Advice on taking portraits in black and white?
Marion
I have a new project in school with my photography class and it's to
take portraits of self + 3 others (of other ppl of my choice.)
*boogles* I'm so afraid of this project, lol. I only know how to
take the "1, 2, 3, CHEESE!" sort of pictures. :)
So, the pictures are supposed to exude some sort of 'story' of the
person being portraited. Have meaning to it. I've been trying to
picture that with my family members and I'm drawing blanks. Not only
that, I've tried and they stare at the camera (is that ok?) and I have
yet to process the contact sheets but I have a feelng those shots will
be unacceptable. How do you relax the person you're taking a picture
and make a good picture out of her/him/them?
Not only that, the place is a total mess (and I mean M-E-S-S,) I
also live in a studio with my bf and we're like in 2 feet of
messiness. I'm embarrassed to take pictures of the mess as a
background. And outside doesn't seem to be a way to any meaning.
Maybe I need to go somewhere that has interesting lighting and then
just walk through with someone and take shots that way...like the
local aquarium where there's lots of dark and light places. On the
other hand, maybe not, hrmph...I'm outta ideas..anyone out there have
any advice?
Colin_D
Mom or sister, or Dad/brother. Get them to show you about their hobby
or interests, and capture them while they are engrossed. There's nothing
worse than sitting somebody down with nothing to think or talk about and
then asking them to adopt a pose.
Do something unexpected to catch their interest. There is a famous
portrait of Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World
War II, shot by a photog known as Karsh of Ottawa. Churchill sat with
his inevitable cigar, and Karsh couldn't get the expression he wanted,
so he approached close to Churchill, and snatched the cigar from his
mouth, then fired the shutter.
The result was absolutely the epitome of Churchill, with his fierce
bull-dog-like look that made him famous.
I don't expect you will be able to snatch cigars out of anyone's mouth,
but there has to be something you can do to 'take them out of
themselves' and that's when you hit the button.
Colin D.
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
Douglas
"Marion" <mch...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1173752146.9...@q40g2000cwq.googlegroups.com...
: Hello all,
I might be a bit slow on the uptake here but...
Have you got to take three portraits of people plus one of you or one
portrait of three people with you in it?
helensi...@hotmail.com
I find people are intimidated by cameras with big lenses. They just
freeze up. I always strike up a conversation with someone just to put
them at ease. Once they feel a little more relaxed, wait until they
start talking about themselves or their problems. Especially
something that interests them. It always soothes the soul when a
lonely person is able to talk and vent out their problems to someone
who is offering an ear to listen with. For me, I hate posed shots. I
have taken portraits of street people, the homeless, the downtrodden,
etc. I always found that they respond to a kind and sympathetic
person. Oh, you will find some that will respond negatively. Just
walk away and choose another subject. Be careful, you don't want to
go looking in dark laneways, etc. My best advice is get out and
practice. To be able to capture the essence of someone is what
portrait photography is all about. You have to learn through practice
to "feel" what your subject is feeling. Good Luck!
Helen
Nicholas O. Lindan
> I have a new project in school with my photography class and it's to
> take portraits of self + 3 others (of other ppl of my choice.)
> So, the pictures are supposed to exude some sort of 'story' of the
> person being portraited. Have meaning to it.
An environmental portrait...
> I've been trying to picture that with my family
> members and I'm drawing blanks.
Start with what you know: What were your emotional
relationships with members of your family. Try and
display those entanglements in a picture.
> Not only that, I've tried and they stare at the
> camera (is that ok?)
Did they stare at you with a blank expression in RL?
Books have been published of people with blank stares
- very hard to do.
http://www.artphotogallery.org/artphotogallery/photographers/richard_avedon_01.html
> How do you relax the person you're taking a picture
> and make a good picture out of her/him/them?
Take a picture of them jumping up in the air?
http://www.magnumphotos.com/LowRes2/TR3/F/P/R/U/PAR33115.jpg
> Not only that, the place is a total mess (and I mean M-E-S-S,) I
> also live in a studio with my bf and we're like in 2 feet of
> messiness. I'm embarrassed to take pictures of the mess as a
> background.
Ah, maybe that's the problem - not wanting to face the
reality of it all. No matter how 'bad' reality is, that
reality is as good as it gets. Take a picture of the mess,
what does the mess mean to you? What do you mean to the mess?
You live in a mess then you live in a mess and if the world
doesn't like it then it's the world's problem [assuming
your rats and roaches don't wander into your neighbor's
apartment].
If you are going to take pictures of your nearest and dearest
then your emotions are going to get in the way, so take a
picture of it: picture of your folks when
they have that expression on their faces when the really PYO;
Ditto when they make your heart melt [do it on different
days or you will have very confused parents].
Interact ... snatch their cigars.
http://www.malaspina.com/jpg/churchill.jpg
Sure beats:
http://www.winstonchurchillbc.org/images/churchill%20victory.gif
> Maybe I need to go somewhere that has interesting lighting and then
> just walk through with someone and take shots that way...like the
> local aquarium where there's lots of dark and light places.
Well, that should put the blinkers on reality ... I mean, do
you or your subjects hang out at the aquarium?
If you gotta hide you gotta hide, but at least make the
hiding interesting and revealing:
http://www.uky.edu/ArtMuseum/luce/Top50/50/pages/Meatyard_jpg.htm
http://www.clampart.com/inventory/inventoryimages/imagemeatyard02.htm
--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation: F-Stop Timers, Enlarging Meters
http://www.darkroomautomation/index.htm
n o lindan at ix dot netcom dot com
Draco
Marion,
Colin gave you some very valueable advice. Get you subject talking
about what intrests them. As they talk and relax you can sense of
where to be to capture the image that helps define your subject. By
what you had said about your BF set him in the middle of all that
messiness in a tux. Or just very cleaned up.
Interesting lighting isn't just dark and light places. It is
lighting that shapes and defines texture for a two dimension format.
You can have a great B&W portrait of some one in bright day light. You
have to mindful of shadows and any highlights that might get too
bright to be printed down. One portrait I remember seeing that blew me
away was of a blacksmith. The photographer had used natural light, a
bounce card to fill in light and slow shutter speed. It provided a
wonderful image of a blacksmith at work. Light comming in the window
from the side and the arch of sparks as he hit the hot metal on the
anvil. Wish I could remember who took that image.
Taking someone to the aquarium for a portrait is very cool. More so
if you were able to get some of the inhabintents(fishies) in the
image. Even better if the person was involved with fish. But as Colin
had said, get to know your subject. Then you will be able to get a
better image.
Don't give up. Keep at it.
Draco
Getting even isn't good enough.
Pudentame
> Hello all,
>
> I have a new project in school with my photography class and it's to
> take portraits of self + 3 others (of other ppl of my choice.)
> *boogles* I'm so afraid of this project, lol. I only know how to
> take the "1, 2, 3, CHEESE!" sort of pictures. :)
>
Has the instructor addressed lighting for portraits? Are these to be
based on getting a good exposure using ambient light, or are you allowed
to light the subject for good exposure?
Simple lighting - Place the subject with the ambient light behind or to
one side. Move the flash (strobe) off the camera about 45 deg to the
side opposite the ambient light.
Meter to expose at sync speed and set the flash for one stop less, i.e.
if your sync is 1/125 sec and the meter says f/11, set the flash to f/8.
The idea is the flash will provide less light, because you've told it
you're shooting with the larger aperture. You use the light just to fill
in the shadows without overpowering the main light.
http://www.popphoto.com/assets/download/821200311318.pdf
Now, I know you probably don't have a light stand to mount the flash on,
but that's not a problem. You said you've got a boy friend. Use him. He
can hold the flash up.
If I remember, you settled on a Pentax P30t, and I don't think that has
a PC socket (X-sync socket), so you may need to buy an adapter that fits
on your camera's hot-shoe:
or
or
... as well as the extension cable:
... and probably an extension shoe for your flash.
If you don't have a flash yet, I suggest the Vivitar 285HV:
If you get the 285HV, instead of the PCM to PCF extension cable and
extension hot shoe, get this cable:
http://www.adorama.com/PNV16C.html
So that's lighting and equipment simplified. I've used the national mail
order houses for examples, but you can probably find this locally; even
Wolf/Ritz should have it. And if you've got a good local independent
dealer, you're "in like Flynn."
> So, the pictures are supposed to exude some sort of 'story' of the
> person being portraited. Have meaning to it. I've been trying to
> picture that with my family members and I'm drawing blanks. Not only
> that, I've tried and they stare at the camera (is that ok?) and I have
> yet to process the contact sheets but I have a feelng those shots will
> be unacceptable. How do you relax the person you're taking a picture
> and make a good picture out of her/him/them?
>
Anyone you know have a hobby? Model airplanes, pottery, knitting,
bowling, biking ...
The idea is to get them interested in their hobby and THEN take the
portrait. Just tell them "You look at what you're doing and trust ME to
take a good photograph and make you look good."
For bowling, you'll probably have to rent two lanes and shoes for you
and your boyfriend. Also explain to the attendant what you're doing so
he can put you where the flash won't bother anyone else; nor will the
attendant freak out from you standing halfway down one lane to take the
picture.
Some other ideas I got just from googling "hobby portrait", "knitting", ...
http://www.fischli-bike.ch/images/sepp1/thumbs/seppport20202.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31321026@N00/
http://www.loop.gb.com/imgs/pho_classes.jpg
http://www.nbvc.navy.mil/mwr/images/bowling3.jpg
http://www.benthampottery.com/image/bentham_pottery_lee.jpg
http://www.romanian-pottery.com/images/leftcolumn_top.jpg
http://www.southwestnh.com/graphics/biking.jpg
Notice that some of these "portraits" are shot very close, and don't
necessarily include the entire person ... try at least one, it may be
enough different to be a stand-out in the class
Or see if the instructor would accept as an additional image for extra
credit.
> Not only that, the place is a total mess (and I mean M-E-S-S,) I
> also live in a studio with my bf and we're like in 2 feet of
> messiness. I'm embarrassed to take pictures of the mess as a
> background. And outside doesn't seem to be a way to any meaning.
>
What you have is a studio apartment.
A photographer's "studio" is nothing more than a mostly empty room, with
equipment for creating an illusion of place. While there is frequently
mess in a studio, it's masked off from the area where the photograph is
being created.
You can do the same. Move all the mess to one end of the room and make
your photographs at the other.
BTDTGTTS.
> Maybe I need to go somewhere that has interesting lighting and then
> just walk through with someone and take shots that way...like the
> local aquarium where there's lots of dark and light places. On the
> other hand, maybe not, hrmph...I'm outta ideas..anyone out there have
> any advice?
>
You can do that, but also think about what I started with - lighting.
Find your interesting lighting, and use your skills and your tools to
CREATE more interesting lighting.
That's PHOTOGRAPHY - photo = light; graphy = writing ... writing with light.
Frank ess
to divert attention to something that is a common problem, common to
the principals involved. In this case, perhaps the camera isn't
cooperating. You don't seem to be able to get it to go off when it
should, or it seems to want to point somewhere you don't want it to.
Talk to the camera, make it obvious you are soliciting suggestions,
help, salvation, from the subjects.
With the subjects' involvement comes unselfconsciousness. During your
sham or charade, you'll be taking pictures of their irritated,
concerned, considering, concentrating faces, and when you declare
victory, their satisfied, jubilant faces.
Sometimes a photographer (or liver of life) has to be an actor, must
be able to tolerate-indeed, seek- the spotlight, in order to
photograph (experience) behaviors in the near-dark periphery.
--
Frank ess
Douglas
"Frank ess" <fr...@fshe2fs.com> wrote in message
news:_t2dnWuDfY_7uGrY...@giganews.com...
: One ploy I've used in life as well as photography ( analyze that! ) is
Deep stuff, Mate!
Paul Furman
> Do something unexpected to catch their interest. There is a famous
> portrait of Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World
> War II, shot by a photog known as Karsh of Ottawa. Churchill sat with
> his inevitable cigar, and Karsh couldn't get the expression he wanted,
> so he approached close to Churchill, and snatched the cigar from his
> mouth, then fired the shutter.
Ha!
http://www.inuitfinearts.com/paintings/karsh/karsh-churchill.html
helensi...@hotmail.com
> Colin_D wrote:
> > Do something unexpected to catch their interest. There is a famous
> > portrait of Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World
> > War II, shot by a photog known as Karsh of Ottawa. Churchill sat with
> > his inevitable cigar, and Karsh couldn't get the expression he wanted,
> > so he approached close to Churchill, and snatched the cigar from his
> > mouth, then fired the shutter.
>
> > bull-dog-like look that made him famous.
>
> > I don't expect you will be able to snatch cigars out of anyone's mouth,
> > but there has to be something you can do to 'take them out of
> > themselves' and that's when you hit the button.
>
> > Colin D.
Oh Yeah!! That is a great portrait. One of the best!
Helen
Annika1980
Funny you mentioned that. I took a B/W portrait just this afternoon.
Adam
> I have a new project in school with my photography class and it's to
> take portraits of self + 3 others (of other ppl of my choice.)
> *boogles* I'm so afraid of this project, lol. I only know how to
> take the "1, 2, 3, CHEESE!" sort of pictures. :)
Hi, Marion! I've been following your posts with interest since I'm also
taking "B/W Photog I" at a local community (state-supported two-year)
college. Portraits will be assignment #4 for us. #1 was fast/slow
shutter speeds to stop/blur action, #2 is wide/shallow depth of field,
#3 will be "shoot something that implies three-dimensional perspective."
Just goes to show that nearly every question posted on Usenet also
represents several other people who have the same question!
Adam
--
Email: rubin AT bestweb DOT net
helensi...@hotmail.com
Spooky! Great portrait though! I love the exposure, as it gives a
more dramatic look to the fish. ISO 3200....WOW! Great work Bret!
CATFISH LOVE THE 20D!
Helen
Knit...@gmail.com
Can you try to take the photos while the people are at their hobby, at
work, or just doing something? That way you avoid all the problems -
ie: they won't be staring at the camera, they will be doing something
that tells about themselves, and you won't be taking the photo in your
appartment...
And Colin D is right about that Karsh photo of Winston Churchill - but
bear in mind that that photo was part "chutzpah" on Karsh's part: that
cigar was as much a part of Churchill's face as his own nose was!
Cheers, and good luck!!
Jana.
On Mar 12, 11:18 pm, "Marion" <mche...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Hello all,
>
> I have a new project in school with myphotographyclass and it's to
bob hickey
film) untill no one sees the camera anymore. Plenty of contrast, early/late
in the day. Get a small range finder and keep it on hyperfocal distance, so
you can get the shot in one easy motion. Shoot skateboarders and other
brokebrain subjects. They love it. Stay away from homeless and derelicts.
You never know if they're just down on their luck or seriously deranged, or
a test subject for a fresh batch of meth. Good luck; Bob Hickey