CSOPA May Make-Up
On May 6, CSOPA members and guests were treated to Karin Well's photo study workshop in Greenwich, CT. Because she moderates this special forum, we have decided to share the resulting photos and invite all to paint from them posting progress along the way. Below is the first of three from my efforts. Other participants from that day are encouraged to share your best as well. Karin has agreed to review and comment on the photos, then we can start painting!
My notes from the Wells lecture:
Beginning with a slide tour of famous and favorite portraits, Karin shared common elements in great portraits including (paraphrasing):
Include a full range of values, i.e., establish black and white.
Lighting should be from a single-source.
Focus the light on the face (forehead), i.e., less illumination as you move away from the face.
Include the following colors; Red, blue, yellow, black and white - even if it is a small amount.
Establish a foreground, middle ground, and a background.
It is OK to shoot in low ambient light...just be sure that your primary light source is strong enough so that you don't get any cross shadows on the subject.
Always bring a backup camera to an important shoot....in case your camera fails (as Karin's did)
Make sure that your model has a closed mouth smile...no teeth showing.
A gentle twist to the torso makes for a better pose than straight on.
It is worth the time and effort to tweak the lighting in order to flatter your subject.
For less stress, set up and test the equipment before your model begins a pose.
Soften the main source of light with a white umbrella, softbox, etc.
Use a reflector instead of a secondary light to bounce light into the shadows.
Know that a photograph will tend to polarize values at each end of the scale. i.e., shadows will be black and highlights can be washed out.
When taking a photo reference for a portrait, think in terms of what will frame the face nicely.
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