Dailey & Wren
 

Here are a couple of photos I took today - nothing planned, just trying out the light in our new house.

I like both of these and think they'd be good portraits - anyone see problems?

This one is so...fuzzy? with the light I think it would be hard maybe. Perhaps some contrast fixing.

I don't think that having someone's face in shadow is a good strategy for portraiture. Figure painting maybe, not portraiture. Especially a little girl.

Point taken Marvin. Thanks.

"Alright girls, face the window this time..."

I cruised the SOG artists to see about faces in shadow (children especially). It wasn't common, but there were some that worked.

Linda Brandon had several in shadow.....Linda? What made yours work? And work they did... I'd post one, but not sure she wants me to.

Hi there Kim,

The faces in shadow on my website are those which are outdoor portraits using outdoor light. (Thanks for saying they "worked" for you, Kim.) That's where the interesting color changes happen in outdoor work; the light side gets blasted away in full sun, or at least that's what happens in Arizona. I often include a strip of sunlight to suggest volume and help with the design of the painting.

The shadow side is not as interesting in terms of color once you get indoors. It's more about subtle modeling and value changes.

I agree with Marvin that this is too much shadow for a child indoors. I have a couple of theories about children's portraits and one is that clients like a low ratio between the light side and the shadow side on children's faces. In other words, if your light side is a value 3 your dark side should be a value 5 or thereabouts. Personally I like a higher contrast in a child's face but since it highlights plane changes it's too "dramatic" and "gloomy" for many clients.

Really cute kids, by the way, lucky you!

Here's a more recent portrait head, part of a much bigger painting, to show you what I'm talking about.

I'm the first to admit my eyesight is messed up so you all have permission to argue with me about these things. All I can say is that I get out there with my field box and this is the kind of thing I see.

Even though Linda's painting has the face in shadow it really isn't. "Shadows" out of doors in an open expanse are illuminated by the skylight. So this is really a portrait head under the influences of two distinct lightsources. The temperature changes are a result of the difference between the cooler sky temperature and the warmer sun temperature. This could be replicated indoors by a knowledgeable photographer, assuming there are any.

Hi Marvin,

So are you saying that the "shadow" side is illuminated by the sky and the "lit" side is illuminated by the sun? Or the other way around?

By the way, I reduced the light/shadow value contrast here by screening the sunlight with a scrim. This is a Tom Edgerton tip and so I blame him if I'm in trouble on this one.

Yes, I'm saying that the shadow side was illuminated by the skylight and the light side was lit by the sun.