Portrait photography in general

[Karin Wells]

Photography is a tough subject. I really struggle to get good photographs of my subjects to work from.

I am still searching for a good course on Portrait Photography but all I have found utilize multiple lighting sources and I refuse to do that.

Using a single source of light is the ONLY way I will shoot portraits. Also, I do not wish to shoot out doors as there is no light control and the shoot becomes weather and season dependent.

Last year I found a book of portrait photographs by David Seidner that really knocked my sox off.
His poses, composition and lighting are works of art. Right now, I'm working hard to figure out how he does it.

Peggy Baumgaertner once said

"Long ago, they took photographs that looked like paintings and nowadays they paint pictures that look like snapshots."

(Forgive me Peggy if I didn't get your wording exactly right).

The author of the following book that I find so inspirational took photographs with a single source of light that look like beautiful old paintings. And I'm trying very hard to learn to do this. Unfortunately David Seidner has passed away.

Here is the cover of his book "Portraits", does this photo look a bit like Sargent?...and wouldn't it make a beautiful painting?

Administrator's Note: Click book title above to see this book at Amazon.com.

[Marvin Mattelson]

Karin,

I

[Karin Wells]

I agree to disagree with you Marvin about using a single source of light in a photo shoot. I have gotten some spectacular shots using only a white cardboard reflector.

I've tried it both ways but I dearly love the subtleties of the effect of a single light source and that works well for me.

I've visited your website and can clearly see by your beautiful work that your method of lighting works very well for you...and many people feel the need to experiment with both. Any guidance we can give (or get) is good.

However, we definitely agree that it is one heck of a lot of work to take a good photographic reference for a painting.

The harder you work, the better the result. There are no shortcuts here and mastering this is not for wimps.

[Marvin Mattelson]

Karin,

The hard work is in learning the photographic process. Much repetitive experimentation and trial and error is the key to mastery.

However, once you understand lighting, light to shadow ratios and the relationship between exposure and development, the actual taking of the photos is quite easy. Since photograpy is a strictly mechanical process, the key is consistency, the results are repeatable and the act of photographing anything is actually a no brainer.

[Karin Wells]

All true...it is purely technical and can be mastered. My particular problem however, is translating what I see in three dimensions into two dimensions, BEFORE I snap the shutter.

I spend a lot of time and effort to set something up and think that it looks great, until I see the result.

Thank heavens for digital cameras...they really help with this.

My other problem is to snap the shutter at EXACTLY the right moment, especially when you're working with a small child.

Your employment of the "kazoo maneuver" (posted elsewhere) is brilliant here! Can't wait to try it.

[Marvin Mattelson]

The secret that all great photographers share is when you get exactly what you are looking for shoot many many more rolls of film than you think necessary.

[Michael Georges]

Karin and Marvin,

I have done a fair amount of portrait photography myself and I believe that you are both correct in how you shoot your reference photos.

Marvin, your description of using a second source closer to the camera in order to get some soft light to detail the shadows is something I have been doing for some time. A soft light box works well for this. Karin's method of using a reflector, (Karin I think you do this yes?) to bounce light from a single source can be just as effective however if you understand, as I suspect Karin does, that the reflector should not be too close to the subject and should be angled at an equal distance from the subject as possible.

With both techniques you get the "effect" of single source lighting. The trick to both is knowing where to put that source of secondary light (reflector or box) - distance from subject, angle, etc. It can make a big difference.

[Peter J. Fasi]

Try the following books, both available at:
http://www.portraitartist.com/bookstore/photography.htm

"Posing and Lighting Techniques for Studio Portrait Photography"
J. J. Allen
Publisher: Amherst Media

"Portrait Photographer's Handbook"
Bill Hurter
Publisher: Amherst Media

[Marvin Mattelson]

Somehow, I find myself in the role of the royal poo-pooer. I must enjoy this because here I go again. I recently purchased "Portrait Photographer's Handbook" and I

[Peter J. Fasi]

I've been a photographer, and am now returning to where it all started - drawing and painting. Personally, I don't like photographs that look like paintings done centuries ago. For that reason, I disliked Seidner's book. I found it derivative, more reminiscent of Ingres than Sargent. It was a cute concept and the subjects played along.

Let's get back to lighting.

Marvin has eloquently expressed his preference for multiple lights. I prefer to use multiple lights. I've had to learn to use multiple lights, since my business depended on it. I've also gotten great results from a large diffused single light source (a light aimed into a white cardboard reflector) or shooting outdoors in open shade. If the light is soft enough so that the highlights don't get blocked out and close enough so that the shadows show substantial detail, one light source is adequate. Multiple light sources add a certain nuance that isn't possible to achieve with one light. To each his own. If you are happy with your own personal results, and if your clients are happy, then there is no reason to change. Either way, the only way to learn is to practice, practice, practice. There is no magic formula that will work for everyone.

As for the photography books. I have not seen any that espoused 'overpowering' the subject with a multitude of lights. The ones that I've seen usually have examples of what each light does. It is really up to you to decide whether you want to or need to use that light. I've seen good and mediocre photography books. I've also seen good and mediocre painting books, specifically where the use of lighting is concerned.

Would you say the problem with painting books is that painters write them? Just kidding.

Here are some more sources -

http://www.lightingmagic.com/

http://deancollins.com/flvideo.html

Dean Collins is a photographer that has spent a lifetime refining his knowledge of lighting. In particular, these two videos might be very useful.

LIGHTING BASICS 1