ors,andtonesintheframewilldirectthissearch—andthephotographermust
use these elements to control the flow, directing the eye to the intended sub-
ject of the image (the product, the garment, the model’s face, etc.). For an
image to succeed, elements that block the flow of the eye to the desired area
must be eliminated.
Two of the most important tools for achieving this goal are the position-
ing of the model’s body and the light upon it. For example, the viewer’s eye
may follow the edge-lit line of a leg up through the body to the face. Alter-
nately, the body might be posed and lit so that the viewer’s eye is drawn up
the model’s arm to her diamond bracelet. Similarly, the whole image might
be designed to draw your eye to the cut of the gown the model is wearing.
A helpful way to practice achieving the right flow is to look at some pho-
tos or magazine ads and diagram the flow of your eye to the subject of the
photo (or to the logo in an ad shot). It may help to turn the image upside
down. This makes it less recognizable; instead of a body, the subject is ren-
deredmoreasaseriesofshapesandcolors.Observingthesesimpleshapescan
helpyoutovisualizetheflowmoreeasily.Analyzetheflowofthephotograph
upside down, then turn it right side up and see if it still has the same flow. If
you’re looking at an image on your computer screen, you can also try re-
versing it from left to right and observing how this impacts the flow. This is
frequently done in editorial and advertising images to better direct the view-
ers’ eyes through the image.
Stopping the Gaze.Stopping the viewer’s gaze is the objective of creat-
ing flow. Where should the eye stop? It might be the client’s logo, the detail
on a garment, or the eyes of the model—it all depends on the intent of the
image. If you look at an image and find that your eye is blocked (i.e.,it stops
before it gets to the intended subject) or is directed to an unintended area,
there’s a problem with the flow; your gaze is not directed to the proper place
in the frame. After you have trained your eye to see the flow of a photograph
(and stop it in just the right spot), you will be able to previsualize the needed
composition, then design the lighting setup and pose to meet your creative
objectives.
Your Visual Toolbox.
To control the flow and emphasize the intended subject, the photographer
must understand the basic tools used to manipulate the path of the viewer’s
gaze. Some basic elements are: lines, curves, composition and cropping, per-
spective,andtone/color.Oftheseelements,lightinghasanobviouseffecton
tone and color, but can also be used to create or accentuate lines and curves.
Let’s quickly review all of these important qualities.
Straight Lines.Straight lines give the photo a structured appearance,
whichismostoftenusedwhenastrong,commandingauraisneeded.Among
24 LIGHTING TECHNIQUES FOR PHOTOGRAPHING MODEL PORTFOLIOS
Previsualize the
needed composition,
then design the
lighting and pose to
meet your objectives.