| Portrait photography has been
around since the invention and popularization of the camera. It is a
cheaper and often more accessible method than portrait painting, which has been
used by distinguished figures before the popularity of the camera.
The relatively low cost of
the daguerreotype in the middle of the 19th century lead to its popularity for
portraiture. Studios sprang up in cities around the world, some cranking out
more than 500 plates a day. The style of these early works reflected the
technical challenges associated with 30-second exposure times and the
painterly aesthetic of the time. Subjects were generally seated against plain
backgrounds and lit with the soft light of an overhead window and whatever else
could be reflected with mirrors. As the equipment became more advanced, the
ability to capture images with short exposure times gave photographer more
creative freedom and thus created new styles of portrait photography.
As photographic techniques
developed, photographers took their talents out of the studio and onto
battlefields, across oceans and into remote wilderness.
When portrait photographs
are composed and captured in a studio, the professional photographer has control
over the lighting of the composition of the subject and can adjust direction and
intensity.
The basic lighting types are
termed main light, fill lights, kicker lights, and background lights. The main
light is the primary light source for the portrait. It is positioned about 45
degrees to the left or right of the subject, but it can also be used from above
or below. A fill light is usually used opposite of the main light, but farther
away or with less intensity. It is used to soften hard shadows created by the
main light. Kicker lights (also called hair lights or side lights) provide
lighting to the hair of the subject. This helps add depth to the photo and can
be used to separate the subject from the background. Background lights are those
which do not fall on the subject but the background. They can provide
interesting effects to a boring backdrop or be used to make a background appear
pure white.
Most lighting found in
modern photography are usually a flash of some sort. The lighting for
portraiture is typically diffused by bouncing it from the inside of an umbrella,
or by using a soft box. The soft box is essentially a strobe encased in an
opaque box and one side is made of translucent fabric material. This provides a
softer lighting for portrait work and is considered visually more appealing.
Hair and background lights are usually not diffused. It is more important to
control light spillage to other areas of the subject. Snoots and barn doors help
focus the lights exactly where the photographer wants them. Background lights
are sometimes used with color gels placed in front of the light to create
colorful backgrounds.
There are many different
techniques for portrait photography. Often it is desirable to capture the
subject's eyes and face in sharp focus while allowing other less important
elements to be rendered in a soft focus. At other times, portraits of individual
features might be the focus of a composition such as the hands, eyes or part of
a torso.
Article
Excerpt Courtesy
of Wikipedia |
