but not necessarily looking at the camera. Ask them to look into
the distance, or get them to focus on something. As an example,
if you’re shooting someone in their workplace, ask them to
continue with their daily routine. Remember you are trying
to capture their personality, so step back and observe before
directing. If you are shooting candidly there is no need to pose.
Anticipation is key, wait for the right moment to take your shot.
When shooting closer more intimate portraits it’s best to
approach your subject with humility, respect and a “light
footprint”. This means working respectfully with your subject
and their environment. Never physically handle your subject,
especially if you’re a male photographing a female. Politely
explain the pose or demonstrate it and then have your model
reposition. It’s about gaining each other’s trust, which takes time.
04
Add drama
Working under natural light is a great way to add
drama to your pictures for moody portraits full of character.
It’s also a fantastic way to better understand the importance of
light and how to effectively use it. If you’re new to photography,
you don’t want to complicate matters by adding multiple
Speedlite f lash units. Instead go out with your camera and
observe your environment, study the light and take notice of
how different lighting changes the mood of the environment you
are in. Photographing elderly people in low light is a fantastic
way to exaggerate their facial expressions, lines and wrinkles
to create a dramatic portrait. One of my favourite approaches
to low-light portraits is finding a dark space with areas of light
which highlight parts of the scene. An example could be an
open doorway into a dark room. Position your model in the
light against the dark area. Notice how the light highlights your
subject and the background is dark and free of distractions?
Keep an eye on the light and try shooting from different angles,
or reposition your model to stand half in the shadow and half
in the light to create deep contrasts. This is the easiest way to
manipulate natural light for a more dramatic feel. Experiment
with natural light, you’ll be surprised how effective it can be.
Another way to enhance the atmosphere of your portraits is
by adding smoke. Your model could be smoking a cigarette and
exhaling smoke into the air, or there might be burning incense.
Darker backgrounds work best for smoke, as it is typically light
so a brighter background won’t have the same impact. Use a
shallow depth of field to draw the focus on the smoke to create
a subtle illusion of depth. Candlelight is another natural light
source to create ambience, but be aware of the risks if you’re
working with fire and hot wax.05
Consider post processing
Cameras have their limitations where they can’t
capture the entire tonal range of some more challenging lighting
situations. Shooting during the middle of the day when the light
is harsh can cause an unf lattering loss of shadow detail. If yourAUSTRALIANPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 29
ABOVE
Three traditional
fishermen pose by
lotus flowers on Inle
Lake, Myanmar.
By finding a higher
vantage point I
was able to shoot
an interesting
composition with
the lotus. Canon
EOS 6D, 16-35mm
lens @ 35mm,
1/100s @ f/4, ISO
250, handheld.
Curves, contrast,
colour balance
and sharpening in
Photoshop CC.AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPHY MARCH 2016
HOW TO Environmental Portraits