Making Portraits

PhotoPals:

    How to get started taking great Potraits.

    I like to call it, "Concepts".

    The dictionary says a "Concept" is an Idea, Theory, or a Premise. A plan, on which to build.

    So, our first step in taking Portraits is to have a concept.

    Since I first met 20th Century Fox Head Portrait Photographer, Max Munn Autrey, in 1958, and served as his Gopher at the first Ole Miss 3-day Conference on Professional Photography, the "First Continuing Education Seminar of its kind" in the world, I have built upon a concept I learned from him.

    While the full fledged concept is complicated, the general idea applies to ALL types of Photography.

    It is divided into several parts, which I will strictly, only partially, generalize here.

    • Type subject.    

    • Type Theme and Clothing.     

    • Type Lighting.    

    • Environment.    

    • Use or size.   

    I think you get the idea. No Pro, worth his salt, ever takes a single photo without some premise, on which to proceed.

    The one I use, I have named the "GAHS", or "Golden Age Hollywood Style". This came along with talking movies, when the studios needed something new to accent the new twist in movies....Sound.

    Up until then, Portraits were just glorified snapshots with little dramatic Highlights and Shadows. They just looked like everyone else's.

    The Hollywood Photographers got together and determined that Fresnel Spotlights, as were used in Ocean Lighthouses, to cast bright, long distance lights for ships to see, would fill the bill for audience-attracting, glamorous Portraits.

    The GAHS idea used these Spotlights instead of softer Floodlights.

    Since most folks today don't have, or want, these spotlights, we'll use what we've got....a point and shoot camera with a small flash. Usually that will produce an acceptable image, if we use them correctly.

    For Portraits, get out of the bright sunlight and in the shade, if possible, for outdoor photos. Rotate the subject until the light appears even to your eye. Take a photo. Check your monitor and add or subtract darkness in the camera controls until the monitor image appears correcct. If it is too dark, add "Fill Flash". 

    Below is a photo made just that way with no flash.  

   

    I made this one day when I was just passing by and they called to me, knowing I usually have my Point and Shoot with me. This is about as near to a snapshot as I ever get.

    Note the soft light caused by the porch overhang shade and the slight side light "bouncing" in..not direct. The shadow side of their faces has enough "fill" light bouncing in to be pleasing.

    You will note that I tried to make the photo as near the shape and size I want the finished one to be. In this case, vertical, and the shape of an 8x10. (Width is always spoken of first).

    Take care to hold your camera veritcal, if you want your photos to end up that way. When you always hold the camera horizontal (level), you often waste precious Pixels and hence, sharpness.

    If you join our group and order the $25 Once-Time Payment Membership, you will get, by snail mail, a 30 page CD about the GAHS Style....then for no more payments, an indefinite BONUS of a weekly Public Post on the http://rhaphotoprp.blogspot.com/  Blog with a weekly copy of it on Facebook, PLUS a further, and more important, BONUS of indefinite twice-a week emails that go much deeper into all subjects. Only the CD costs money. All the further Posts are FREE and at our discretion. 
    We hope to hear from you.