Portrait Lighting

1) Placing the key light 90 degrees to the left or right of a subject's face yields a dramatic contrast: one side of the subject's face is brightly illuminated, while the opposite side is lost in shadow. Of course, the effects can be lessened by using a fill light to soften the highlights. The lighting technique is wonderful for portraits where the photographer wants a strong emotion portrayed; perhaps anger, sadness,  regret, or mystery.

2) Usually, when the key light is placed directly behind the subject, the effect is rather unflattering. The subject's face is cast in shadow, and only the top portion of their hair is highlighted. While usually not suitable for normal portraits, this type of lighting would be excellent for portraying "evil" or "malevolent" characters, because of the deep shadows and lack of highlights. Unless, of course, the  lighting is so bright that only the silhouette of the subject is rendered.

3) If the light is positioned directly in front of the subject, the subject's face is fully illuminated. Usually, this type of lighting lends a youthful, happy, or excited mood to the photograph as a whole, because unflattering shadows beneath the subjects' eyes or around their mouths are eliminated. As a result, most professional portrait photographs choose to employ the full-face lighting technique.

4) Adjusting the light stand height so it stands above the subject's head is another useful technique for commercial portrait photographers. To be sure, there are more shadowed areas than with the light positioned directly in front of the subject; however the subject's faces do not appear as flat. Furthermore, part of the subject's face can be cast in soft shadow, albeit not as dramatically as with moving the light right or left.

5) Granted, if the light stand height is adjusted so that is below the subject's chin, then the subjects' face is illuminated in a ghostly fashion. Similar to young children who hold flashlights beneath their chins to appear monstrous, this particular lighting technique yields dramatic highlights on the subject's forehead, cheek, mouth, nose, and chin. In the absence of shadows, the subject's face appears pale and washed out. This technique is probably best utilized for cinematic lighting; such as with models posing for movie posters.

Weekly Photo Post #16

I loved the shape of the play blocks; especially how the lighting made them appear three dimensional in form. I feel like the photograph is separated into two different sides (the black board one the left and the yellow blocks to the right) yet the two sides are ultimately unified by the yellow color in each.    

When taking the photograph, I purposefully shifted the camera so that the green metal bar was placed almost in the center. By doing this, the viewer's eye follows the bar partway down, branches off to follow the contours of the first yellow board, then branches off in the opposite direction to follow the yellow blocks downward.  Including the swings in the background made the photo more aesthetically pleasing. 

Texture and pattern were the two most important principles I chose to employ in this photograph. Though the texture of the cement beneath the pine cone is blurred, it nevertheless lends an interesting background that emphasizes the pinecone. And secondly, the texture of the sand grains on the subject   make the pattern of the pinecone stand out clearly. 

Initially, the colors of the photograph had distracted from the implicit lines and tonal value of it. So when I turned the photo black and white, the whites, grays, and blacks popped out. I loved how crisp the shadows looked; in addition to how the shape of the chain link fence stood out so clearly against the grayish white color of the fence. 

In this photograph, my eye was immediately drawn to how the bright yellow color of the slide stood out against the dun color of the playground sand. This, in addition to the bluish white color of the snow juxtaposed to black shadows, added a nice bit of contrast to the photo. 

Weekly Photo Post #15

In this photograph, I chose to focus primarily on contrast. First, a contrast between color; the light green of the plant, juxtaposed to the dull orange of the fallen trash can. These complementary colors make the subject pop out more to the viewer. Secondly, I chose to include a contrast of shapes; the rod-like shape of the plant, as opposed to the circular-shaped trash can wheel. I believe the contrast in shape made the photo more visually stimulating. 

I explored depth of field in this image; by experimenting with which parts of the photo are in focus, and which are out of focus. By blurring the foreground and making the background clear, I tried to make it seem as though more space existed between the viewer and subject than a mere two-dimensional viewpoint could allow. 

Pattern, repetition, and color contrast were the most important principles I employed in this photograph. The repeating pattern of the dark red posts extending into the distance engages the viewer's eye. The background of repeating cinderblock bricks helps to emphasize the posts, making them stand more than they would against a plain background. 

I liked the symmetry and overall balance of this photograph; two circular subjects just a few inches away from each other. However, I tried playing with the angle of the photograph so the subjects wouldn't seem so flat as if I had taken the photo straight on. To bring out more of the rust color, I increased the vibrance and saturation levels in photoshop. 

To me, the stalks of the flowers added much-needed line and movement to the piece--also, it helped to balance out the negative space. The stalks, studded here and there with seed pods and leaves, help to add a sense of symmetry to what would be an otherwise  disorganized composition. 

Weekly Photo Post #14

I found the texture of the crumpled aluminum cans, and the plastic bags fascinating. I posterized the photo in order to make the shadows more apparent in the photograph, and to emphasize the diagonal lines crisscrossing throughout. 

I turned the photograph black and white in order to emphasize its tonal range.  The black and white values of the picture range from dark blacks, grays, and light grays; giving the chain link fence a three dimensional quality. 

I purposefully took the photograph with the subject slightly askew in order to make the lines of the picture more interesting than if the subject were parallel to the photo borders. Contrast is the principle I tried to employ; mainly a contrast between the subjects color and shape. The pump is a cherry-red color, whereas the lock is more of an emerald green. 

The cool bluish-white hue of the wall, staircase, and generator work to unify the entire photograph. I found the repetition of vertical lines--in the wall and generator--useful in leading the viewer's eye through the photograph, from left to right. 

The contrast between light and shadow were huge in this photograph, adding to the illusion of depth and three-dimensionality in the photograph. The burnt orange color of fire hydrant blends in with the brownish-red soil to an extent, however the whitish color of the spiderweb helps to distinguish between the background and the foreground. 

Weekly Photo Post #13

Texture was a large part of this photograph; mainly the texture of the tree bark. I intentionally blurred the branches in the foreground and the leaves in the background in order to emphasize the crisscrossing twigs in the middle ground. 

Shape and contrast were important factors in this piece, for example, the shape of the wood paneling, the windows and the rectangular door frame. And I decided to employ contrast in order to add depth to the overall photograph. 

Pattern and repetition played a large role in the composition of the photo. For instance, the pattern of the rocks and the weeds in the landscaping portion contrasted with the repetition of bricks in the wall of the science building. Because the foreground consists of an untextured concrete wall and the 'no parking' sign, it draws the viewer's eye toward it. 

Line, shape, and color contrast were the fundamental elements of the photograph. Because I saturated the colors so much in photoshop, a distinct transition can be seen between the orange locker and the blue shadows in the final product. Both line and shape help create the illusion of three-dimensions. 

Form and movement were two techniques I attempted to employ in the photograph; by including the repetition of the wooden planks I tried to create a path for the viewer's eye to follow through the photograph. Furthermore, I intentionally unsaturated the photograph in order to emphasize the pattern of the wood grain.  

Weekly Photo Post #12

Value was an integral  part of this photograph, in addition to the tonal range captured. For instance, the highlights on the metal rod are very clearly defined, as are the shadows and gray areas. Overall, the lighting of the picture adds a three-dimensional quality to the subject which otherwise would be lacking. 

Even though the subject is static, the repetition of the flowers as well as the leaves incorporate a sense of movement into the photograph. The composition of the picture adds to the overall movement of the piece ; it is unbalanced, with more of the flowers arcing up toward the top right corner than in the opposite direction. 

Perspective was employed in this photograph in order to emphasize the yucca seed pod; the subject was intentionally brought to the foreground, while the rest of the background faded away into a blur. Yet, the radial symmetry of the background (the yucca leaves sprouting out) are both interesting to look at, and they also help to guide the viewer's eye directly to the center of the piece. 

I believe the combination of shapes and lines incorporated in this photo make the architecture appealing to the viewer. The texture of the metal walkways provide definite beginning as well as ending points for the viewer's eye to follow. Furthermore, the stark contrast between color adds depth and dimension to the photo. 

I purposefully offset the subject in order to emphasize the contrast between the circular shape of the lock and the loosely square shapes of the fence links.  However, to unify the photograph, I chose to keep the background simplistic. Furthermore, the color and texture of the lock handle blends nicely with the color and texture of the chain link fence. 

Weekly Photo Post #11

I was intrigued by the color contrast of this photo, primarily the red of the rust and the basket against the dark blue of the sky. Also, I found the shapes made by the blurred chain link fence to add more depth to the picture; since the foreground is out of focus. Overall, the positive space (the basketball hoop) balances out the negative space (the sky) quite nicely.  

I felt the symmetrical repetition of the leaves helped to create movement in an otherwise static photograph. In addition, the size and shape of the leaves were so different from the size and shape of the fronds that the fronds are emphasized in the foreground. Shadows and highlights on the subjects help to create the illusion of three dimensions. 

I employed the use of complementary colors in this photograph; green and orange to create a contrast.  If the main colors hadn't been complementary, I doubt the photograph would have been as interesting. In the composition, I also focused on contrasting shapes: the circular wheel vs. the erect, pole-like structure of the weed growing just below. 

The convergence of lines in this photo caught my eye, the way the railing began at the left side and snaked its way down to the metal steps on the bottom left corner. Both the red plastic tied around the railing in the middle and the green foliage of the tree in the top left corner add needed contrast to an otherwise monochrome photograph. Furthermore, the ridge-like texture of the portables and the ramp add a sense of tangibility to the photograph. 

I intentionally left the composition simple and balanced--just the two bottles sitting side by side. Instead, I chose to pull the shadows and highlights from the bottles to create a metallic feeling on the rightmost bottle. Like the majority of the other photographs, I contrasted colors; bright lemon yellow against a metallic burnt-umber color. 

Weekly Photo Post #10

Pattern, shape, and form were major components of this photograph; the pattern of the brick wall adds an interesting background to help draw the viewer's eye through the photograph, and the circular and half-circle shapes of the table appear to be three-dimensional because of the shadows.  

I found the color contrast in this photograph fascinating; the stark difference between the brown soil, the dull green leaves, the light purple petals, and the lemon-yellow of the pollen at the very center. Balance was another principle I tried to incorporate, going off of the radial symmetry of the flower petals and the even distribution of leaves. 

Both line and repetition were the primary elements I chose to include in this photograph; for that reason, I purposefully decreased the overall vibrance and saturation to draw attention to the repeating forms of the poles, their shadows, in addition to the brickwork in the background. 

I liked how the lines of the fence poles divided the picture into vertical quadrants, and how the objects (the chair, the sign, and the broom) appeared to be evenly spaced in between those sections. Overall, the viewer's eye jumps from fence post to fence post, lingering on the pattern of the chain link fence for a moment before moving onto the chair, sign, and broom.  

Perspective and foreshortening were the key principles I wanted to focus on in this photograph. By angling the camera to capture part of the nearest fence post, I tried to create the illusion of distance as well as depth in the two-dimensional plane of the photograph. I really liked the way the furthest lock appears to be receding from the viewer, while the first fence post seems so close you could reach out and touch it. 

Weekly Photo Post #9

I really liked the shadows that the chain link fence made on the concrete, in addition to the actual shape of each individual link. Contrast was another major feature in this photograph; the yellow and orange color of the caution cone were emphasized nicely by the brown and gray color of the fence and the wall behind it. 

Primarily, I wanted to capture the shape of the pinecone and the pine needles on the floor around it. The symmetry of the pinecone made an interesting subject, and that was balanced by the even distribution of yellow posts and fence behind it. 

In this photo, I tried experimenting with color; saturating the sky so the tree branches appeared stark black against it. Movement was also a huge element included, the curving shape of the tree branches, the individual leaves, as well as the smaller twigs definitely helps to lead the viewer's eye through the photograph. 

I loved the contrast of red and green in the leaves, and I also wanted to capture the balanced composition of the bush; the leaves existed in pairs, so the overall photograph appeared symmetrical. The difference in value--bright highlights and deep shadows--also added to the complexity of the picture. 

Line and shape were the major elements I chose to focus on; the steel bars of the basket criss-cross each other and divided the photographs' composition. Lastly, the colors contrast in this photo; the hard blue of the sky and the steely gray of the bars with the brown rust of the basket and the red square just underneath it. 

Weekly Photo Post #8

In this photo, I really liked the contrast in regard to color; the cool blue color of the car, contrasted against the hint of orange in the head light. The fact that the circular shape of the tire is placed almost in the center of the photograph adds a sense of balance to the composition. 

More than anything else, I wanted to capture the warm brown colors in the brick wall, the bird, and the rust. The pattern of the brick wall added an interesting background to an otherwise blasé subject. 

I had passed by the generator many times over the years, but it wasn't until I stopped to photograph it did I notice the sheer amount of repetition in the generator itself. For instance, to the far right there is a repetition of light and shadow, and to the left there is a clear repetition of line and shape. 

Texture and color were important elements in this photograph; the texture of the brick building, in contrast with the softer texture of the tree leaves. Then, the orange and brown color of the man-made building, set against the blue and green of the sky and tree leaves, respectively. I pasteurized the photo to emphasize the texture and shadows. 

On top of the stark difference between foreground and background lighting (how the background is in shadow, whereas the foreground is brightly lit), I liked the repeating pattern of the wood grain, and the haphazard way in which the wood planks were stacked.