Table Of Content

Portrait Portrait Photography SimPphle oIdteaosg forra Bpeghinyners Simple Ideas for Beginners Clive St John Clive St John 1 2 EEvveerryy lliiffee iiss aa jjoouurrnneeyy aanndd aaggee iiss oouurr ccoommppaanniioonn.. OOuurr ffaacceess tteellll aa tthhoouussaanndd ttaalleess ooff oouurr hhooppeess,, oouurr ddrreeaammss,, oouurr ttrriiuummpphhss aanndd oouurr ddiissaappppooiinnttmmeennttss.. Each face is unique and, among the billions of people on this Each face is unique and, among the billions of people on this planet, there is only one of each of us. We all have our planet, there is only one of each of us. We all have our own personal stories to reveal to the camera. own personal stories to reveal to the camera. For me, portraiture isn't just about creating a likeness of a For me, portraiture isn't just about creating a likeness of a person. It’s about capturing their spirit, personality, person. It’s about capturing their spirit, personality, character and individuality. character and individuality. “Every image speaks a thousand words “Every image speaks a thousand words and there’s no better way to describe a and there’s no better way to describe a person than with a portrait” person than with a portrait” CStJ CStJ © Clive St John MMXX. All rights reserved. © Clive St John MMXX. All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced or distributed, in whole This book may not be reproduced or distributed, in whole or in part, without the written permission of the author. or in part, without the written permission of the author. 3 INTRODUCTION IInn ccrreeaattiinngg ‘‘SSiimmppllee IIddeeaass’’,, II’’vvee ccoommee ttoo rreefflleecctt oonn wwhhaatt aa ‘‘ppeerrssoonnaall pphhoottooggrraapphhiicc ssttyyllee’’ rreeaallllyy iiss.. AAss pphhoottooggrraapphheerrss,, iitt’’ss nnaattuurraall ttoo bbee iinnfflluueenncceedd aanndd iinnssppiirreedd bbyy tthhee wwoorrkk ooff ootthheerrss wwhhiicchh eennccoouurraaggeess uuss ttoo eexxppeerriimmeenntt wwiitthh oouurr ccrraafftt aanndd eevvoollvvee—— tthhoouugghh hhaavviinngg oouurr oowwnn ssttyyllee ccaann bbee oonnee ooff tthhee mmoosstt rreewwaarrddiinngg aassppeeccttss ooff ppoorrttrraaiittuurree.. WWiitthh pphhoottooggrraapphhyy,, ssttyyllee iiss oofftteenn lliikkeedd ttoo aa ppeerrssoonnaall sseennssee ooff iiddeennttiittyy bbuutt iitt ccaann bbee qquuiittee hhaarrdd ttoo ddeeffiinnee.. FFoorr mmee,, iitt’’ss jjuusstt aa ccoommbbiinnaattiioonn ooff tthhee wwaayy II lliigghhtt,, tthhee ddeepptthh ooff ffiieelldd II cchhoooossee,, tthhee eemmoottiioonnss II eennccoouurraaggee,, vvaarriioouuss aanngglleess,, ccoolloouurrss aanndd tteexxttuurreess aanndd hhooww II pprroocceessss aanndd ccrroopp eeaacchh iimmaaggee.. TThhiiss bbooookk,, hhoowweevveerr,, hhaass ccoommppeelllleedd mmee ttoo ttrryy aa rraannggee ooff nneeww aanndd ddiiffffeerreenntt tthhiinnggss.. II’’vvee ssttrraayyeedd ffrroomm mmyy ccuussttoommaarryy bbeeaauuttyy ddiisshh ccoonnffiigguurraattiioonnss ttoo iinncclluuddee iiccee lliigghhttss aanndd rriinngg lliigghhttss,, ssoofftt bbooxxeess aanndd uummbbrreellllaass,, rreefflleeccttoorrss aanndd ggrriiddss——uussiinngg aa ffaaiirrllyy wwiiddee rraannggee ooff nnaattuurraall,, ffllaasshh aanndd ccoonnttiinnuuoouuss lliigghhtt.. FFoorr tthhoossee wwhhoo mmaayy bbee ccuurriioouuss aanndd tthhiinnkkiinngg of trying new equipment or configurations I’ve also included of trying new equipment or configurations I’ve also included simplified lighting diagrams and camera settings. simplified lighting diagrams and camera settings. As photographers, we notice patterns and colours, lines and As photographers, we notice patterns and colours, lines and perspectives and, with portrait photography, we see emotion, perspectives and, with portrait photography, we see emotion, character and personality reflected in the human face. After all, the character and personality reflected in the human face. After all, the eyes reflect our innermost thoughts and feelings. The following pages eyes reflect our innermost thoughts and feelings. The following pages represent a journey of experimentation though never forgetting that represent a journey of experimentation though never forgetting that the art of portraiture is both a duty and a privilege. the art of portraiture is both a duty and a privilege. 4 5 List One Subjects INTRODUCTION p04 CONTENTS p06 PORTRAIT REAR LIGHTING p20 PORTRAIT LIGHTING PATTERNS p27 DEPTH OF FIELD p30 PORTRAIT RULES p39 CAMERA HEIGHT & FRAMING p48 IMAGE RETOUCHING p83 HEAD & SHOULDERS LIGHTING p95 CONCLUSION p124 List Two Diagrams PORTRAIT FOCAL DISTANCE p15 PORTRAIT REAR LIGHTING p21 PORTRAIT LIGHTING PATTERNS p28 PORTRAIT FOCAL DISTANCE p15 DEPTH OF FIELD p31 PORTRAIT REAR LIGHTING p21 PORTRAIT RULES p40 PORTRAIT LIGHTING PATTERNS p28 CAMERA HEIGHT & FRAMING p49 DEPTH OF FIELD p31 CROPPING PORTRAITS p52 PORTRAIT RULES p40 LENS SELECTION & DISTORTION p68 CAMERA HEIGHT & FRAMING p49 IMAGE RETOUCHING p84 CROPPING PORTRAITS p52 HEAD & SHOULDERS LIGHTING p96 LENS SELECTION & DISTORTION p68 PORTRAIT LENS DISTORTION p108 IMAGE RETOUCHING p84 PORTRAIT DEPTH OF FOCUS p109 HEAD & SHOULDERS LIGHTING p96 PORTRAIT LENS DISTORTION p108 6 PORTRAIT DEPTH OF FOCUS p109 List Three Models EDGAR p02, p78 SIOBHAN p05, p64, p113 MIYU p11, p13, p14, p32, p37, p71, p77, p88, p118 JOCEY DEE p12, p18, p70, p94, p120 VERONIKA p16, p25, p33, p60, p75, p82 RUTH p17, p22, p24, p35, p45, p46, p54, p57, p59 p73, p79, p80, p87, p90, p103, p107, p110, p117 ABEER p23, p34, p55, p92 SIGGY p26, p81 MISCHKAH p36, p38, p61, p66, p67, p74, p93, p102, p119 CLIVE W p43, p76 OREMEYI p44, p47, p58, p89, p106 PAUL p56 GIULIA p62, p91, p101, p105 JEAN ROSE p65 CLIVE P p114 MARJORIE p115 List Four Info Pages LIGHTING DIAGRAM ICONS p08 CAMERA SETTINGS GUIDE p09 UNDERSTANDING LIGHT DISTANCE p111 UNDERSTANDING HISTOGRAMS p116 HANDY PHOTOGRAPHY TERMS p122 7 8 9 II lloovvee ppoorrttrraaiitt pphhoottooggrraapphhyy.. IItt aaffffoorrddss mmee ssoommee ggrreeaatt ooppppoorrttuunniittiieess ttoo mmeeeett aanndd ccoonnnneecctt wwiitthh iinnccrreeddiibbllee ppeeooppllee——ttoo ‘‘sstteeaall’’ aa ffrraaggmmeenntt ooff ssoommeeoonnee’’ss lliiffee aanndd ttoo ffrreeeezzee iitt iinn aann iimmaaggee tthhaatt ccaann llaasstt ffoorreevveerr.. II ccaann’’tt rreeaallllyy eexxppllaaiinn ‘‘wwhhyy’’ II lloovvee iitt –– iitt’’ss lleessss aabboouutt wwoorrddss aanndd mmoorree aabboouutt ffeeeelliinnggss.. AAllssoo,, II ggeett ttoo cchhaannnneell mmyy ccrreeaattiivviittyy iinnttoo ssoommeetthhiinngg II eennjjooyy——ssppeennddiinngg ttiimmee wwiitthh ootthheerrss aanndd mmaakkiinngg ffrriieennddss aalloonngg tthhee wwaayy.. “It’s a fact of life the model might hate the portrait you take. “It’s a fact of life the model might hate the portrait you take. After all, it’s how you see them—not how they see themselves” After all, it’s how you see them—not how they see themselves” CStJ CStJ 10