean, rocks) out of focus. Never-the-less we are still mindful of what that back ground references and the nuances of colour that are available. ie do they pick up on the eye colour or work with, or in contrast to a colour on or worn by the subject.

Driving around our local area (which is a rural coastal valley close to beaches and a couple of towns and an hour in each direction to two large cities, mountains and a wine district), my wife or myself are always commenting on scenes that offer a stylistic back ground opportunity. Just a few days or so ago, we noticed a local graffitti artist had "beautifed" the side of an old local corrugated iron shed. It faces north (ideal in our hemisphere) but right on a main road. Instantly we recognised it isolated from its surroundings as a perfect back drop for teenage potraits an stored it away for future opportunities. All part of learning to "see"

If you wander out into the middle of any park, landscape, cityscape...or city alley for that matter and turn 360 degrees, look and see what is available as a "background". You can use your camera lens set to manual out-of-focus to investigate what is available and when the light might best suit that viewpoint.
After a bit of practice, you will imagine this in your mind's eye without going through that process.

Around the house, I'd forget flash and keep an eye on when the light favours a particular window, or corner of the yard.
If the room is otherwise dark and therefore offering too much contrast, hang a white sheet opposite the window and or large sheet of foam-core and bounce some light back in..

Contrary to popular belief, cloudy or rainy days offer magnificent light for portraits. There is still generally a prominent light source, which you can determine by looking at the palm of your hand from about 18" / 45cm and rotating on the spot, ideally set your subject so that the light falls across the face. You can also creat interest by 'subtracting light by placing the subject, near an overhang of trees or building or with white or black surfaces as reflectors.

Think of a drizzly night in a city. There is loads of ambient light from shopfronts, reflections in glass, traffic lights bounced off wet road surfaces - now set your camera to auto white balance, shoot RAW (so you can tweak later), crank up your ISO, open your fastest lens to its maximum and use your spot meter to pick up exposure for the subject features (unless a sillouette) and be amazed at what you can come away with. Get down low and try some wide angles with a bit of tilt from the horizontal OR vertical.
Don't let light rain put you or the client off. Put a plastic shopping bag over the camera body with a rubber band around the lens and go for it. Just keep a dry hand-towel nearby to keep drops off the lens.

A very popular tool for portrait and wedding photographers for the last few years, has been the portable video light. With a helper or stand, you can punch a little extra light in where it is needed in these situations. Mix a video light with a late twilight, set your colour balance to tungsten and see the amazing blues and mauves that the background twilight sky provides.

Just a few of a million tips and possibilites beyond the point and shoot...But whatever grabs your creative attention, it is right for you and worth a couple of shots.
...and horizontal portaits are OK!
I'm now clearly rambling. Shut up mark!

[bigbob]

I am glad to see that one photo can open such a diverse debate.with the end result being that it only matters that the person taking the picture likes it. the rest of us can of coarse have an opinion but it is only our opinion and should not be imposed on others.
But with other horizontal portraits turning up we the verticals could be in the minority

[Analog6]

Yes, it is all relative. There is nothing 'wrong' with this shot.

What might have worked well here would be some point of interest to the side and the model sliding her eyes that way.  Just a suggestion.