Najboljši nasveti profesionalcev za portretno fotografijo

Kako vrhunski strokovnjaki za portrete pristopijo k fotografiranju in kakšno opremo uporabljajo? Šest priznanih fotografov smo prosili, naj delijo svoje najboljše skrivnosti portretne fotografije

Rory Lewis – portretna fotografija in fotografiranje glave

Rory je štiri leta zapored prejel nagrado Portret of Britain in je umetnik Nacionalne galerije portretov BAME. Vodi tudi tečaje in mentorske programe. Oglejte si www.rorylewis.studio in
@rorylewisofficial na Instagramu.

David Morrisey

Igralec David Morrissey. Slika:Rory Lewis

David Morrissey, ki ga je Britanski filmski inštitut označil za enega najbolj vsestranskih angleških igralcev svoje generacije, je znan po natančnih pripravah in raziskavah, ki se jih loti za svoje vloge – morda ste ga pred kratkim videli v uspešni BBC-jevi dramski seriji Sherwood, « pojasnjuje Rory. „Ujel sem Davidov portret za nov projekt z naslovom Selah, ki je črpal navdih pri slikarjih starih mojstrov, kot so Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Tizian in Ribera. Poskušal sem mojstrsko poustvariti svetlobo, vzdušje in tone klasičnih portretnih slik.

»Ta položaj rad imenujem junak posnetek, postavim subjekt na stran in gledam čez njihovo ramo. Postavljen sem nekoliko nižje, zaradi česar je David videti visok in izstopajoč.«
Studijska razsvetljava se lahko zdi zastrašujoča, če je še nikoli niste poskusili, a kot pojasnjuje Rory, »ni niti približno tako strašljivo, kot večina ljudi misli. Po mojem mnenju gre za preprostost stvari. Večina mojih portretov je takih, kot je ta, z uporabo samo ene ali dveh luči. Tukaj sem uporabil dve glavi Profoto B10 z dvema majhnima Octa softboxoma.

Eden je bil zadaj pod kotom 220 stopinj desno, drugi pa pred Davidom, spet desno pod kotom 140 stopinj. Uporabil sem tudi Manfrotto 1×1 Skylight Rapid na levi, da zmanjšam sence.«
David je bil posnet pri 1/100 s, f/7,1, ISO 100. »Nikoli ne odstopam od f/5,6 ali 7,1 v mojih portretih s fotoaparatom srednjega formata Hasselblad X1D II 50C,« dodaja Rory. 'Te zaslonke zagotavljajo veliko globino in podrobnosti.'

Portret, uporabljen v promocijski kampanji Univerze v Cardiffu. Slika:Rory Lewis

Roryjevi najboljši nasveti za portretno fotografijo:

1. Poiščite privlačne teme – »Brez privlačne teme nisi nič. Poskusite ustvariti temo ali projekt. To je lahko član družine, ki ima zgodbo za povedati, ali nekdo iz vaše skupnosti.’
2. Naj vas navdihuje likovna umetnost – ‘Na moj slog vplivata renesančni portret in “chiaroscuro” – tehnika, ki uporablja močne tonske kontraste med svetlobo in temo za modeliranje tridimenzionalnih oblik.’
3. Naj bo osvetlitev preprosta – Kot že omenjeno, večina mojih portretov uporablja samo eno ali dve luči. Preizkusite to preprosto nastavitev sami – postavite eno glavo bliskavice z dežnikom za streljanje pod kotom 45° glede na model, na približno šest metrov visoko. To ustvari močno, trdo, direktno svetlobo od strani in od zgoraj. Zagotavljam, da bo to ustvarilo živahne rezultate.’

Jade Keshia Gordon – Modna in lepotna portretna fotografija

Jade Keshia Gordon je londonska modna in lepotna fotografinja ki je snemala za Nike in Canon . Njena dela so bila objavljena v revijah, vključno z Forbes in Elle . Obiščite jkgphotography.co.uk

WMNS WEAR

"To je bilo posneto na snemanju za modno kampanjo za pomladno-poletno kolekcijo oblačil znamke WMNS WEAR," se spominja Jade. Tema kampanje je bila 'Euphoria'.
Model, Lay, je bil postavljen blizu bele stene v studiu. Stena je bila osvetljena z dvema barvno nastavljivima RGB LED panelnima lučema, postavljenima pod kotom 45 stopinj na obeh straneh modela, ki sta bili nastavljeni na svetlo vijolično. Bel reflektor je bil nato projiciran na model od spredaj in rahlo levo od modela.

Učinek tega je bil ustvariti močno, trdo vijolično senco v belem krogu na ozadju. Jade je posnela ta posnetek z EF 8-15 mm f/4 L Fisheye na Canonu EOS R5 prek adapterja RF in uporabila osvetlitev 1/125 sekunde pri f/4 pri ISO 320. Ker je fotografirala tako blizu modela, je zaradi tega postavitev reflektorja precej težavna. "Potrebovali smo, da je čim bližje sprednjemu delu modela, vendar brez moje sence tudi na posnetku."

Slika:Jade Keshia Gordon

Jadeini najboljši nasveti za portretno fotografijo:

1. Poskusite z reflektorji – Uporaba reflektorja je ustvarila vizualno osupljivo sliko, izboljšano z uporabo barvnih luči v ozadju, ki so ustvarile barvno senco. »Reflektorji, kot je ta, so dragi, vendar lahko podoben učinek dosežete z digitalnim ali diaprojektorjem,« svetuje Jade. »Ne bodo tako svetli, vendar lahko za nadomestitev fotografirate pri višji ISO.«
2. Poskusite uporabiti širokokotni objektiv – »Nekateri mislijo, da morate portrete fotografirati s kratkimi teleobjektivi, vendar so široki koti zelo pogosti v modni fotografiji. Odlični so, ko želite poudariti obliko in slog oblačila. Tudi to sem posnel z objektivom 24–70 mm, vendar ni bilo enakega vzdušja kot z ribjim očesom.’
3. Ustvarjalno uporabljajte barve – »Barvita ozadja lahko res naredijo portret »pop«, vendar morate paziti, da dopolnjujejo ton kože in oblačila osebe, namesto da bi bila v nasprotju z njimi. Uporabite barvne stene ali namenska barvna ozadja ali obarvajte belo ali sivo steno z geli čez luči ali RGB LED luči s spremenljivimi barvami.’

Sam Nash – komercialna portretna fotografija

Sam Nash je portretni fotograf iz Londona, ki je začel snemati dogodke, preden je napredoval v komercialno fotografijo – snemal je oglasne kampanje za revije, maloprodajo in življenjski slog poganjki. Zdaj se osredotoča le na portretno in modno fotografijo, saj je tam ugotovil, da je njegova prava strast. www.samnashshots.com

Balerina

Balerina. Slika:Sam Nash

Ta posnetek plesalke Kate Byrne je bil narejen z uporabo Rotolight AEOS 2 v zaprtem zapuščenem studiu, ki je imel več nadstropij in lokacij za snemanje. Model je bil lepo uokvirjen znotraj opek, ki sem jih osvetlil z oranžnim filtrom, izbranim izmed 2500 digitalnih filtrov, ki so bili na voljo.

"Včasih so izbrane barve čisto estetske, da se ujemajo z garderobo in tudi z ambientom snemanja. Postavil sem še en AEOS 2, nastavljen na 40 % moči, znotraj nove parabolične mehke kupole Rotolight P90, nameščene šest metrov od Kate, da bi ji dal čudovito ključno svetlobo. Uporabil sem fotoaparat Sony Alpha 1 z objektivom 50 mm F1,2 GM.’

Kesha

Kesha. Slika:Sam Nash

"Kesha se je pojavila v zadnjem nastopu Jamesa Bonda, No Time to Die. Ta posnetek je bil narejen z uporabo samo enega Rotolight NEO 3. Posnet je bil na prostem, v ulici. ‘Using continuous LED lighting was essential, as this shot was taken in the evening. A perfectly lit shot controls the shadows in the portrait, making a shot like this more visually interesting and dynamic. The chosen location set the mood and the model’s pose was strategic – it could have been more mundane had the model looked directly into the camera. I used a Sony A1 camera with a 50mm F1.2 GM lens.’

Black dress

Black dress. Image:Sam Nash

‘This shot, of model Katia Valerievna, was achieved using one Rotolight NEO 3, positioned 45 degrees from the model, during London Fashion Week. ‘The NEO 3 was set at about 36% output. Time was of the essence, so I had to move quickly between shots as there were many people on location. By placing my model on the steps, it gave a 3D sense of depth to my subject, and it allowed the contrasting colours between the model’s dress and the environment to really pop and achieve a dusky, romantic feel to the image. ‘I used a Sony Alpha 1 camera with a 50mm F1.2 GM lens.’

Sam’s top portrait photography tips:

1. Choosing locations – ‘With outdoor shooting the choice of location is vital, but I rarely pre-plan as I find my creativity is heightened by exploring locations during a shoot. But do have a clear concept of the ambiance and general atmosphere that you want.’
2. Use LED lighting – ‘The source of light is key in creating a successful portrait image. It sets the tone and mood. For me, continuous LED lights make the most sense with modern cameras. My Rotolight NEO and AEOS lights are powerful and the 16.7 million colours allow me to light my subject in various unique ways.’
3. Compose carefully – ‘Perfecting your composition is the single most important skill in capturing the perfect portrait. Learn to master lines, depth, shapes, framing, and point of view; all help relay the message of the photograph. It is also what makes your image pop. Remove as many elements in a scene as you can to avoid clutter in picture. This keeps the shot simple so nothing distracts from your subject.’

Peter Searle – Portraits of influential people

Peter Searle makes portraits of some of the most influential people in British society:Prime Ministers, CEOs, opera stars and generals . He is London-based but shoots all over the world, and has work in the permanent collection of The National Portrait Gallery . Although Peter uses flash sometimes, here are his tips for working with available light. www.petersearle.com

Ncuti Gatwa

Ncuti Gatwa. Image:Peter Searle

‘This lift at the BFI, London, was the perfect location for this portrait shoot with actor Ncuti Gatwa because the red contrasted nicely with the daylight coming in through a glass entrance lobby which was supplemented by a huge backlit panel of strip lights. Fortuitously the setting is in keeping with his forthcoming role as the new Dr Who. ‘I shot Ncuti with a Fujifilm GFX 50S camera and 63mm lens. Settings were 1/100sec at f/2.8, ISO 160.’

Runyararo Mapfumo

Runyararo Mapfumo. Image:Peter Searle

‘Runyararo is the director of the hugely successful Netflix show, Sex Education. For this portrait I placed her in the shade under an overhang of concrete architecture. Soft light bounced off buildings behind my back. ‘I shot Runyaro with a Fujifilm GFX 50S camera and 45mm lens. Settings were 1/500sec at f/8, ISO 160.’

Prya Kansara

Prya Kansara. Image:Peter Searle

‘Prya’s TV credits includes Bridgerton and Polite Society. I photographed her at BFI, London. With the table at just the right distance from the large windows in the BFI, she is exposed perfectly, but so are the warm illumination of the bar lights. ‘I shot Prya with a Fujifilm GFX 50S camera and 45mm lens. The settings were 1/30sec (on a tripod) at f/2.8, ISO 320.

Peter’s top portrait photography tips:

1. Use indirect light – ‘Look for directional indirect daylight. Avoid direct sunlight. The light should preferably be at your back and hitting the subject approximately horizontally, or at least not a high angle, which creates shadows under the eyes. A good example of this kind of light is sunlight bouncing off a white wall. The wall becomes a giant soft box behind your back.’
2. Choose the background – ‘Find a background that has that kind of light falling on it and which most interests you or suits the subject. I personally like geometrical shapes and the texture of concrete but I also look out for warm tungsten-lit backgrounds to contrast with cooler daylight temperatures or vice versa.’
3. Balancing exposure – ‘Balance the exposure on the subject and on the background by moving the subject towards the oncoming light or away from it. For example, imagine a subject standing just inside a garage door; the further in you go with your subject, the brighter the back of the garage will be.’

Robert Huggins – Street portrait photography

Robert is a roving street portrait photographer living in north-east London. He focuses on impromptu street portraits , particularly around the East End. Robert’s images have been published widely and appear in several editions of Portrait of Britain and Portrait of Humanity . See Instagram @rafhuggins

Couple in Hackney

Couple in Hackney. Image:Robert Huggins

‘I asked this couple to move in to the light slightly, and thought this was an ideal background. You can’t move around people too much or they get bored, but I sometimes ask subjects to adjust their hands. I shot this on a Leica SL. There was minimal editing apart from a square crop, which I like for this kind of portrait.’

Couple in cafe

Couple in Cafe. Image:Robert Huggins

‘Most of my photos are of interesting-looking strangers or intriguing situations. The background and setting are crucial, and I work all this out before asking the person for a shot. This couple were embracing in a cafe as I passed, which caught my eye, so I asked them to recreate this for the shot. It turned out the guy had just declared his love for the first time!

My work is more about informal portraits of people rather than street candids, but I don’t want to have to re-arrange the shot at a later date. I like the spontaneity of the moment. I find people are generous with their time, but only for about three or four shots, and then they lose interest – so I have to work fast. I shot this on my Leica SL2 and a 35mm Summicron lens.’

Hackney market

Hackney Market. Image:Robert Huggins

‘I explained to this burka-clad lady that I really liked her eyes. I wanted to make sure that as a Muslim woman, she was okay with being photographed, and she also phoned her husband to check (sometimes very orthodox Muslim people are fine about being photographed, sometimes not). Then I asked her to move against this background, as it was a busy market with lots of distractions. There is often humour in my images, and I liked the rug she was holding – an interesting juxtapositon. The light was very bright that day so I had to do more editing than usual. Again, shot on the SL2 with 35mm lens.’

Robert’s top portrait photography tips:

1. Subject first – ‘Don’t get hung up on equipment or getting a technically perfect shot. My photography is much more about the subject, not the gear, but I like the idea of having a high- precision tool, which is why I use the Leica SL2. The Summicron 35mm lens is perfect for my work.’
2. Work fast – ‘I adjust the aperture, but otherwise am happy to shoot in automatic modes. I need to work fast and don’t have time to adjust lots of settings.’
3. Editing – ‘I keep editing to the minimum – one of the great things about the SL2 is it seems to make framing easier. As well as cropping, I might also push the colours and highlights and contrast etc in Lightroom.’
4. Suck it up – ‘You should get used to rejection if strangers refuse to be shot – don’t take it personally. It’s like asking people out when you are a teenager! I tell people about my Instagram page rather than giving them my card, as they can see what my work’s about.’

Iwona Podlasińska – Child portraits

Based in Kielce, Poland, Iwona specialises in child portraits and is an expert in colour grading . She’s in high demand, despite only starting out in 2013, and travels around the world teaching, as well as creating online tutorials. Her latest book, Dreamy Childhood Portraits , was published in 2021. See iwonapodlasinska.com and Instagram @iwonapodlasinska

Adam, 2017

Adam 2017. Image:Iwona Podlasińska

‘I asked my son Adam, who was just three then, to look at the cakes through the glass, which he only did for three seconds – enough for me to get the shots. The portrait was taken entirely in the natural ambient light of the bakery, with light also coming in from the case. At the time, I was shooting with the Sony A7, using an 85mm f/1.4. Editing involved removing a distracting price tag from the bottom left of the image and then just doing the usual tweaks in Lightroom to boost contrast etc.’

Adam on the bed

Adam on the Bed. Image:Iwona Podlasińska

‘Adam was seven when I took this portrait. I was preparing for a photo shoot and wanted to test some new ideas. So I brought an album for him to look at, and a desk lamp. I didn’t give him any instructions other than to lie down (Adam is very relaxed in front of the camera if he is comfortable). The lamp was not enough to light up Adam’s face, and the only window in the room was behind him on the right, so I added a small LED video light in front of him. I used a warm setting, around 3000K. The image was shot on a Sony A7 III with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. The Lightroom edits involved some exposure corrections and colour grading to emphasise the lovely colour harmony.’

Jan, Kraków Market

Jan, Krakow Market. Image:Iwona Podlasińska

This shows my older son Jan, who was four then, feeding pigeons on the square. Like most of my images of my kids, the shot wasn’t planned. As Jan fed the pigeons, it started to rain, and it was quite technically challenging because I was shooting with a manual 85mm f/1.4 lens on a Sony A7. Everything came through sharp, however. The light was entirely natural and I edited the image in Lightroom and Photoshop – I cropped the original image from the right and added a part of another image on the left to improve the composition (initially, the frame would end right behind the pigeon’s wings on the left). Then I also colour graded the image to get that orange-blue complementary harmony.’

Iwona’s top portrait photography tips:

1. The light comes first – ‘Look for attractive light first, and then think about how to get your subject in that light.’
2. Don’t force it with kids – ‘Never force children to pose. Let them play and be themselves – you will get better, more natural-looking poses this way, and the kids won’t hate you and your camera!’
3. Don’t rely on editing – ‘Pay attention to the background. Shallow depth of field can help with background distractions but if necessary, look for another location – Photoshop is still not great when it comes to blurring-out backgrounds in a convincing way.’

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