Babysitter portrait

[Chris Saper]

Dear Joan,

Having just done some very exciting bedtime reading - the Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers, I have discovered that the recent CS edition of photoshop has an adjustment that can change the Kelvin temperature of the image on the computer, and therefore on the print. It doesn't matter whether the image got into the computer as film or digital.

So it occurs to me that you might want to experiment ,if you either have the CS edition or know someone who does. You get to "Photo filter" in the "Image Adjust" area.

Another possible solution might be to simply work from a good B/W print, and commit to either a warm or cool light source. You probably have enough color information to guide you.

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Hi Allan,

Hmm, that's a good idea! There is a lot of sunlight out there when the sun isn't behind clouds. But . . . what exactly do you mean? I did use a white reflector, just a white poster sized thick matt board to reflect light back into the shadow side of her face. Maybe I need a huge reflector board of some kind? Or a white sheet draped . . . somewhere. It's not immediately obvious how I would do this but now I've got the whole weekend to figure it out. My 'model' can't come over until Monday morning, then she's leaving town. So at least I've got one more chance to take some photos.

If you can elaborate on your idea, I would love to hear more.

Thank you!

Joan

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Chris Saper

. . .change the Kelvin temperature of the image on the computer, and therefore on the print.

Dear Chris,

Lucky me that you have such exciting bedtime reading! I find what can be done with technology amazing. I have yet to purchase photoshop but I think I need to buy that program. I am very happy with the poses I have and the shadows. I have been working hard to get good shadows. It seems when I get one thing figured out, there is always something else that I didn't get! I know, this makes life interesting and challenging.

It sounds worth it to me to buy this program if it can alter my photos enough to make them good enough to paint from. And if it saves me from having to reshoot over and over.

I plan to paint the model from one of the photographs I took. I'll mix up skin color according to your book and then do a study from the photographs on Sunday. When she comes over Monday I'll adjust the colors however they need adjusting. It'll just be a painting of the face, a study with color 'notes'. Anyway, that is my current plan. But it sure would be nice to have a photo with the correct temperature to paint from. I was planning on cool light and warm shadows since it's daylight.

Enough of my rambling, Chris, thank you for passing on your suggestion!

Joan

P.S. What do you think about the skin tones in that last photograph above? Too . . . . what?

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Linda Brandon

Joan, how about just putting her in a chair?

Hi Linda,

Thank you for your post. She's coming back on Monday and I will try that. Your work is beautiful and any advice I get from you I will certainly try! I had in my mind a standing, elongated pose. But I should be more open minded and try different poses. That in itself is a very worthwhile lesson that I just learned. Just now. WOW

I read over and over again how a portrait artist should go into a painting looking for the personality of the sitter, certain gestures, etc. And if someone would ask me, I would say, oh yes, I believe that. But what did I just do? I had in my mind how I wanted this portrait to look and I directed the model to fit my preconcieved notion. As I said, I have learned a lot today.

Thanks again Linda,

Joan

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Michele Rushworth

Another possibility would be to use a large piece of white foam core as a reflector to bounce light up onto the top half of her. Position the reflector (held by an assistant) off to the left, aimed up at her face. (Whatever position it needs to be in to mimic the direction of the original window light but bouncing it up onto the top half of her figure.) You don't want TOO much light coming from the reflector though so play with how far the reflector is from the subject.

Since you're going to reshoot you might also want to ask her to stand up a bit straighter.

Thank you Michele,

I will play with a large foam core board. I'm not sure how to do that without illuminating her from the bottom up, by this I mean bottom of chin and underside of nose illuminated. It may be very difficult to get the lighting I have pictured in my mind. But I will see what I can do! My 9 year old son is my assistant.

I'll ask her to stand up straighter too. Thanks,

Joan

[Michele Rushworth]

I think Linda Brandon's idea of seating her in a chair is an excellent one.

I wouldn't try to invent skin color, personally, or try to extrapolate color that you see in one area of the body over to another area. I've had enough spectacular failures trying to do that in the past!

[Linda Brandon]

Originally Posted by Joan Breckwoldt

But what did I just do? I had in my mind how I wanted this portrait to look and I directed the model to fit my preconcieved notion.

I'm totally in favor of preconcieved notions! Especially with subjects who are not paying clients. I'm thinking of putting my next "victim" in a tree after shooting them (so to speak) inside on a ladder. I doubt I could get a client to go along with this plan.

When I do a photo shoot I always play around with different poses and I don't always know what "feels" the best until I see the photos. Then you must ask yourself whether the composition you had in mind works as well. Should it be square, vertical, circular, or horizontal? (I'm working on a portrait that started out as a vertical before I changed my mind and made it a horizontal.) First thing to worry about, though, is the light, so you're going about this the right way.

[Sharon Knettell]

One of the most important aspects of portrait design is incorporating and deciding on the attire.

An average womans head is 8 1/4" in length. If you are doing a 3/4 length portrait of a 5 head figure you will be dealing with an approximately 50" long painting. You have 40" left to design well. Leaving the clothing to chance and punting can lead to unfortunate results. You are now as it is, faced with the dilemma of a strongly patterned dress overlayed with a very sharply colored red rose. Both are distractions and divert the eye from the girl's face.

Sargent did a painting of a woman in a black and white dress, but she also had black hair as a balance and was clutching a single pink blossom, sans the added linear distraction of the stem.

In a magazine article, Nelson Shanks relates the importance of the preparation, which sometimes can take more time than the painting.

Look at your model, visualize how she would be best painted, colors etc.. Have her bring over other dresses. If nothing works go to a second hand or designer consignment shop and get her something more elegant and suitable.

Powder her nose, that will help the red.

Painting is difficult enough, give yourself the aid of a well planned project. Remember, chic portraits will show your prospective clients your taste. Avoid at all costs the prom dress look, if you want to attract a more upscale client.

Up lighting can be very effective, Sargent used it, I use it.

This business requires a lot of work. Remember it is VERY COMPETITIVE!

[Allan Rahbek]

Hi Joan,

What I meant was simply to get the maximum light indoor. I imagine that this can be done by placing a big white sheet just outside the door, to catch the sunlight like a mirror and reflect it into the room. This will bee like a big soft lamp.

If the door is open, the effect will be stronger.

Allan

[Joan Breckwoldt]

Originally Posted by Sharon Knettell

One of the most important aspects of portrait design is incorporating and deciding on the attire. . . . Look at your model, visualize how she would be best painted, colors etc.. Have her bring over other dresses. If nothing works go to a second hand or designer consignment shop and get her something more elegant and suitable.

Sharon,

Thank you for your thoughtful response. I liked the combination of the black and white dress with the red rose, but there is a problem as I see now, it distracts from the subjects face. I guess I forgot this is a portrait of a girl, not a dress and a rose.

So if the dress, etc. is distracting, that would mean to me to have her in a simpler dress. Probably the white is not the best color since it's the only white thing on the canvas. One big white mass.

There is a great resale shop around the corner from us but, here's the problem, I wouldn't know what to get her. I'm at a loss here. Maybe a simple black dress. She may have one, I'll ask her to bring one.

I suppose I could keep her dress simple, and no rose, and using a chair could be an additional element. I'm not trying to add things, maybe just her standing there will be best. But she needs something to do with her hands. I thought she did anyway.

Oh, Sharon, do you think her dress looks like a prom dress? I agree, I want to stay away from that look. She's only 19 so I was going to stay away from too 'elegant', but maybe that would work. She usually runs around in RL polo shirts, she's very preppy. I suppose that doesn't matter though since it's for my portfolio and I'm not really trying to capture her.

I will continue to look for good examples on websites for portraits of a young woman.

Thank you,

Joan