Portrait Photography
Objective: Exploring lighting and compositions using yourself and toerh people as your subjects. To learn how to find and create the most effective lighting situations for portrait photography. To think and compose creatively, using the compositional elements we have discussed.
Project: You will shoot at least 30 exposures. Focus half of your images on self-portraits and the other half on portraits of other people. [friends/family/strangers] For the self-portraits, say something unique about yourself. Turn yourself into a fictional character. Show yourself as you think you are, as you wish to be, as you think others see you, or simply make yourself a character in an interesting image. Whatever you do, make the image more interesting than a simple mug shot! Portraits do not need to be only pitures of a person's face.
Be experimental: Try different camera angles, poses, background, shutter speed, and spertures. Seek out interesting backgrounds and avoid backgrounds which distract from your subject. Try getting close with the camera. Then move back for distance shots. Bracket [take 3 or 4 shots at varying exposures of anything you think might make a strong image]. Try out the different lighting techniques learned in class:
Side lighting [45 degrees]
Side lighting [90 degrees]
Front lighting
Backlighting [silhouette]
Turn in:
5 enhanced 8x10 images [1 must be a self portrait]
3 portraits must be retouched
Contact sheet [30 images]
