Portrait Photography: Simple Ideas For Beginners

124 Pages·2020·55.918 MB·English

by  Clive St John

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