Marian's Portrait Learning Thread :)

In my opinion the # 1 enemy of any portrait is staticness and sameness.  By having the torso, head and eyes all facing the same direction (1-1-1 pose) you can be guaranteed a static pose.  Add some flat uninteresting lighting and a "driver's license" facial expression and I guarantee the image will be worthy of one look before it is run through the shredder. 

We are taking a three dimensional object (a person) a rendering it onto a one dimension medium, that of photographic paper (or in this case a CRT) so we must add interest by posing the subject at a 45 degree angle . This will get rid of the horizontal plane staticness.  The we lean the subject "over the belt buckle" which will get rid of the vertical part of the staticness.  Then we need to turn the head toward the camera which will get rid of the sameness caused by having the torso, and head pointed in the same direction.  Then we tilt the head so it is not perpendicular to the spine (more staticness) then lastly the eyes should be looking into the lens (usually.)

Lighting.  Again sameness is a killer.  Flat lighting is sameness lighting.  Shadows create dimension. Dimension is good!

So lets add everything together and see what we get.

Benji

Doh!!!! I should've caught that. I thought I had it set to aperture priority, but it looks like I must've had it on automatic. Argh.


I have 2 continuous cool lights with white umbrellas.


Haha...you should see my driver's license photo! In my practice shots, I look like a Venus compared to that thing. But I see what you're saying.


I think I went overboard with the fill light, now that I look at where it was. I'm a real visual person, and reading about light placement in books is just confusing my visual mind, ha ha. I need someone to draw (or take) a picture of where I should be setting up 2 continuous cool lights. I've read they should be at 45 degrees to the model, but is that in line with the camera, or closer, or or or.... *kabloooey goes my head*

I had major surgery on my head when I was 5months old (180 stitches on an itty bitty baby head) and my brain is tilted (shut up, Bob). The docs say that I learn a bit differently, and see the world differently, than others. Yay for me. 

I'm very frustrated right now. Am I using lights that are too weak? The following photos are taken using 800 ISO, 1/20th of a second, f/5.6 (the biggest this lens will allow) and I've included them in the following order: fill only with fake head, fill and main with fake head, me and fake head, and the setup (ignore the dirty laundry on the floor, ha ha). I've been using the bedroom for practice, because it's the darkest room in the house.

Back to the bedroom!