Environmental Portraiture

This unique book is a photographer’s guide to the powerful medium of the environmental portrait. It explores in lucid detail the many "moving parts" of this imaging style, including the techniques and creative processes that drive some of this genre’s finest contemporary practitioners. In Environmental Portraiture, author Jim Cornfield puts his readers behind the viewfinder to help them successfully master what he calls "the portrait photographer’s most high-powered tool." In a series of detailed tutorial chapters and study models, Cornfield unpacks every practical aspect of the environmental portrait scenario, including research, location scouting, lighting interior and exterior environments, props and wardrobe, lens selection, composition, color, and after-capture. Along with this wealth of comprehensive nuts-and-bolts information, the book probes the deep structure of environmental portraiture—the blend of a sitter’s backstory with the meaningful visual clues in their surroundings. He introduces such concepts as "portraitcraft," "cognitive weight," and "the ideas and emotions quotient," among the many dimensions of an environmental portrait that create eye-opening revelations about the person in front of your lens. A separate section of the book is devoted to a prestigious roster of contemporary environmental portraitists, specifically recruited for this book to explore in-depth selected samples from their diverse portfolios. They bring with them a score of insights, tips and fascinating anecdotes that demonstrate their individualized approaches to this versatile branch of the photographer’s craft. Written for professionals, amateurs and serious students of photography, this book is both a guide and inspiration to creating powerful, communicative environmental portraiture.

Although it may not always seem possible, you can create great people pictures using the gear that fits into one camera bag. The tricks are knowing how to use the equipment you have, learning how to put the environment around you to work, and taking the time to interact with your subjects so you can tell their story. In this ebook, Kathleen Lavine discusses the minimum equipment you need for an effective shoot and how to combine the elements of the environment, situation, or scene to capture great portraits. And she’ll show how to engage your subjects and work together so that you can make your people photos exceptional. Follow along with Kathleen and you will: Explore how to work with light—using the light that is available and adding to it to make better photographs Create strong compositions in your images by using the architectural and natural elements that surround you and your subjects Learn techniques to help tell your subject’s story, such as starting a conversation, using props, observing and capturing emotion, and asking them to perform an action

If you’re a passionate photographer and you’re ready to take your work to the next level, The Enthusiast’s Guide book series was created just for you. Whether you’re diving head first into a new topic or exploring a classic theme, Enthusiast’s Guides are designed to help you quickly learn more about a topic or subject so that you can improve your photography. These handy books don’t waste your time covering all the photography basics you already know. Instead, they build on that knowledge so you can quickly advance your photography skills. The Enthusiast’s Guide to Portraiture: 59 Photographic Principles You Need to Know addresses what you need to know in order to create great portraits in natural light. Chapters are broken down into a series of numbered lessons, with each lesson providing all you need to improve your photography. Divided into eight chapters that include 59 photographic lessons to help you shoot great portraits, photographer and author Jerod Foster covers equipment, setup, light, composition, posing, color, storytelling, and post-processing. Example lessons include: • 8. Choosing a Lens and Focal Length • 10. Minimum Sustaining Shutter Speed • 13. The Three Degrees of Diffusion • 17. Modifying Natural Light • 21. Framing Your Subject • 29. Composing for Design • 33. The Nose and Cheek Line • 36. Working with Groups • 38. Letting Color Direct the Eye • 45. Creating Shot Lists Written in a friendly and approachable manner and illustrated with examples that drive home each lesson, The Enthusiast’s Guide to Portraiture is designed to be effective and efficient, friendly and fun. Read an entire chapter at once, or read just one topic at a time. With either approach, you’ll quickly learn a lot so you can head out with your camera to capture great shots.

In this book, Benny Migliorino teaches readers how to work with speedlights—lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and powerful palm-sized flash units—to create dramatic, dimensional, flattering lighting. 'Migs' presents 60 portraits shot in a wide range of environments—from cramped quarters and fluorescent light, to dimly lit rooms, to makeshift “studio” spaces in a client’s home or office. Readers will learn critical lighting skills from reducing the contrast range and creating softer, more flattering light; to re-creating traditional studio lighting patterns in varied existing-light scenarios; to adding fill for a rounder, more dimensional view of the subject; to overpowering the existing light; and working in mixed-light scenarios. Whether you’re working solo or with an assistant, with one speedlight or multiple units, using “bare” (unmodified) small flash or harnessing its power via flash-mounted or freestanding light modification devices, you will learn how to make quick work of creating professional, evocative portraits that bring out the best version of your subject and highlight the personal connection he or she has to their personal environment.

There is so much detail to be captured in a face. Cicero (106-43 BC) said: "The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter." To capture a person's personality, there are many things to keep in mind, and the authors of FACES show us how to match up a personality with lighting, posing, and composition. Portraiture is truly an art, and this book dives deep into the details so that you end up with a gorgeous portrait that both you and your subject love. Not only is this book the most comprehensive title available on portraiture, but it contains stunning images. Each image is paired with a lighting diagram, a description of why the type of image was chosen, and then takes you through postproduction to put the finishing touches on. The authors also showcase a gallery of portraits by renowned photographers.

Glenn Rand, longtime photographic educator, and Tim Meyer, Lead Portrait Instructor at Brooks Institute, have collaborated to create a thorough and balanced textbook on the modern techniques and practice of portrait photography. They have crafted a definitive resource for professionals, students, and avid amateurs wishing to advance their skills in this discipline. Glenn and Tim begin by discussing lessons from the masters and the history of photographic portraiture. They build on this foundation and cover all of the technical and aesthetic components of understanding and producing outstanding portraits. Extensive illustrations illuminate the concepts discussed, and the works of outstanding photographers serve as examples of how to apply the lessons in this book. This second edition offers even more illustrations and photographic examples and an expanded discussion about posing. Topics include: Quality of light and the portrait Ambient, continuous, and strobe light sources Understanding light modifiers and enhancers Mastering lighting ratios Importance and selection of backgrounds Extensive coverage of lighting setups Understanding light meters and metering in portraiture Lighting patterns on the human face Facial analysis Composition in portraiture Posing for various types of portraits Eliciting appropriate expression The fine art portrait Portraiture for the masses

Looking to take your photography to the next level? Need guidance on the basics, from choosing cameras to perfecting capture, managing files, editing images and developing a creative, critical eye? Packed with quality images to inspire and enthuse, Digital Photography: Essential Skills takes a refreshingly practical, focused approach to cover exactly what you need to know develop a creative, competent style and a seamless photography workflow. As a working photographer and teaching lecturer, Mark Galer is the perfect guide to take you through the skills and knowledge needed to take fantastic images. Now updated to cover file management and editing in Lightroom, Adobe's popular workflow software, for a stream-lined process from capture to output.

The latest tips and tricks for capturing high-quality photos Taking great "people pictures" isn't a matter of luck. The secret is in observing your subjects and connecting with them, and then using your camera to its best advantage. This new edition uses full-color photos to demonstrate how to work with lighting, location, angle, composition, physical characteristics, and environment in either portrait or candid situations. Professional photographer and veteran author Erin Manning offers invaluable advice for handling the unique challenges of photographing babies, large and small groups, and action. Assignments at the end of each chapter encourage you to test your newfound skills, while visiting pwsbooks.com allows you to post your work and benefit from feedback and constructive criticism. Explains how to study your subjects in their natural habitat, while you observe how they react and interact Features invaluable advice from veteran author Erin Manning that shares simple techniques for improving photos of babies and children Zeroes in on how to best capture facial expressions Highlights ways to tell a story with a series of candid photos Helps you add interest to large-group shots When you apply the techniques featured on the pages of Portrait and Candid Photography Photo Workshop, 2nd Edition, you'll watch your subjects come to life.