beginning portrait photography
Ben
I'm interested in portrait photography and would like to start with
simple portraits from my own home or with portraits of friends. Is
this a good starting point? I want to use b/w film and would like to
know about the lighting requirements for portrait photography under
limited conditions. Do I need to purchase lights or natural light is
good enough for it? I have Pentax MZ-30 with upto 300mm lens. What are
some good hints for portrait photography?
Thanks
Ben
Lisa Horton
You'll then have an idea of what sorts of lights are or can be used
for portraiture, and how to use them. Buying anything without that
knowledge is basically like flying blind.
Lisa
Patrick L.
Ben <cresc...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d99e1341.03062...@posting.google.com...
http://www.stnphotography.com/tips.html has some good tips on portraiture,
and links.
You can start with a camera, a tripod, an 85mm or 100mm lens, one monolight
on a stand as the key light, a reflector as fill, and use a simple fabric
(such as crushed panne velvet, even a soft blue bedsheet, which will appear
as a nice gray in BW film) as a backdrop.
You will still need a light meter. You don't need a fancy meter, but it
must have cordless and w/cord flash capability. I use the basic Sekonic
L-308B, which is a real nice basic unit with cordless, w/cord flash
measurements, as well as EV and incident modes. I think every serious
photographer, amateur or otherwise, should invest in a light meter.
Make sure the monolight you purchase has variable power from 1/32 power to
full, non-stepped (has a slider control, for feathering the exact output),
as well as having a modeling light, and tracking button (so that the
modeling light's power varies corresponding with the power of the flash
output. The modeling light will help you predict how the light will fall on
the subject, since you do not have a Polaroid back proofing capability with
a Minolta 35mm camera. It is not as good as a Polaroid, but it is better
than shooting blind). I use AlienBees, and they are real nice, light
weight. inexpensive units. One B400 is all you need to start. See David
Weikel's web site for a full review on these lights.
You can put the key light directly behind the camera. Once you focus,
having a cable release, step aside and take your picture. Or you can put
the key light off to the side, about a 45 degree angle from the subject.
Wherever you put it, put it up high. Bounce the light off a umbrella
reflector, or better yet, use a soft box. Get the lights as close to the
subject as possible.
With (flash) meter in the cordless flash mode, have the subject hold the
meter, placing it in front of their face with the dome pointed at the
camera, making sure the meter's ISO corresponds to your film ISO, pop the
flash via the monolight's test button, and see what F/stop the meter says.
Depending on what your desired F/stop is, such as do you want to shoot at
f/8, f/11 ? (it is up to you, but f/8 is a good place to start), vary
the light's output until the meter says f/8. Set your camera's f/stop to
f/8. The shutter speed won't matter that much if you are using a backdrop,
but I set it to 1/125. Make sure the backdrop is about 4 feet behind the
subject's head. Otherwise the flash will illuminate it. If the backdrop is
black, in order for it to be real black, you don't want the flash to reach
it.
You should have two reflectors, one for fill, and another placed parallel to
the floor reflecting light to soften the shadows under the subjects nose.
The other reflector off to the side opposite the key light (if the key light
is at 45 degree. If key light is directly behind camera, then the
reflectors might not be needed).
For the women, you might want to use a softening filter, women love it.
I wouldn't get John Hart's book on 50 portrait techniques for one reason,
it deals only with hot lights. If you want to go the hot light route, the
book is great, and there is no doubt you can make good portraits, but the
lights are very hot, and you must use fans (for you and the subject). In
the book, John claims he doesn't use flash because they cause the photo to
be "flat". He provides one example of a flash portrait, which tends to
support this, however, mine don't appear flat, nor to the thousands of
portraits other portrait photographer's who prefer flash, appear flat,
either. So I can only conclude he does not know how to use them.
Still , if you use monolights, you can position them where the hot lights
are positioned in the book, substituting monolights for hot lights, so I
guess the book will be good, either way. The key light needs to be about
500watts, and the fill light 250 watts. Make sure the lights are equipped
with dimmer switches to dim the light when you are not shooting. The
lighting is more dramatic than the soft light from a soft box. And if you
want to play around with that classic "Hollywood Lighting" technique, hot
lights are good for this style. A set of Smith Victor floods is cheaper
than monolights, no doubt about that, and you will not need a light meter,
either, just use you camera's internal meter. If you are shooting black and
white, it won't matter, but if you shoot color, with hot lights, you will
need tungsten balanced film, just keep that in mind. Also, get diffusers
for the lights, to soften the lighting. I think you can buy diffusers than
snap on to the lights.
Most good camera shops will have books on portraiture, get one. Find one
that covers the basic lighting 101 techniques, i.e., "Butterfly" lighting,
"Rembrandt" lighting, "Short" lighting, "High Key", "Low Key" and so forth,
I think one of those books will be better to start with than John Hart's
book, which I think would be a fine book after one masters the basics.
headshots AT patricklockwood DOT com.
Best,
Patrick
Tony Spadaro
http://www.chapelhillnoir.com/mani/books/mbooks.html
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Lewis Lang
>From: "Patrick L." nicew...@youcangetit.com
>Date: Sat, Jun 21, 2003 5:30 PM
>Message-id: <jD0Ja.6701$C83.6...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net>
Good post, Patrick! :-) I would also add to that book list some more advanced
books:
"PORTRAITS" (From the Pro-Lighting series, by Hicks & Schultz)
Light-Science & Magic (by Hunter & Fuqua (spelling?))
Lewis
Check out my photos at "LEWISVISION":
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Hickster0711
slave. Or, get complicated beyond belief. The only must's I can see are a meter
and a decent idea book. Bob Hickey
Steven
news:d99e1341.03062...@posting.google.com...
I place a mirror next to the camera, so the model can see what the camera
sees. Helps me explaining how I want a pose.
Unless you have experience with studio lighting I'd stick with natural
light; you don't want to learn two things at a time (portrait + studio
lighting).
On my Minolta Dynax (Maxxum) I use a Sigma 105mm macro for portraits, on the
Hasselblad an 80mm or 150 mm. Until now I've done most of my portraits with
strobes in a studio.
Success,
Steven
Dallas D
knowledgeable posters on the group, but something you need to keep in mind
is that no matter how good the lighting, if your subject doesn't play along,
your results are likely to be disappointing.
The most important element of portraiture (imo) is to put your subject at
ease. A lot of people don't like having their picture taken. If you can
master the art of developing a rapport with model you have half the battle
won.
In the fourth quarter of every year I do some portrait sessions with two of
our local pre-schools. It's very casual but believe me, what they say about
never working with children and animals is true! Some kids are fantastic
when it comes to having their picture taken, but others are just not
interested. No amount of coaxing them to smile or relax will work.
In my first year of doing this I offered parents the option of having formal
portraits done or candids of their kids just playing. I used my 100-400mm
zoom to get them from afar and those shots were the most successful.
As far as lighting goes, I try to stick with natural ambient light as much
as I can, using reflectors when needed. My favourite portraits are those
taken with window light.
"Ben" <cresc...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d99e1341.03062...@posting.google.com...
Don Stauffer
lighting. I would not recommend it for a beginner. Light stands and
lights are not that expensive if you shop for them. Many good building
supply and hardware stores these days have a good supply of bulbs.
Consider halogen bulbs, available in either spot or flood at hardware
stores.
Incandescent lights are a bit warm in color, but that is fine,
especially for black and white films.
--
Don Stauffer in Minnesota
stau...@usfamily.net
webpage- http://www.usfamily.net/web/stauffer
NickC
Choosing to use B&W film is a wise thing to do. You avoid the problems
associated with using color film, problems that could arise if you're
unfamiliar with color temperatures. With B&W film, you can use just
about any light source but you must be aware that flat light is not
complementary nor is it aesthetic. Lighting that may be acceptable
when using color film may not be applicable when using B&W film.
Exception being in some cases that I'll not go into because of the
length of explanation.
Very good information has already been posted so my contribution to
your inquiry will be just to add to that information. Don't be afraid
to either get close to your subject of use film that will enable you
to crop the picture to emphasize facial features. Lenses that I would
recommend are either a 85mm or 105mm (I use both suitable to the
occasion). Normally, I avoid taking portraits but I'll provide an
example of what I mean about emphasis.
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1568093
Nick
Bill Mcdonald
). Normally, I avoid taking portraits but I'll provide an
>example of what I mean about emphasis.
>
>http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1568093
>
>Nick
>
black and white portfolio on photonet, I really like the interesting
perspective on the shot taken at Belmont shore which is at this url:
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=648709
Great job!
Bill Mcdonald in Joshua Tree.
Olympus E-10, Olympus IS-3 DLX.
ICQ#138329143.
http://community.webshots.com/user/morongobill
Stefan Patric
I suggest that you start with Natural Light portraits. Basically all
you'll need is diffusion material, reflectors, 3 or 4 light stands
and clamps to hold everything in place.
Check your library or bookstore for books on natural light
portraiture. Once you learn those techniques, you can move on to
artificial light portraits.
--
Stefan Patric
too...@yahoo.com
NickC
Thank you Bill for your comment. The cute beauty in the picture is my
youngest daughter.
Nick
Daniel ROCHA
> Hi all,
> I'm interested in portrait photography and would like to start with
> simple portraits from my own home or with portraits of friends. Is
> this a good starting point? I want to use b/w film and would like to
> know about the lighting requirements for portrait photography under
> limited conditions. Do I need to purchase lights or natural light is
> good enough for it?
Do it outdoor using available light !
For making portrait photography there is no need to buy any flash !
http://www.monochromatique.com/portrait/
> I have Pentax MZ-30 with upto 300mm lens. What are
> some good hints for portrait photography?
Use a fast lens !
--
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