Amateur Photographer - UK (2019-10-18)

32 12 October 2019I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.ukI subscribe 0330 333 1113

Technique TIPS AND TRICKS

Portrait

29

Flashrecycletime
Insteadofshootingwithyour
externalflashgunatfullpower(e.g.1/1)
decreasethisandpushyourISOupto
compensate.Thatwaywhenyou’reshooting
portraitsyourflashwillrecyclemuchfaster
makingit quickertoshootframes and
capturethemoment.AP

30

Givedirection
A portraitimageis almostas
muchaboutthephotographerasit is about
themodel.If you’rerelaxedandgivethem
gooddirectiontheywillrespond.If you’re
tenseandnotclearonwhatyouwant,they
willappearawkward.Spendsometime
beforetheshootgettingtoknowthem(if
youdon’talready)andascertainwhat you
bothwantfromtheshoot.AP

31

Fiveinone
A 5-in-1reflectoris theperfect
accessoryforanyportraitphotographer.
Thediffuseris a greattoolforspreading
lightthrough.Thesilversidepicksupthe
shadowsandaddsin a coolertone;the
goldside,warm.Thewhitesidelightens
andtheblackblocksthelight. A must-
havein yourkitbag.AP

32

Createshadows
Creatingshadowsontheface
addscharacter,shapeanddimension.
Youcancompletelychangethelookof
a person’sfacedependingonwhereyou
allowtheshadowsandhighlightstofall.
Tryplacingthesideofyoursubject’s
faceneara wallandwatchtheirface
gentlyfallintoshadow.ChrisBailey,
http://www.chrisbaileyphotography.co.uk

33

Usealong
shutterspeed
Thisisn’tthenormal‘rule’butrulesare
madetobebroken,andif youwantto
capturesomethinga bituniquethenthisis
a funtechniquetotry.Setyourcameraup
ona tripodandreduceyourshutterspeed
downtoonesecond.Getyoursubjectto
movetheirheadandyou’releftwith an
interestingghostlyeffect.AP

34

Thinkabout
youraperture
In portraitureyouraperturesettingis
oneofthemostimportantsettingsthat
determineshowmuchdepthoffieldyou
seein thefacialfeatures.Dependingon
whoyouareshootingandforwhat,you
willneedtotakea differentapproach.For
exampleif youintentionallywanta dreamy
andblurredeffectthenoptingtoopenit to
thelargestsetting(forexample,f/1.8)will
workwell.Makesurethattheeyesare
sharpthough.Butif youwereshooting
a headshotwhereeverythingneedstobe
sharpthenyouwillwantanapertureofat
leastf/5.6tokeepthe model’s eyes to
ears sharp.AP

Controllingthelight,accurate

focus,anddisplayingconfidence

areallvitalskillswhenitcomes

to shooting portraiture

22

Makethemostof

ambientlight

Whenit comestocapturingmusicor

otherstage-liteventsthensomefantastic

lightinghasalreadybeendoneforyou.

Thisimageof youngbandBlackMidiis

theperfectexampleof waitingforthat

optimummomentandusingthelights

to create a great portrait.AP

21

It’sallabouttheeyes

Portraitsareabouttheeyes.Even

if yoursubject’seyesareclosedandthis

is deliberateit willimpacthowtheviewer

interpretsandconnectstothesubject.If they

areopenandthemainfocalpoint,thenkeep

thoseeyessharp,sharp,sharp!Theyare the

soulof thepictureandtheviewer’s

connection to the subject.AP

23

Mixgels(colours)

Althoughusinggelsmightfeellikea

bigstepin yourlightingskillstheyareactually

relativelysimple.Youcanevenusea pieceof

cellophaneovertheendof yourflashgunor

lighttotintyoursubjectwitha differentcolour.

Whenit comestomixingyourpalettelookfor

coloursontheoppositeendof thespectrum.

Forexamplecontrastingcoloursworkwell

together– redandgreen, orange and blue,

yellow and purple.AP

© CL AIRE GILLO

© JAMES PATERSON

© KL AUS VEDFELT / GETT Y IMAGES