Lighting – Portrait – Research

Portrait:

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/portrait-photography-tips/#page=3

I found this national geographic tips on taking a portrait photograph interesting as I have looked at lots of different portrait photographs both family portraits and fashion shots and see that the essence of a portrait photograph is to try and capture that person and their personality and try and let them show who they are through the portrait image. I feel that these tips will help guide me in the right direction on how to capture a portrait image and what angles look best and what angles make a person appear uncomfortable and not as confident about themselves.

A portrait photograph is to capture the likeness of a person or small group of people. The object is to display the mood of a person, personality and likeness of the subject. The focus of the portrait is the subject usually their face although the photograph can include both the subjects body and background within the image although these aren’t essential to create a portrait photograph. A portrait is generally a positioned subject rather than a candid snapshot of a person as usually the subjects aren’t models but non-professionals. Portraits are usually taken of families or at special occasions such as weddings or graduations but occasionally portraits are made for public viewing, although most are for private viewings commissioned by the subject themselves usually. Some public viewed portraits would be things like an author on a book cover or to illustrate a company.

http://www.portraitlighting.net/

The lighting within a portrait photograph is essential and needs to be jut right as too bright and the subject will become over exposed were as if the light is not bright enough the subject could become under exsposed. The lighting within studios can be altered and adjusted to how the photographer would like it to look however there are portrait photographs taken on location with lights set up as well as this photographers can use external flashes and natural lighting all give the portraits a different feel.

Eve Arnold 

An american photojournalist. She learnt photography from harpars bazaar’s art director Alexei Brodovitch, although she is best known for her images she took of the actress marilyn monroe on the set of her last film. In 1980 her first solo exhibition featured photographic work taken in china.

I chose Eve Arnold because she became famous for her portrait photographs of marilyn monroe. Her style of portraiture meant she is still remembered to this day although she has retired from photography she has left a collection of images as her legacy. I think her style of portraiture is something i would like to use elements of for my own portrait photograph.

I like this portrait photograph Eve took of marilyn monroe as it shows her glamourous side but also shows her vulnerability by showing her laying down all in white it shows a more innocent naive side to the actress that you wouldn’t of normally seeing. I think this image is how a portrait of someone so famous should be handled tastefully but with a softness about it so the subject doesn’t look too harsh or make too much of an impact.

This portrait is a good example of what a classic portrait should look like, i feel the images look best in black and white for portraits as colour can draw attention away from the subject and more onto what they are wearing. The subject in this image is close to the camera and has a gaze into the distance i like how there is just enough light to fill the subjects face without over powering her.

One of the most famous images taken by Eve of Marilyn Monroe. She looks beautiful but also natural and more down to earth in this portrait taken of her. She isn’t looking into the camera but into the distance in a different direction which is a little unusual for a portrait photograph as the subject usually looks near to where the camera is positioned to capture more of their face and what the subject is really like. I feel this captures her personality a lot more like this and shows the viewer that she has a softer more down to earth side to herself.

Mary Ellen Mark

She is one of the most famous portrait photographers. She was drawn to people often ignored by society, who were overlooked, neglected and on the fringe of societies edge. She took images of people who take drugs, prostitutes and homeless as well as many more and tried to show people how these people live and what they have to go through in their lifetime.

She worked on film sets such as ‘Apocalypse Now’ and ‘One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest’ however it is her own personal work which took up most of her time and attention which she is best known for documenting the marginalised people in US society.

This image i feel is a great portrait it says a lot about the subject. The subject looks as though she is about to go to a funeral or is in mourning for somebody but the blowing of the bubble gum by the subject makes it look like she is having fun and isn’t upset. So either she is dressed up to go out somewhere or she is joking around to try and make other people feel comfortable around her. This could be a sign of this persons personality or it could be a sign that she just cant take anything seriously.

This image straight away has a big impact on the viewer because of the way the woman is sat in the foetal position it makes her look vulernable and alone as well as isolated. The photo frame next to her suggests to us that she has a daughter maybe or that she has a sister or that it was her and her mother but now her mothers dead she is lost without her? It could also suggest that this woman has been on the edge of society and is somewhere were she can seek help and medical assistance.

This portrait has a lot of different meanings within it as we know Mary Ellen liked to take images of people cast out of society and these young girls look just this. The young slightly over weight girl who no doubt has been bullied for the way she looks and doesn’t conform to how people perceive young girls to look and the other more over confident girl who again like the other girl looks young both between the ages of 8 and 10 years old. Smoking straight into the camera straight faced, bold not worried of the consequences of what she is doing to herself through smoking.