Portraits: overview

Each of the workshops (character, environmental, outdoor) have given great insight into how light can be used to create a portrait.

Both of the images below were lit using natural light, however, the image on the left had additional light from an off-camera flash. Due to the changing nature and somewhat unreliability of natural light, using an off camera flash will provide an extra boost of light, particularly when the natural light is weak or fading.

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The image on the right has a similar setting to my image above (bottom right), though there are no shadows across the model's face. It is very clear and even, much like the lighting of the man in the black and white image above, though there is more depth to the image which comes from the shallow depth of field.

Shadows on the face can be either flattering or distracting. The lighting in the first picture is gentle and flattering, despite the shadow under the right eye.

Picture 2 shows a portrait free from reflections and definitely brings out the strength of the sitter.

Picture 3 used a fill flash, hence the strong shadow behind the sitter, but this met the brief of creating an environmental portrait.

Picture 4, taken in morning sunlight and assisted by the use of a gold reflector, the portrait has a beautiful warm glow.

Going forward, I would use a male sitter for the character portrait with the grey set up to create an air of drama. Similarly, using a female sitter with the white background would produce a far more gentle and flattering image.