ALS Ortrait Photograph a The ultimate guide to shooting perfect portraits neat ‘a 4 Over =< 230 creative A e tips yy a 4 —_ a de 1 ol 3 ae i pe Ve utimateWelcome to Portrait hotograph ontraiture sone of the most poplar genres of photography bat thereisa lt to considrin order tocapturealaterng porta ull ‘of eharacter nd interest. The Prtat Photography Rooks hereto hop, house, gding you through ll the and treks you need tokoow Our Getting Stared section takes you through the sis, while our Skil section provides way o improve your photograph rom working, in diferent light and shooting group potas o working with models and editing your shots. Weve also gall he best in-depth guides with advice from the pros inthe Techniques section, fom high Key portraiture o shooting people at partis, Read on and youlbe taking perfect porrais in no time tl. Don forget ip the book over 10 master landscape photography next!Portrait & seers otoqra Book lyGETTING STARTED Master perfect portraits Eocene ea sre Cee eee SKILLS 20 Get creative with your portraits etna amet Nera a oceans See lr! patted seatntennery Cea nrcy ot og Cea eS ice 48 Shoot, edit & share group photos concen tenas aa) Td Pata a eee eel Sed LU caer SS sd co a Lose Netercitc syTECHNIQUES e Fone ae 88 Shoot celebrity portraits ae ee “Think beyond the traditional portrait and get creative with your portraiture”))\\ GETTING STARTED OS tatels Slt Everything you need to Srlam tl arg anes portraitsGETTING STARTEDBA GETTING STARTED Master perfect portraits Follow our 25 key tips for taking your best-ever people photos Find the optimum settings | “aich the - light in their to create ghlights, making a portrait really come alive”Pose with their hands OB trenerepesr mace snnas into the shot can look reat. st make sure their hands are elaeed and onttook aware No slouching! OG Tebesiresesraestyor subjects personaly But, be sure you encourage them to stor stand straight or altering photo. Suggest props Interesting clothing O7 titres beaerent roe forportras. Get subjects to interact with accessories for fun or slamorousposes. Everyday objects Octane message you want to convey in your shot andting objects that iti, “Perfect poses — MASTER PORTRAITSDWE ww )\\ GETTING STARTED pert your subject O Position the model When you're shooting yang photos indoors, make sure > hat your subject is positioned a near to the window or your other <<. chosen light source so they do not appear too dark. If using window light, turn off the overhead lights to avoid colour casts in your shot. See the ‘Directional light’ section on this page for tips on how to position them.Soften your flash Ifyou ieedto iluminate your mode! with fash lghtoft apiece of paper underitforasofter your fash gun to bounce off wal ifusing the ash paper works welloo, Use a reflector Tociminate harsh shadows anc create an even soread WW [ = > of ight, use aretlector ta bounce the ight back nto the ‘ark areas Point the reflector towards your ight souree and ther angle it until the ight hits your model. Keep repositioning, itand watch where the light ais untilyou gett right. pi Catch theightin their eyes to portrait come ave. Try pacing a lap to create a larger catchightand} to set the effect youwant. 90° away a the light or stand parallel mee Ths between the len then be wel-tbut the back oftheir head willbe in sacs “THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 800K13,NA GETTING STARTED Compose the shotHout even a4 ar For really fl a I Berle coulis “ils accentuate nostrils Ba uh ins SO ie ci mImyolel ate your position, ay Why sit on the ir model to r instead. MASTER PORTRAITS Framing your shot Get up close J the focus on your model by the frame with getting ridofary th Ugly orcistracting backgrounds inthe visible. You can always Go wider DQ lyoures! including ackeround ture your subjects surroundings. Dottisby shooting ata wide ange, works particularly wellif your subject isin location that they enjoy. to bring cut natural sites, Eye contact ‘0 get your modelo tun ead away from utkeep their eyes don the camera Look away ooking space'in the Image. This can often create a more playluior ‘thoughtful ok to your ait and cane to -apture your subject's true personality. "THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKSBA GETTING STARTED 10 amazing portrait tips Use these top tips to help get the best from your portraiture shots ortrat shots are among the most popular chaice in photograph, seven when you're just aking ‘lek snaps for fun you often be ‘Photographing people "iuman beings can be quite complicated, sos so surprise that there’ quite ao ivolved in taking grat portraits oo, with plenty to consider inorder toincreate your chances of capturing later shot full ot eharacter and interest ‘Understanding the effet that diferent ypes of lighting ean have, perfecting your subject's pose and helping people to eax are among the kills you need take great portrait images In some portals, lighting is particulary impertan, while for other shots its the subject's expression that realy counts ‘one ofthe secrets of gent porta photography s In understanding what mates. Here selection of essential tps for ahieving great portraiture Moody mono Black and whites a ereat medium for portraits cf male subjects, a conveys an edgy sensect aloofness and attitude that works very effectively, Shot in AW but change your cameta'spcture mode to Monochrome setting tenable you to preview the mages inbackand whit. You can also try going for a ih-contrast effect and square format. as made frou by David Baiey dé. 16TH PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 800K Tilt the camera It's very tempting to frame and compose your portraits withthe camera square to your subjo but this doese’t mane forthe most dynamic images. Often. a sight it ofthe camera wil ‘make a massive difference tohow the image looks, particulary when there are strong ines in the background, 2s shown here, Dealing with bright sunlight turing portraits outdoors nbrightsunghtis rotorusly aie but tore are stop yuan {ake to coma the problems that are ttn encountered Fst ry to pation your subj they arent aking det it the Sun, Then Ute areflectororifyouve got asoeedight handy you canuse is oftcarerato ght your sec Try butterfly Bieri ight cated because tthe Shapeor the shew teas onthe unde tthe aspects nous. tsa realy get way oreoute, Trent the fet the man eis protionedabove thesbject and rected Sourords oto em Becaure efen creates arate str fect th hers shadbws by tnemsctes rectors te postoned bel Br sabject sgnty out ofthe rae Atestr Ut teh consist te paras ioftn Split the light Forvais ral be capturing someon’ Sppeoranceand someting of er peranay ton ut somebno hat you do show Sst ssinpovtrt ewe oud ater ta sys arargrgte ighingoturinat a of your Sioa ae dlbeatly Create anova! arrourtel shad oy ws spt iting whore therein tothe sect he spel 4 byCapture character Encouraging your subject tointeract withthe lens is agreat ay of capturing porirats with impact Homever nt everyone wl fee confient enough odo this at fst so you wilreed tobe able to relaxyour subject ard make them ee ‘completa comfortable Not only the young Many portraits that you see are of younger subjects female. However, male subjects, inciudig: fantastic images. Older people have a be used to prea effect in portraits. Action shots Porras are fe fal static with the subject maintaining a particular pose, but great portraiture shots can be obtained if you try -pluring your subj! misaction. Be prepares for some experimentation and don tbe overly -oncerned your first attempts don't completely work as moving portato ll about reese timing thats nat easy to predict. Practise shots thie with ands and fary before trying the technique out witha paid modelo cnt forte st tne me particularly seaple, can make for no experience and this can Rather than trying tolight. compose and retouch the image to PORTRAIT TIPS Candid captures Porras drt lays have tobe posed and carly staged, Sometimes a great prtraitcan be created wnenthe subject n't even aware that they are being photoeraphed, It may sound obvious, but alvays berespecttul when Capturing candid portraits. someone objects tobe photographed. con'tpersst. smooth their skin and make ther look younger, use thei faces totlla story and remember that realy strong eye contacts often a big seling Point in portraits, so tak to your subject and get them to relate their ‘experiences to you. A back-and-vhite effect can work really WelooScns é, } S) Tan geen Yel¥la-]9)] [L(y for stunning shots ut Vand calle rs) ra a ares Dae Dec note eee protinsdaun beled eae eT ce ed nea ST Wek sees Perse, Lenn erent See nS 56 Simple ways to edit your etl eros cae Retouch yur pertatimages OR gt oc} to transform your photos into professional- standard shots” FU ennhes Get creative with your portraits With creative portraits; anything is possible: Here the prosireveal how to divert from classic portraiture and.embrace your truewvision Eee ann \De ee et Seine eet eer reer eon enitr str ra en eee tine eee Peete) ree comarca eae ere eee Sores one Tens Sen re meen aera eee psoas eames rere etre Renn nmet ets Serene eects earn potentials pavingthe way fr potoyraphic arts offi the See re ee an Freee a nero vr re een Seem een nt ener ea Ren ee ee er eee eeenenr ne eer mee ats ot Cee cal een i Se cmcn eet ae Saran ae ores Ge er Ser ERR hy pe abel I oc nina a 5 mY Sea ec Pe a ata 2 Ce\\ SKILLS Planning your shoot ‘When studying photographs in magazines, you ‘might be able to guess what ighting was sed by ‘otc bow the shadows fall: You can take a tab atthe setup and ty fo mimic in your own work, but hat remains mystery isthe planning and production tha went nto the making of Ut image rer shoot whether itso generate more content for your porto, or to ful specific ref fora clint, starts the same way "begin with an idea, one typically initiated bya Jocaton, prop, model or concep says Mercedes, “Atfist make ists, lotsof thom. After have the etailsal planned ott combine all myst of ‘thoughts my sketchbook where [draw out my intended shots and make cllages of inspiring images” Some of your seribbled eas might never amount. anything, but keeping a atalogve of ‘themasthey eccur o you wil give youan endess archive oda frm. You cul even str vista logo ideas by posting pctres that rigger your ‘reatve juices and ste such as Pinterestare perfect for this It was actually a quot that inspired Mercedes "Octopus series Irony tha eight arms to hold you with “Wrelatod o how was feeling the ime," she explains." wasmissing ‘ny boyriend since we had just ported ways again foraierent cllegesatterspendinga wonder summer tgether by the sea. Automatically ‘thought ofan octopus and decided o finda way to incorporate sucha thing into a beautiful peture™ Flowing the ea comes the planning sage, which can take a while." searched for an ectopus foc weeks. calling local grocery sores and seafood markets, ying to find a perfect, whole, igh armed creature to adorn my lovely model ehe says. "My model, Cassidy willingly asked tobe a [art of this photoshoot, but doesnt even lke o eat Seafood.” Explaining to your model what's involved ahead oftime wll ge youachancetoallay any ‘worls. Another imperian element to secure in advance isthe location Isa private st youl ‘eed to get writen permission, ae fs outdoors you mus check the weather forecast For Mercedes “Octopus series the beach wasthe natural location, ‘bulanywherecan be suitable, a nga teonnecis with your eoneept. “T searched for an octopus for weeks... trying to find a perfect whole, eight armed creature to adorn my model”’ Tori Mercedes aman: 5 strc o you usualy come up with the initial ideas for your shoots, or ist collaborative process? Insomehetances isthe ar/ratve retro the ‘hol edor Sometimes there come ate ‘eughnth hepologephe tlt he/shecome up ‘at aconcgt Thebes tes uhenthe at Grectorayseutrercoenptnadraunou ‘eovererceeatuthstsotina.tromber ses ron ‘ryenerreungte ator. sot soars Crap ‘oot he gobtodyapok tut sthepetegapher’s fbtortareelths atte concepttohscren What are some ofthe biggest challenges a photo stylist typically comes up against? Shjessubjectve nadeng tn apersonaiyknoun ‘yapararbokorroreone os sentir waste Pajehlgyaricompromse are rstrumental so esto) aboutacetanio atthe pce tefrontothe wardrobe ardoce ‘nemabrostasastry win roesardaecessoes Secrets of a photo stylist Coseby. Sovetimeseuhavetopatapcturetrthe ‘ibe noner tone ttemncomereherat ‘What do you do to get the best out of your Secelworkwthmyhusbnd [petra Bran “Smith ne tet ur tear anorganeaton Wen you respect ondacinonedze the mportance exon mare andwhaltheybeng hela they wok rardertenbecores se stout schevernntandrmereabetthe uecesotthe yansatonasauhale \What qualities should a photographer look for when hiring a photo stylist? Astyst shou arweontme ardbe prepared. They ‘Seuschaveagooroter contac ancy ose ‘hephetgrapnernpastreaucten Ihe theta sseamcthes propa tat yt hold oes gan ston undestansarietrore ‘22 THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 800KCREATIVE PORTRAITS / Using gels Setting u h p ogsndeoyaclerphotograpnycom THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK 25Ss Back to the Future eeu cles Ein! Baan} Sects Pe ae Premed al eee re eri a Bry Pets Pe geane Ero ei poste ern eee ea earn pe meets area yaa etal ee Seer’ Raley eho Peer enna ee patel, peat meet isa Athena got pane eae eter eesCREATIVE PORTRAITS Pro tips rE oy p ¥ *, Marcus Hausser shares his ss i secrets for using props in ads O ierseece zee id og ye*] Ae tgpttnesujet tocrate eke andeyramam, iat dstrngte pepecharactat Bert * Yah Pe # a" O reece tigen b gee a : Sopestereermn eee ae sewmarehaseerom “Tf used correctly, a well-placed prop can catch the attention of the target audience” ‘THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 800K 27ans ns THE BENEFITS OF ete VVo)seyislee ne studio lighting Lighting can transform your portraits — find out how as the secrets of studio lighting are revealed reoNn Studio basics Camera Flash trigger Se CLInmany respoes, modifier arth sou of studi lighting. Without certainly createlight but you cant tint way that you relly want; 0 stand shapeit, contro itor change its character Without ‘modifies, your flash wil produce a are bulb tflectin which the light depersesin all directions Without restriction Like most photographic age om subile attachments that provide refinementor control fof thelight to ftings that dramatially alter the entire atmosphere ofthe image. The most sic fal igh modifi isthe standard reflector dis, which typically constructed of metal and featuresa stippled silver Interior though some models eaturea smooth, polished sve nor instead. Like alr-cushioned Sas th are often sold alongside fash heads as Dart of the kit thar yu purchase and are designed tolimitthe sideways spire light produced by the flash Basialy, the marower therellecon, the ‘more directional and focused the ight willbe The depth of hese dishes varies, which again hasan impact on delight. The quality of ight produced is ‘compatable to unditfsed sunlight andi therefore rather harsh, Homever reflector dishes do have the added advantage ofofering some protection fr the ‘modelling bulb and Nae tube in your strobe inthe event of anaceident hhaneyeom® grids A snootsa eon fits ont your fas and produces aig focused, circular beam fight higher degre ff precision than a tas tor dish and ‘enable photographers to oat and ight very spite areas of tel subject The quay ofthe light produced by asnoot can be refined with the useofasmallhoneyeami ri attachment fe to the end, which results in an even more conrolled {allofligh with soter edges. Like reflector tises, these grids come inifferent degrees, prodcingdtlerent eves of contol over the pool illumination, Larger honeycomb grids are also avaiable to clip int standard reflector dishes Without modifiers, your flash will produce a bare- bulb effect in which the light disperses” Modify light ‘Softbox Tras pepste Spi Theyeanbo Beauty dish Umbrella Umbetas reduce saftigitandeome Crowd ‘ehecve They a fora and ‘ofemes tthe caentetstey ‘Snoot Thsisdesenesto dectonsight tah STUDIO LIGHTING “THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 800K 31)\ SKILLS BC esno surprise thatthe main aim of studio. JES Portraiture isto ater your subject and erate lighting.that enables the mode to look as good as possible. While snoots and honeycomb rid can : housed forthe main key light when producing, ” very speciticaristic ees, i's ater more common for photographers to employ different ‘modifersin this role. The most famous ofthese is the softs, whic provide very sft and fatering light around your model, The ubiquity of sriboxe is also down to their exit and diversity. They come nan ‘enormous range of shapes and sizes from quite small through t extremely large, and covering ‘everything from square to rectangular, through to the popula actabox, so-called because of ks eight ses Some photographers particularly ke this typeof softbox beeause ofthe wraparound eet thatitofers andthe shape ofthe catch lights that it rola ~ with traitiona sau sofibex naturally producing les interesting catch lit shape. Thin and narrow sfiboxes re also aallable hich arofen refered toasstrp sofboxes and are useful to create a controled, sft appearance of Tight along he length ofthe modes bods. a side ‘or backlightin, Generally sotboxes contain the same stippled silver interior asa standard reflector dish and feature aback lightetficen exterior. In adiion tothe soft fabri difuser atthe front of the sotbex, there usually second be that attaches to the interior ofthe sotbox somewhere around ts / nile, This can, ofcourse, beremoved but mos photographers keep thosein place forthe extra Aiiasion they afford, Soltboxesare durable, highly efectiveand ae available in sizes wo suita wide range of photographic applications, so they ae definitely ‘ery high nthe pantheon of key equipment for stulo portrait lighting How to create smooth skin deusre eve aneros snderoetectons stad ry Tewgyoursubectssxnlois, posing asotbocat 4 cores Youwilakoindthatpressey —foyoursubpetsnoneandargjeo Sheejaupestcnyosman —_toshinedow eto rem sie fdorraigitnrastonte cur weates hve wsalofusasgwicartfasto Seckbaresand pain thatcon Buyinths udgretnsconecly Bevery aterrg ove (ieteeuse re treaaees aga score stax Derettctsnrgjouacepecct enthecposetoseetatiin postgrudaton sotswellworth — Alter xokre batery Eredergasarepton Siegenbchteranigsered Ea 0 ele RU Nene nme mele 2) Ree! ee eg Perec Pee acesSKILLS he two main alternatives to sothoxes ae umbrellas and beauty dishes. There are to main types of umbrella: shoot through and reflective. A tot through umbrellas used withthe Nash head rected atthe subject andi intended to if the light whilea reflective umbels used with the lash head directed away fromthe subject with the stippled siver interior af the umbrella reflecting ‘Umbrelisare cheaper wo purchase than equhalenl sized sotboxes nda ‘ease 1 ol down and transport, However, man photographers feel that they ae les ight efficient thansoftboxes and offs precision in terms of onialing the ight eat dish issimilarto a standard ish, albet rater wider and with ca ints entre that coves the actual Mash hed fiminating any hotspots and making the ight softer than a standard reflector A Beauty di ‘won’ give te ultra-soft light ofa softbox: instead, ieprohices han igh but with ay ane no hotspots, as would be exp are various other tems that you can aso Juse of the studio, Fist among sor Thi isan incredibly simp ory that enables yout contol shadows by throwing light back onto key areas of your subject without th onal Mash heads. A five-in-one rel and ‘white refectors~ plusa black antieletorand a diffuser panel~ isthe del solution and cost very ltl, particularly when compared with fla units and softbes. Talking ofrefectors, trifletr i another worth accessory 0 have in your sto lightng arsenal, Consisting of theo reflective panels typically eversible gilt and ‘vee these canbe independently ange and positioned forthe best effect and are typically for tir lighting Pele Fria 019 eae Maas eee ele Cine eee meee nT Etc AuCoue AWSTUDIO LIGHTINGPORTRAITS AT HOME 4 Shoot portraits at home Great portraits don't always require a big studio and pro lighting; you can easily create stunning styles at home trature tan acessble genre, ‘whieh need t cost fortune to Useful portrait kit ‘outside inthe mide of the * livingroom using just the available ight Yyouareirying io creat. PocketWizard Lastolite EzyBox Interfit 5-in-1 32” Honl CTO gel Plus i Hotshoe Ki Reflector Pre 16/520, Prien 5200/8220 54x54em_ ae 0207 516681 (Greobs Photo & video) ete wn pochermzartcom eames ‘THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 800K:37\\ SKILLS In the studio Learn to create ahigh-key setup anda moody low-key arrangement HIGH KEY ly involves right and bold background, The subject ity the key ight theteran hgh key” Thi ste ies the phoarapher flexi o break some ofthe rules portatre The skis tes may be astop or mare ihe than they shouldbe and spl rom the background lights maybe incorporated int the a “To achieve thehigh-key look you will normally nee atest thee ight. Two ofthese igs ll be use to Athi ight one an each hat ia ‘Some photographers choose 030 ad to further eliminate shadows, This shot ligitarrangement and we reusing standard zoom Jenson our BSLRas this gives us plenty of fle. ‘last shutter speed of 1/200se and an aperture of ‘bout work bes Getting the shot you potion your subject very nea the background you may find that oto ont the subject, poses ad experiment with Mt ook dramatic and dae Alternatively, you can try thi iyescoy hon soe ‘rode eect ghey images Ut you" Sraganiipeae ene anatenpeces (pe up yur camer ‘leosrsonthemacel- wee gore r Shee YY Sep 1~gey sei coutennacmcttomr" | AL ‘38 THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 200KPORTRAITS AT HOME 4 read "THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK 39)\ sKILLS ros and cans of natural iting 2 Natural ight eet osen toast you anything © liages taken natal light lock closer owt cureyes: vera fe x Youcar tear gre Can contel fashligrting (x Onvery uk daysor now light youl needto uses camera that can pororm Wellhen using gn ISO Natural light setups Discover how window light canbe all you need to create dramaticresults sae ie look When you use stud flash, you almost always moi suchas by using softbax When working wath natural Tigh, Roe the some dea mind. The net curtains in avin oom are Kel cfasng be ight in much he Same vay a¢asftbox does, This an del technique for Photographing brie on her wedding morning Asie rom the large window and net cts sal slvr reflectors sed a bounce a it ight bck oa the ie of het face A shallow dep of fel educes unwanted dota so a wide aperture of 8s idl. By Fgnoring the camera meter and sowing te shutter speed, weve been able to overesposethe shot and create ‘high key ff without any Hash Getting the shot ‘We've asked our modelo etn nt the curtains and ret her head anthem wil ooking back at the camera, ‘We've ao seed hero wear 2 simple white io match the texture and tone ofthenet uri a eeuPORTRAITS AT HOME 4 “Tf there’s space, try getting the model to sit down or go for a full-length shot”)\ skILLs ‘or speediight off-camera to dramatically increase the range /ou.can take on location and control the ambient light Location setups OFF-CAMERA FLASH Oe «42 THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKSn Take portraits with your cameraphone Master simple skills to shoot perfect people photosCAMERAPHONE PORTRAITS / Zoom in by moving closer poral, ots imp your sje re you take ou muaiedlpatng utes ce gnlog. Sevan bere cil cero afte hee ost your subjetin bright direct sunlight, asthe lite and then use a electro bounce igh ito ‘of natural light coming through the windows and Tests can ok quite harsh anditmay causeyour the shadows, "THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK 45SKILLS Pick your settings Prepare to shoot your perfect portraitCAMERAPHONE PORTRAITS / Edit your shot Perfect your portrait with the Cymera app 0. Bl, Manfrotto KLYP+ PieesTS73 “riser castor the Phane comes withahandy erent EDIghe that wat Bemuchmorefitenngtan ura Yourphonesbuttstsh The onneus ight fr shooting baste ana vdeo ofyeurrendsare famiyinon eh re a Effect option. Choose centre of your subject's face and adjust the ‘ele until covers This wil ensure this arearemains in focus. Once thisis done, adjust the sider to control the amount ‘of background blur that 'sapplied Blin down O3 tesiresion under the Beauty tab you can sim down your Subjects face. Again, the ape wil ‘automaticaly detect thei face shape, soi youinerease the sider ‘twillsim the face without you having to select anything. Too willook gaunt, though, Top the Eat tab then select the then tap the face h and your subject Photojojo Pocket Reflector Price Approx 9/335 Upartofyousujecrstorcmin "odour joan seth iy reflector tobouncethetgitback nothedark ‘sens foramoretteme and ever ‘overage Triste 12" erin ‘sameter uta tohst (der. nce the ter’s smile ODuete Beauty tab at thetop select the ‘Smile option. The app will automatically tothe right toincrease your subject's smile Be careful not ta make ittoolarge though, otherwise t couidend ‘uplooking unnatural cer ie O4 mc" plenty of options for adding make-up to you subject's face. The Makeup tab has eve shadow, mascara and ccanuse the Concesler tabto remove spect blemishes. Intotal there are 70 citferent tealstichairand ‘make-up options Holga Muku Shuttr Peat30/S40___ Hare putrgyoorantopeur ‘ver case whi randy remot Shafter relesetharyoucanatachto {ourkeys works noah ons nck’ devs ed ace ted Canta shotsromunto30 Gr ‘puayvaBlustoth Portrait lop al for edison the go Pestana Getect the face your oer223¢05) porta sothatyou Taran adeeuet Canthen drag the sider OQ sac: lenge Lab Free (eSsirco) Big Lens £e8780199(08 Dusher options, or you Tiltpod Mobile Price Fromsi/Si5____ ifextegangtotakeasehporvat ls eter or aremotersease thenyeutegongtoneedastansfor Yeurphone, Ts oneprets soyeucan ‘ly agustyourange andean be Sitached toyourbayseotha bey ‘ahora "THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 800K 47Shoot, edit Match colours for a perfect shot Think about the colours in the scene youre shooting. Tryto get ‘your sut to coor inate their clothing ee What you!l lear...E ‘ticularly important or preserving precious memories i these ‘occasions ae rare Group porrait can be trike to get right than poral sho as you ned o pay attention to several subjects GROUP PORTRAITS 4 al smiles and of forest and keep everyone entertained This willalso help yout ek focal expressions that convey your subject's personal in cheesy grins. You could even give your shot theme, maybe getting everyane to ‘wear festive jumpers ove the shot a winter Fee In the fist part of our gode, we wl show you how taset up your group nd out how fo turn your phvo nto great «card send to yourleved ans and give your message a personal touch, y, you could turn your shot ino canvas pinto pace above the "1 simply print tout or your hot album, So wether you shootiga family portrait the living room hing your bes atthelocal park fellow our step-by-step guide o producing fantasti shots. a smile detection function. Itisalso important io make your shoot fun for ‘everyone, 0 you could try ou wacky poses and introduce humorous rops to “You could try out whacky poses and introduce humorous props to keep everyone entertained” Shoot! cet everyone together fora group portrait oon your aperture Set yo camera to Aperture Pity mode ane choose f. This should be ‘narrow enough to keep everyone infocus, but \wide enough to create some background bir Keep the 150 iow to avoid noise Light the shot 5 Maternity shooting outside or by a bright window. you cantor any of your subjects faces rein shadou. ire your flash fin these areas, or Use a reflector to bounce light bakin, Use Burst mode Position your subjects OiLinsasitase eaten consing sur backsrap, and then get everyone intopostion. ry geting your subjects toi or stand at iferenteves to avoid ad with everyone ina straight ine OB Nreurzameranasa bine ceecton function, use thst prevent therisk of blinking eyes in your shot. Alternatively. use Burst mode to take aseries of shots and ‘increase your chances of getting good one, Get into the frame OGirevartioverartatne sat st the camera up ona tripod or sturdy surface and then suiten onthe sl ter. (nce you press th shutter. qc getinto poston before the shat staken, Use the zoom Og reersseereneresintnerane syourmay need to 200m you lens out This may also capture some of the scenery to asd context you can, though take afew steps back ard zoom no avoid distortion. "THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK 49\\ SKILLS 3 of the best... Items of kit for portraits Camera with articulated LCD “Check your camera’s settings for blink or smile detection and burst mode” SSOTHE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK Edit! Perfect your portrait using Photoshop Elements Brighten it up OL tre srstcrsaiteecars. sot ri Remove imperfections Toremove blemishesor stray hars. select the Spot Healing Brush too. Make sure the Content ivare option son act your brush size and click or drag your cursor over the problem area, . ms . ee =: =e ae Brighten the eyes YYourcan use the same technique to brighten the whites ofthe eyes. Just make sure that youuse a small rush size to avoid brightening the iis and pupis othe eye too for an unnatural effect. Bring out the detail You may need to sharpen tu ait. Goto EmncesUsharp Meskare neease the Stoo sharpen the os wearer Te Whiten the teeth OA seit doses tet onset throng to Miatone andthen brush over Tonger you hold down the cursor, the whiter hey wil ect Smooth the skin OG Rsresheat sett sotet ne Br tool, set the Mode to Normal and se the ‘Strength to around 40%, cepending how smooth yyouwant to go. Brush over the skinas desiredGROUP PORTRAITS 4 Share! create a card with Snapfish Choose a template OLseminsteptsncourctoxantre Cards tab anc choose the syle of card we chose Greeting Cards ~ then select the card template We went with Full Photo. Select ‘an ocentation andthen cick Create Card Add some text OA recente Tet butonandpostion the textbox where you wantiton your card Select the Edi Text icon an type your message. choosing the font. size. colour and agent othe text Now cick Don Order your card OS Setetnerse an ack ttt edt the rest of your card. Youcan leven add more phatos inside Finaly goto the Review tab ara choose where you wart your card tobe posted, trencick Add To Cart Upload your photo OD wicri Upedtaten ans cretean album to upload your photo into and pick an upload speed. There's an automatic pote correction boxyou can ticki you want Sais tomoke basic edits to your hot frexghroank trmsege years henyeutotesot Natural smiles Ieee yur Skbectstorep then recxand aaa! ‘Simple backdrop Froasrpeyet aarlbckep'> ete Get Noesueoeyenes lesa ce ‘pave rdw Position your shot After you have uploaded your photo, cick onthe Front tab and drag and ‘top the photo onto the front of your card. Clckin the centre of your photo to dragit into position youre happy with THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK 51{reat pose will make your model lok ‘elaxed and confident, yet many people freeze upin font ofthe eamera. This isespecially true if yourve asked an inexperienced friend or family member {to elp you out, bt your natural rappet should help put yourre working witha stranger however, thom 3 take some time to ge to kno them aie Before the shoot, fin inspiration by scouring ‘magazines and the internet. By bringing these visual aids along, you can easily communicate the kind of Took yout aiming for. Work gether with your model to come up with some ideas and get the creative ices flossing, but make sure you come armed with some poses too. isthe photographers jb to direct she subject, POSE YOUR MODEL /4 so den be afraid oll them to turn theres lightly to theft, ortwist thei upperbody away frm the ‘camera. This will ep them ~and your photos ~ 10 lok thei best. vested af fal safe poses for portal shes, ‘whether the modal isstanding, siting, or elining on the Door. They wil not only make your photographs Took mere professional, but they aso help to ater your subject By extending one leg in front af the other you ‘an create the illusion of longer limbs, and by turning their body ata 45-degree angle they will appeaeat their slimmest, Celebrities do this allthe time.on the ted ‘carpet, but your model may not know these phe ticks. Take five minutes to familiarise yourself with he top poses for better portals “Work together with your model to come up with some ideas” Perfect POSES Help your models to look their best Frame the face Hands canbe awkward to place, so give them something te do and ask the modelto rest them gently on or near her face, This ereates a natural frame andiooks soft and feminine. Watch out for claveike hands oe fst in your mages: they should be graceful and relaxes Hug the knees For aouthul, cay shot ask the modelto bring her knees to her chest and wrapher arms around them, Thisis a variation onthe previous sittng pose and gves you a wider vanely of poses a choase from. Compliment the model toring genuine smi ther ace Sitting down Dorit worry too much about posture as ite sloueting cantook natural Crossing the legs tnhances tis lave fel butt make sure you arange the models body ata 45 degre ange Being her ‘arms in tron to create a pyramidal shape, craving focus ther face 3of the best... Camera settings for portraits Aperture priority Lying down (Get your modelo lie onthe orto create this, ‘open and inviting pose. Crossing the legs and plocirg@ hand near the face ensuce she stil looks composed. Lay down on the ground and shoot at eye level to keep a connection between the model and the camera, Using props Props can adda point of interest ina shot, but be caret they dont detract rom the model. Pace them near her face and hil natural draw the viewer's eye thers Ting her heed sity ‘away trom the camera but keeping the gaze locked isrore complementary. “THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK 52SEES Shoot portraitS Die Se ~ fei Get out of the sun to capture great outdoor shots -cople generally think that everything looks ‘nd photographs beter in the sun, but hats no alrays the case, especially when itcomesto portraits. The high, bright sun tends to make people squinyand the tong, contrast and high angle of sunlight isn very atering forsome subjects Weallether hide behind sunglasses, ‘orshine fra to much factor s0sunsereen. Instead, take your subjects ino the shade where the light is more gece au flatering and your subject ‘an teax ther eyes, On right sunny days, people Sls change when you take them int the shade, They ‘isibly relax and sles come easier, which is reat for {your shots. Wedding photographers often take thee photographs under tees, or onthe shaded se ofthe Natural portraits Learn to shoot in the shade Look at the light (77 bithe shade. thot tends tohave a bis Od rary tang teste serge white balance control your camera to warm up Skin tones, Mako sure youchange itback once you Feturainto the sunshine, though Consider your location |B ardimake sure ts not too astracting Watch out fr bright colours relecting onto your ‘medtel from colauxed scenery, Move your subject toward the edge othe shade, where the lightis brighter and colour reflects les. where the light is mc Support yourself Osrinksnattttenackrentryeu toot Q) Apyouto coma cuttrombehind the camera and engage wth your subject. People atten react better and pose easier ityou are not talkngto ther th a camera rot of your face. The tipod wil keep your camera steady PORTRAITS IN THE SHADE church where the lights more gentle and even. This is great for white dresses! "The main thingte remember about using the shade forphotography is thatthe ight tends tobe ber and shaded areas realy plek up ay dominant calor, such spinodal, eaves and beach tmbrelss, Most cameras now have a white bale cnt whieh wi help yout ignore these unwelcome colours and alow you concenrateon geting the best rom your subj. ‘Telower ight levels in shade also require you tet ‘more light into your eamera by opening the aperture ‘on youtlons This has the added bonis of throwing ‘uttered or busy backgrounds out of focus. tn this Feature, se wil help you to make the natal light work best for you, ) Turn off your flash OD Pee east patne tasn. Thee istess taht = inthe shade and sor yaticaly pt the fash on which can ruin the effect you are cokng for and make sunsereened skin shine nan unflattering way ZA youican, use tripod. This wl allow 05; 3 of the best... Tricks for shad shooting Try using Aperture Priority Shoot wide and long Zoom non your subject to remove them from ary cater in the background. Use the widest aperture on you camera lens. wil blur the backgroundricely Don't forget to focus onthe eyes, as they're he most important part ofa portrait THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK 55What you'l need. Photo eating We used. Eimer Mp Pair Express app You could try. Photosnopcs Peau) app ‘What you'l learn... Removing blemishes Smootngsan epeanepEDIT YOUR PORTRAITS Perfecting Skin Remove spots and smooth lines in Photoshop Elements 11 2¢ 9 Set up spot healing OL oeeeme nisin rae tho Peat Eater and tele sre ayer ontopby cching he conn te Layers pana Press the Spat ean Bashan sett fo Sapo ayers Zoom ta 100% Brush in smoothing Odiverinetorerasti ie at win smd/Ctris Press Dt reset the colour palette, which gives you white asa foreground Colour Press Bforthe Brushtoo| and ately brush the Blur into skin areas, aoc face contours, tips, eyes, nostri and eyebrows. Remove spots and flaws OD imecietech rte any Dae han each ish and eon themto remove Dothe sarees and aiken removing by Bt Hl down the Spoveta or clck and rg to move od Recreate skin texture OB Zeretaitetocamne ester and drop layer opacity itlooks too strong, Hold down Opl/At and cick the Create a New Layer button. Choose Overay from the ‘drop-down menu andl check the box below Hit Entor and goto Fiter>Notse>Add Noise Build smooth skin OD careers cepa ler onton with the shortcut Cma/Ctrl+Opt/Alte Shifl+E. Goto Fille>Blur>Gaussian Blur and run atout JOpx.t blu fora high-res image. In the Layers panel, select Add Layer Mask Dodge and burn to finish OG essteose wn coussonana Monochromate checked, Nextadda Levels layer and push the mile ser et to lighten, Add another and move the sider ght to aren iver nth layer masks, then use a white brush at 20% Opacity to dodge and burn “THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 800K 57A SKILLS Beautify with Pixir Express Find your image OL Sense 5207 ans select Camera o take a shot or tap theican tochoase a phot rom the ‘galery. Sect your image and it wit ppear in the calog wth options below it Whiten the skin OD cekvesarsimentoutontnen selact Whiten Set Brush Szeto 65andchange Whteningto 15 Srushinto the sn wn your finger to writen. Select the Eraser tobrush out unwanted aeas Spots and skin tone OB ceeeanssoes Tuer set the brush size to about tice tat ‘ofablemisn, Zoom into the face anc cck Spot, Touch ary spots to remove. Sitch {0 Shine and ten Brush into tre sk ‘58 THE PORTRATT PHOTOGRAPHY 800K Whiten eyes and teeth Master Levels in Elements Select the teeth OL mere er Seecton too mans 200m nto the teeth then cick and rag insdeto select them, avoiing sums and ips. Hold Opt/Alt and crag to remove rom these areas. Now adda Levels acjustment aye. Remove yellow and lighten OD crests mode rom se5teoue and dag the top white sider. Sutch back #9268 and epeat (to about setting 240) Usea lack brush toremove the achust ment from urwarted areas nlided ithe section Lighten the whites QB Rizrentrecses sas anter evs adjustment aye. Drag the top white slderinto about setting 220 to lighten the whites. Invert the mask using Cme/Ctri to Hide afr the austment yer Focus the adjustment OA ze2mie tneevesandslct ne ‘Brush oo, then press O to make white the foreground colour Adjust the brush sve and brushthe adustment int both eves, uatering toblack (0) to cover mistakes.Sharpen eyes Use Elements to bring eyes into focus EDIT YOUR PORTRAITS Create layer duplicate OL ometme recom nsite thoes bunt theBackaund layer by cogging tothe Creates New jer baltonatheopof he Layers pane Reerme thelayer ‘Sharpen by doube-ceing theo yy Add a layer mask OD teeeiverrestansiner tse {Cmdr to Hide Al and remove the effect temporarily, Press Dtoreset the colour palette and create awe foreground, then ress B forthe Brush tol Apply an Unsharp Mask Opin opine atte ot Enntorce>Unstorp Mes Set Radiusto OS) ove Treshotlt ae pus he slider to suit. You'll need quite high wth such alow radius, We used 350%, Focus the sharpening OF Beasts ati00% oes resize t ane then brushite adustment int the eyes. Press Xityou make amistaketo ‘teh to biack and brush out. Use layer opacity twroduce the strength need be Skin retouches using GIMP Set up healing OL evicaeteceranaiyety clicking the button inte Layers panel. Change the zoom mode to 100% Select the Healing tool (H) and resze ito sahily Bago than the spots onthe sin, Remove blemishes OD rettomeevtanctckena clean part of skin to setitasthe Source area, Mave arouns the mage, Ccicking to remove spots andresizing the brush as needed, Make a duplicate ofthe top lever. Smooth the skin OBER iterBr cuss sue and set Horzontaland Verte to 30px CtVtightcick the layer and select ‘Ada Alpha Channel Select the Eraser brush, hold OpUAI ans brush aut the rough skin “THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK 59NWizen eu 3 Techniques In-depth guides to make you an expert in all types of portraiture ac aceadi eee ae a7) rd Pao Pe Coe ae aera “Follow these ro-tips to Tele) 00) your portraits into stunnin; photographs” a oarTECHNIQUES 4STolU Pee) Tea Te Meawitieksusl cinta outdoor portraits — Think you need a studio to capture stunning people shots? We'll show you the secrets of creating lovely portraits in the great outdoors with minimal gear a r Seateat id A “No matter what (ee Tela te0)0 amen own, a 50mm f14 or f1.8 lens is a great investment for outdoor portraits” (64 THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKwo sere ee ee ~~ 7 ~~? Thebes hat excelent outdoor porta can be captured without the need to invest in much = ifany~ additonal equipment beyond what many photographers already on. As canbe expected though, there are some advantages ofeed by cota toms at slighty higher rice points Although any camera can be used for otdoor portals, whether'saCSC or acropsensor amera 3 ful ame DSLR presents distinct chamtage over eameras with si sors inthat the elective apertures aot compromisedia in which ofthe senso, crop ac es Parone Petrone cit Eos > a i + in Mc a Peoeericenctt ee OUTDOORPORTRAITS / | a od ¢ toaximightbeat play. For example, ths means ephoto end of 75 300mm ens. This, coupled that on a Nikon DX format 0 Jens wide ope, the imag aperture of 2.8 or even, ofthe best tols avaiable to you how the image loks~ wide apertures mean you igh anf ih the use ofthe lens widest aperture at his th focallength wil enable you to minimise thedepth bbeencapeuredona Nikon FXformat DSLRatan of el effectively. The only drawback ofthis kind around is that you nee to workat a much ‘Why doos this matter Basialy, aperture distance from your subject. raling ‘Nomater what camera you own & mm fhe {18 lens sa great investment for outdoor port can throw distracting backgrounds, which are avery wi apertureand cot relatively isthe main advantage that full frame lly ves you When capturing portraits outside light ash, preferably ane with enty sieifyoucnly ol adjstmen'sand cistom set erp senso cae to hand Is 10 ‘cor portals, and usta single unt ean pr sHocallength as youcan sich asthe extreme many lighting options particularly witha ellctr “THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK 65)\ TECHNIQUES Shoot on locationOUTDOOR PORTRAITS Al BS {)\ TECHNIQUES Perfect backlit outdoor portraits Capture portraits with motion blur ‘68 THe PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOKOUTDOOR PORTRAITS Al ne potential ies hat you ae almost iy people around. In nahin that ou can if tis possible why nose the ui make them part «ovis to your ada ff your image? By usinga sow shutter speod you can blur the crows to ensue that. despte the people milling about, your models stil the centre fatetion As ever, one of the best ways rectng the viewer's eyes location sto use focus ju that you have a tripod you aperture and low 0 0 force longer shitter Speed of around one or wo seconds. The kindof image sto bject to keep til as posible oblems, 2 one or perhaps eck that your subject is YOUR MOMENT Moving portraits you about irayouget tha Isture of movementandnon mmovemsntnasthimage Yacancoity yours butt wouhlptohne omens assets hott theleton Dultanisensersadtiandonewitsgeanera snigntstands What shutter speed do you need? Thesphoto[tothelet as taken ater Baer andanspere ot 18, Thswas Sepenasonhow st tangs aemevngandin famarstobeabletohae) ov fschbouhtre cess tree tos Fortisprotolusadaneuta: eye Do you have any other motion portrait tips and advi Use arene oes sur camera Notorycan ot rt cpalbe at Thakabout ow you nanthelnesot movement Theta spect howyou lace the parpectve ree Reptnetosdot atte cones Why not use the crowds to your advantage and make them a part of your image?” {THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK 69TECHNIQUES 10 steps to portrait success Dx research Make sure that youspend abit of ime and planninghov you might take best advantage of those locations. Pay attention tothe time of day and day athe week that you have chosen fo your shoot This could dramatically atect what the lights ding an hew many ether people there ae aroun Get permission Dorit venture nto non-public leation without obxaining permission frst However unlikely i seems, you and your ‘model might end up serious trouble it yond, Think about clothin Discuss thing options wth your mode Inadvance ofthe shoot and ensure that thay have diferent styes avalable-The lathes the model wes ned 0 Btn with cath location. Buy a 50mm k ‘A Samm peime ens with an aperture of Fla or 8 very useful have when you rate the mod Think of ways to make your model distin from thet siroundings. There area many diferent ways doing this, ineluding ‘movement, exposure and colour. Decide on prop: Some props might werk wel fr outdoor ores jst as they do for sto shots As With the clothing ensure that they match the sting ‘Awide angle lens can be used sometimes tocteateadramaticimagein which the ‘models captured within te wider coment oftheir surtounsings Defocus background Use the different colours around aan effective backdrop for your poria. Use a wie apertre to ensure these ae softened Fedueingany distractions. Look xtu Keep an eye auto textures such as brik, -onerete or metal, Thea will make for imerestng backgroud settings fr your eutdoor sos, 70 THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 800K maker Nalicoda 401 OL sereten seiner pete eee tet ett rte eae tana settings Ensur your camera's st to Manual Exposure mode and use the shutter caer ee nee aren oe (0 prcpetorioettete Pe Ce rerae rg: OA ears ttt su mann cee ee eer Another grea way’of lighting your outdoor shots isto combine ambient ight and flash This enables you to separate your model rom thelr Surroundings and, tlectively, ight the background ann the eubject independently. ‘As pofessonal photographer Shelton Muller (oewlivinginpctures coma) explains, sepurately exposing fash and ambient ight { powerfuland versatile approach to outdoor photography. “This echniu can work almost anywhere. Thave used it indoors, outdoors, 8 broad blazing daylight andrain~thereisealy no Timi other than yor own vision ‘Atypeal starting poi fr tis ounderexpose the ambient ight By one twa tops and then se a peed. which is the spedight in Manat mode aight the subject. You can easly do this setting youreamera to Manual mode and observing the exposure indicator thats normally present ether the ‘Viewfinder or onthe LCD screen, Working at SO 1000 200, tthe camera shutter speed othe fastest flash syne speed for your camera ypcaly 17200 second an adjust the aperture so thatthe exposure indicator lvl suggests thatthe ambiont Tight will be underexposed by to sop, If for any reasoa, you need more ambient ight and doit ‘want 6 or ean usea wider aperture, increase the shite speed ‘Next You simply need co dian the correct exposure on your speedlight~ 1 power, 1/8DOOR PORTRAITS Experiment with temperature tolight the subject Once youhave many choices and you ar geting ite ruse (CN/D=tst “THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 800K 71)\ TECHNIQUES Shoot high key portraits Take a closer look at how you c diverse and powerful style of pl ‘72 THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK an master this hotography 5 reasons to shoot high key: eo toned images are ry flattering fr particular cts and scenes tsinto.ablackandwhite © fiers portratsenbiey very subjects, enaHIGH KEY PORTRAITS /@)\ TECHNIQUES Aikhough, onthe face ot high key photography ‘seems ikea fall clearcut av dea conce ome ofthe sles and nanes of ‘Consitutes a igh key image are lexble Diferent Photographers have shy varying ideas of what, 0 "hm, high ky ima Thisis the case when comes tothe eration of high key images ina studio environment For the sake of creative flecbilty, photographers dont alnays sci ahere ol ofthe characteristics ‘often aserbe 1 high key photography. Some features of highey imag may be ws, while lothersare adapted er even completely oreo ‘Some photographers consider that tre high key Image should have ited ares of shadow ~ and lack deep shadows ~resuling in low-ontast soft images However in recent years oo tor teed portaand product photographers have eschewed this apprnach to high ey, opting for bight brut igh-ontan images ‘Silty ight and relatively paletones ar fen associated with high Key and many images are presented in monochrome Homer, this i ot always ellowed in modern hig ey porta and Proust photography, wh tong bold colours being used in place of sot pastel ones Tnthesestuacons, the ttm high hey’ use Sighaydteenty eerting high-impact images in which the background is a an, pure white andthe subject bas ben purposeflly bight it ‘Appropriately enough the key ight also often turned up oa high power sting in those case. Deliberate overexpostie ofthe soane isan element of most high-key photograpiy, buts ell only ‘supplementary sep in centing a high key mage. ‘What his mennsis tha its nat generally possible to orcea high er image simply by using exresve exposure compersation or opening up the aperture tothe widest posible sting, The mos import high-key ingredients ~ whether ts lea lighting nthe tio ora ight an bright colour plete in held ~ have to be in place “Arguably the form of photography most cosely associated wih high hey today is bight studio Ahigh-key studio portrait setup Troekghsarea thats reauredto redce atone hgreystsoporvat te » -& Z ey ra 9 7A THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK portraiture. Most modern photography stuios have siferedthistyeolhtingofen a the signature Took, during recent ears. snot hart ce why, Law ey iting especialy when presented in monochrome, leds self wel senous and moody peels buts perhaps, quite so apprise fo portent offs and young ctdren = which s wa many portat hotogzaphy suis specialise in ‘As he areas of ight tumination ae relatively sl within low-key image ~and the lighting reeds tbe eaeflypostoned in onder achive this ook ~ dhe subject neds tobe fay sta, wich so course not always eas fo achieve when hotogaphing active cide. Hower, wih high key igsing, rating an abundance of bight gt means that preise subject Postoning les impertans, enabling children the freedom to move around the stuso space while te photographer fst ableto cape images High ey lighting also great for apering group sors, again die to the amount of igh thats rated inthis setup. ’As may as four or five separate flash units are offen used create high Ke potas in the studio, though great results canbe achieve using ony thre lights, One ofthe most important elements of the high ey ihting setup the kimiation ofa pre white backdrop, “The subtleties and nuances of what constitutes a high-key image are flexible” Puc KEY)\ TECHNIQUES Even ifthe backroploks completely whit tothe naked eye fits not separately then i ould appear rey or even a purplish shade of pink in your fmages Whi the lighting se forthe subject ~ which might inca Key Tight flight and possibly even aim or airlight i suai cle yp to ‘ule a power sting in high Key Iightng these gts wl not ensure a whe Tackground, eve ta degre of overexposire is inode. ina sl sto space, with white walls acting reflectors soften not necessary to use anything other than a powesfl key ight othe subject ana ‘many photographers favour using eer ight, o tht more contrat crest Hig hey by no meas restricted 1 a tudo envionment and several high powered lash units. fc igh ey images canbe crested with nothing moe {han your camera and lens becuse some scenes are inherently high ke a the righ composition and exposure ial thas requed ‘ery simple minimalist scene, wth relatively few clement an a limited colour range, ate often aly sulted wo high-hey sots and there ae even, certain weather conditions ha work extremely wel for apeuring your high ky Photographs tors ‘Snow Is perhaps the best example ofthis, covering the word ina blanket of white hats perfec fr producing high ey images. Fogand mis aealso great forhigh ey, especialy then combined with slg overexposure and then conversion o monochrome High hey potas don" always net be planned to every detail witha serio set up, They eamalso be cape on oeation, wth or without portabe lighing and accesories, Fr example, a mode canbe photographed against cloudy sky or pain walland, with the right use of overexposure a high key elect «ane proved ‘fcoure, acceso off came fash units —incuding speedights nd reflectors fers an advaniage, Outside, a single spect in a portable Softbax canbe used as hackirop, while a second speedo ector canbe {employed tn ensure correct expastire an the model. soors, backlighting can {gain be employe vi singh comingin though 2 window withthe help of nt furans o binds ‘Obviously as is very often the case youl have more to work with f you capture your images ia RAW. This wl increase your chances of rescuing any lost detail especilly onthe subjects othing tn fat, Photoshop enables yout ight ‘and expose your high 4ay images witha degree of cao, so you can ene ‘hata sin and clothing deta is reained whale ne tuning te rightness and exposure ofthe image in post capture Im addin othe opdons provided within the RAW peocesing nerfae, Photeshop and Elements both offer a range of tools to improve rd enhance high key mages. Using Sree bending made ona dpliat yer dobles the trightness ofthe image and this can be combined with blending opons for fine ono. Adding. Gaissian Br fier can also be que efoctive wth igh Key and similar effect can he achieve using Difase Glow in the Distot section ofthe her Cally. Curves an Levels adjustments can both be used ighten an image as welas Improve contrast an smi fet ca als be achieved by dapieatng Overy and St Ligh blending modes. Set up for high key cettinga studio ready to shoot high-key images is easy -_ Background lights OL Strains setepcorectyoemesoatacarandasa — Q) pre whit isthe fist step to take in setting up forhigh key porta. Takea few test shots to see how its working Power settings Use Manual Osis th pone stie onthe nts recor Og Stitecamer tna ode) andres your ash ns set. The two background lights should match eachother and arelow powered, avoid avery wide aperture as this could result in keylaht shouldbe dialled toasting that wor'toverexpose the subject. overexposure, Use a shutter speod of 1/160sec or 1/200sec Softbox The key igs normaly ite wth a sftboxin hgh key shotograpy to produce a sot and fuse spreador ight Bigger soltboxes willesut na broader softer Fat 76 THE PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK