a little portrait project: advice

[TennesseJones]

I've been asked to do a little portrait project, which is slightly terrifiying, so I thought I'd ask for some advice. It's something I'd really like to do well.

The project is to take portraits of a range of people, all of whom emigrated to the UK from Cyprus over the last thirty years, and who now occupy many different levels of social and professional esteem and success and yet who are linked by where they came from initially.

The project is linked to some writing work I have done.

I think I need to make virtues out of neccesities, so was planning to do the series as available light candid type portraits, as I am rather technically inept when it comes to photography. I use a 50mm lens and 105mm lens largely an old Nikon FM2 body, although I have recently been using a Leica M body (again with a 50mm lens.) I don't own anything else at present, and would worry about spending much money on purchasing new things unless I was going to use it well. I'm aware I'm only just learning to use the stuff I own.

I wondered if there were works from other photographers that people might point me towards so that I could learn from them? Books or websites or hints?

Or tips people might have in approaching such a project, and keeping it interesting? Can I keep such a series interesting and full of a sort of motion?

I have taken some portrait style pictures before, but this is a real challenge and I'd like to do well with it.

Many apologies if this is slightly rambling, I'm still thinking through how I'd best like to do this. And thanks for any advice and help.

 

[Mister E]

A 50mm is all you really need. Make your subjects feel at ease. Take a lot of pictures. Will you be doing environmental portraits or just head and shoulders stuff?

 

[lynnb]

There's a heap of resources on the net for available light portraiture.

some initial thoughts:
- 50 and 105mm focal lengths are very good for portraits as they put you at a conversational distance from your subject - that's how we normally see people.
- larger apertures isolate your subject but make sure you focus carefully on the eyes (or hands, or whatever you want the focus to be) as DOF will be shallow
- a diffuse light source from one side is flattering eg window without direct sunlight
- expose for the skin tones
- usually shooting from a point of view slightly above, or level with your subject is more flattering than from below
- keep talking to your subjects while you take their photos, you want them to be themselves, at ease
- familiar surroundings will help your subjects be more relaxed

Some books in my library, but others here may have better recommendations:
Yousef Karsh, Regarding Heroes ISBN 978-1-56792-359-9; classic traditional portraiture
Photo Wisdom, Lewis Blackwell (contains not just portraiture though)
William Albert Allard - Five Decades, A Retrospective, National Geographic; contains some inspiring portraiture

Although www.strobist.com is an strobe lighting resource, there is some useful information on how to light subjects and you can adapt the principles for natural light, e.g. direction of main light and any fill (reflected) light, and lighting ratios.

Hope this helps.

 

[Peter S]

50mm is indeed all you need. Looking at your Flickr stream you do not seem technically inept. What area of technique do you feel insecure about ?

In any case try to be as well prepared as possible, maybe scout the location first so that you have an idea where the light is coming from etc etc, make sure that you have all your equipment with you, maybe add a reflector to your toolbag (might be able to borrow one from somebody ?). The more prepared you are, the more relaxed you are, the more relaxed your model will be and the bigger the chance that he or she will really show something of themselves to you. Don't be shy to direct the model and try to keep the atmosphere as easy going as you can. Not a lot more you can do.

As you say that the project is linked with your writing I would try to work that into the portraits somehow.


Some photographers whose portraits I like:

www.vincentmentzel.nl/gallery/Portraits_nl.php
www.stephanvanfleteren.com/gallery_portraits/
www.richardavedon.com/
Joost van den Broek: www.volkskrant.com/animatie/fotospecial/specials/portretten/fotospecial.html

 

[lynnb]

a few useful tutorials:

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/portrait-lighting.htm

http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/portrait-photography-tips/

 

[lynnb]

Another consideration is the need to create a coherent collection of photographs - think about taking photos from the same distance to subject with the same focal length for each subject so when they are collated your completed project has a visual coherence that flows and allows viewers to compare portraits.

For example, take a number of photos with the 50mm showing the subject's full body and also a number with the 100mm head and shoulders. For each person then you might have one of each in the final product.

Not that you should limit yourself to this - it's just a good idea to be able to end up with something that all hangs together. Like Mister E said above, take lots of photos.

 

[Keith]

My advice is get your subject comfortable, get them in your viewfinder and watch their faces, eyes and body language very closely with your finger poised on a half depressed shutter. Pick the moment or the expression you want and don't hesitate for a millisecond.

People will often ask what you want them to do, for me it's important to let them make that decision themselves and then try to capture the resulting action they may take. It's almost like you're putting them in control and that relaxes them in my experience.

 

[Roger Hicks]

For my money, it's a great deal more difficult to make good environmental portraits than to use formulaic lighting and a neutral background. Some years ago I was asked to do six or eight portraits of prominent Tibetans in exile for a sort of nascent National Portrait Gallery that was being started up by the Government in Exile, and that's the approach I used. The people's faces are what matter. EDIT: Lynn's point about coherence is essential too.

Use what you have: the 105 is ideal for more formal portraits. I used a 90 because it was what I had. A 50 is OK for environmental portraits (though I'd prefer a 35), but as I say, it's more difficult that way: too many more variables.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Mister E]

My advice is get your subject comfortable, get them in your viewfinder and watch their faces, eyes and body language very closely with your finger poised on a half depressed shutter. Pick the moment or the expression you want and don't hesitate for a millisecond.

People will often ask what you want them to do, for me it's important to let them make that decision themselves and then try to capture the resulting action they may take. It's almost like you're putting them in control and that relaxes them in my experience.

I very much agree, although I sometimes give them suggestion as to how to position themselves, but to keep them fluid and comfortable I take to them the whole time. It's almost impossible to be as uncomfortable as many people are in front of the camera when carrying on a jovial conversation.

 

[Keith]

I personally find portraiture the most rewarding type of photography I can do ... it absolutely energises me and leaves me on a complete high. Candid, posed, whatever ... I love it. 🙂

 

[Mister E]

I personally find portraiture the most rewarding type of photography I can do ... it absolutely energises me and leaves me on a complete high. Candid, posed, whatever ... I love it. 🙂

Me too.

Some newspeak, "The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters."

 

[retnull]

1) Ask the subject to sit or stand 3 to 6 feet away from a window. Place yourself between the subject and the window (but not so that you cast shadows on the subject).

2) Establish a bond with your subject. Be courteous, interested, listen well. The connection you make will be visible in the images.

 

[Colin Corneau]

Take a look at this, for an illustration of how 'less is more'...

http://ourcanadiancontent.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/portraits-of-g20-prisoners-by-brett-gundlock/

 

[Sparrow]

What Keith said more or less, if everyone involved is relaxed it's easy

 

[TennesseJones]

I've been out all day and just returned to find these amazing and detailed replies. Thank you so much everyone for your advice, this is really terrific.

I'm going to read through it all again now, slowly!

The problem of coherence is key I guess, thank you for the tips towards solving it.

 

[TennesseJones]

Just quickly replying:

Mister E: thanks, yes I think I'll be doing environmental things, and I don't have a single location i could bring people to. but i'm really interested too by what roger said in his response about the work he did with the Tibetans.

Lynn thank you so much, that's really helpful and detailed. I'm reading through all that material now.

Roger, I'm really interested in that experience. I had thought about trying that 'neutral' (forgive me if that sounds reductive). I wondered two things: whether one should use medium format for that approach (this is probably just from looking at Irving Penn or someone) and also whether I can find a way of using an environmental approach to show the different places in society all the subjects have found. But then again, I see of course a portrait is most of all about a face. Simple truths. Oddly I imagine that it takes a real confidence to take a series of portraits in the 'neutral' vein.

to Peter S... Thank you for your kind words about my flickr pictures and your great advice. In answer, I suppose I meant I don't know how to use a flash and artificial lighting in any way, and I've essentially learnt what I do know from trial and error and reading things here on this forum. (I am now looking up reflectors on google!)

to keith... thank you, that makes a lot of sense. Like directing actors really. and I am really looking forward to doing the work, I bet it's as rewarding as you say.

 

[Richard G]

I have never seen so much concentrated good advice in so few posts. I hope I am not now going to let the show down. I have limited experience for your project, but I do tutor young doctors to pass specialist exams and I think the mindset you have going into each session is crucial. Be confident. You have quite a bit of photographic experience; you're the writer; you were invited to do this; the subjects have been organized for you, the great man, to shoot them. They are prepared to be directed and your authority is assumed. With that authority you should then relax.

And what Ketih said. I keep my uncameraed left eye (my better eye anyway) on the subject for a better view of his/her expression, once focus and composition and the half depressed shutter are all in place.

 

[bgb]

I agree with all of the above 🙂

Only advice i have from experience is to try and show the character of the person in the photo. What some would call capturing their souls.

Be brave, shoot lots and then go back and do it again.

Like the idea of the project, best of luck.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Roger, I'm really interested in that experience. I had thought about trying that 'neutral' (forgive me if that sounds reductive). I wondered two things: whether one should use medium format for that approach (this is probably just from looking at Irving Penn or someone) and also whether I can find a way of using an environmental approach to show the different places in society all the subjects have found. But then again, I see of course a portrait is most of all about a face. Simple truths. Oddly I imagine that it takes a real confidence to take a series of portraits in the 'neutral' vein.

Although I'd worked for the Government in Exile in the 1980s, I wasn't expecting this job in 1999, and I had no MF with me except Alpas with wide-angles (not good). My old (2nd generation pre-aspheric) Summicron was the best lens I had with me for portraiture. I forget whether I used an M2 or the M4-P.

I scrounged 3 flash heads, only two of which had modelling lamps (it would have taken 48 hours and a round trip to Delhi to get new ones). Lighting was 'Paramount' or 'butterfly': both behind the camera, one low, one high, one left, one right. The higher light (key) was set 1 stop brighter than the lower light (fill). The third light was an optional, weak back/hair light.

Backdrop was 2x3 metres cheap white muslin, bought in the bazaar, with dye dabbed on to it with a sponge to give an irregular, blotchy background, out of focus in the pics. You can see one of the pics (it's the second) in http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps portrait lens light.html.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Keith]

I also think portraiture is unique in that you have a constantly changing scene in front of you ... nothing is static. Unless the subject is dead or frozen their face and body are like an ever rapidly changing landscape with multiple choice decisive moments! 😛

It's quite a privilege to be able to react with another human being in such an intimate way through photography. Treat it as such and you can't really go wrong IMO.