Portraiture Unleashed

We are fortunate to live in a magical time in the constantly evolving field of photography. Absolutely anything is possible with a quality camera and photo-editing software. While new digital technologies make the creative process unlimited, it also means that we as photographers must continually push to be the very best at what we do. Cameras are affordable to the masses, and our key to real success in the portrait photography industry lies in our creativity and style rather than our equipment and gear. In this book, author Travis Gadsby presents a sublime collection of 60 creativity-inspiring images from a range of talented photographers whose styles and photographic techniques vary markedly. The book is divided into five sections, each of which is centered around a particular creativity-enhancing topic: (1) Quick and Easy: Ideas That Can Be Added on the Fly, (2) Location-Inspired Ideas, (3) Wardrobe-Inspired Ideas, (4) Prop-Inspired Ideas, and (5) Creative Lighting Treatments. Within each section, you’ll find a sumptuous variety of looks (ever considered photographing your subjects underwater, creating sparks with steel wool, recording the movement of a dancer whose body is dusted with flour, or creating steampunk portraits?). You’ll also discover how the portrait concept came to light and will get insight into the strategies the photographer used to pose, light, and style the portrait to perfection. In modern portraiture, it’s sometimes creative postproduction work that makes the image sing. Gadsby shines a light on some terrific image-editing work discussing the tools and techniques used to create the final portrait. With the wide range of creative portraits and specialized applications depicted in this book, you’ll find lots of great ideas to expand your photographic repertoire, reinvent your style, and stay at the top of your game.

We are fortunate to live in a magical time in the constantly evolving field of photography. Absolutely anything is possible with a quality camera and photo-editing software. While new digital technologies make the creative process unlimited, it also means that we as photographers must continually push to be the very best at what we do. Cameras are affordable to the masses, and our key to real success in the portrait photography industry lies in our creativity and style rather than our equipment and gear. In this book, author Travis Gadsby presents a sublime collection of 60 creativity-inspiring images from a range of talented photographers whose styles and photographic techniques vary markedly. The book is divided into five sections, each of which is centered around a particular creativity-enhancing topic: (1) Quick and Easy: Ideas That Can Be Added on the Fly, (2) Location-Inspired Ideas, (3) Wardrobe-Inspired Ideas, (4) Prop-Inspired Ideas, and (5) Creative Lighting Treatments. Within each section, you’ll find a sumptuous variety of looks (ever considered photographing your subjects underwater, creating sparks with steel wool, recording the movement of a dancer whose body is dusted with flour, or creating steampunk portraits?). You’ll also discover how the portrait concept came to light and will get insight into the strategies the photographer used to pose, light, and style the portrait to perfection. In modern portraiture, it’s sometimes creative postproduction work that makes the image sing. Gadsby shines a light on some terrific image-editing work discussing the tools and techniques used to create the final portrait. With the wide range of creative portraits and specialized applications depicted in this book, you’ll find lots of great ideas to expand your photographic repertoire, reinvent your style, and stay at the top of your game.

Published in 2017 in Great Britain by National Portrait Gallery Publications, London.

Sikh weddings are vibrant, ritual-steeped events that can stretch on for days. Each wedding is unique and unforgettable. Photographing them is a joy and a challenge: there are countless facets to photograph — and many moments seeped in meaning and tradition. Documenting can’t-miss moments as they unfold requires a comprehensive understanding of the elements of the wedding, from start to finish. Sohal teaches readers the ins and outs of photographing the Sikh wedding. He offers general guidelines — greetings to use with men versus those to use with women — and moves on to share some pointers regarding general expectations the family will have of the photographer (e.g., never refuse food — that would be impolite; expect to take far more family photos than you may be accustomed to). Next, he describes the major events of the wedding and explains the significance of each. With easy to digest text and gorgeous illustrations, this book is not to be missed.

Wedding photographers are under tremendous pressure to capture once-in-a-lifetime moments—from the bride’s preparations, to the ceremony, to the reception and the exit. They are forced to shoot in low light in every wedding—whether in poorly lit ceremony and reception venues or, later in the day, when the peak lighting has faded. This presents myriad problems and obstacles to achieving beautiful, artfully executed images of the events of the wedding day. In this book, popular photoeducator Brett Florens and contributors provide digital photo techniques and lighting solutions—from reflectors, to LED lights, to flash—that will help you ensure that no important image is lost to poor light or exposure concerns. From choosing and using the best camera settings to scouting locations with interesting, workable light, to creating gorgeous artistic effects, this book provides the skills you need to get THE shot at every stage of the wedding and in any locale.

ING_13 Biographical note

The portrait has historically been understood as an artistic representation of a human subject. Its purpose was to provide a visual or psychological likenesses or an expression of personal, familial or social identity; it was typically associated with the privileged individual subject of Western modernity. Recent scholarship in the humanities and social sciences however has responded to the complex nature of twenty-first century subjectivity and proffered fresh conceptual models and theories to analyse it. The contributors to Anti-Portraiture examine subjectivity via a range of media including sculpture, photography and installation, and make a convincing case for an expanded definition of portraiture. By offering a timely reappraisal of the terms through which this genre is approached, the chapter authors volunteer new paradigms in which to consider selfhood, embodiment and representation. In doing so they further this exciting academic debate and challenge the curatorial practices and acquisition policies of museums and galleries.