Portraits!

Here are some portraits from first shoot ever. C&C welcome.





And here are a few recent self-portraits in support of the ONE Campaign.



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Regards,

Jerome Love

Hi Jerome,

Great to look at your very first portrait shoot.

Generally it's better to show one unique image or a series of variations where they are required for inherent meaning or to deal with some nuance that needs to be discussed.

So let's start with the first picture.

Remember that I express only opinion and judgement based on my experiences and own photography and the work of others I admire. I look for what your intent might be and what works to my esthetic sense.



This photograph is at first glance poorly lit and this shows with the harsh shadows and lighting that is unglamorous.

However, there is perhaps more going on.

The book covering most of her face seems to be about "portraits" (but it's actually a novel by Stephen Chobosky, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" "on the dilemma of passivity v. passion", "what it's like to grow up in high school". The picture on the the upper left of the cover shows a face mostly concealed. So this suggests we might need dig far deeper than the superficial.

For sure, you might have accidentally chosen this particular book.

This picture might be an important one for you in the future.

For now, I'd try to light with a simple set up and face unhidden. for example only,

• Use overcast sky and a reflector underneath the face or from the side.
  
• Light from a window and white or black cards to model the light for a very soft dimensional effect
  
• One light with a large surface area close to her to get a soft light.
  
• in front and high central main light
  
• at 45 degrees from the front,
  
• to one side

When things seem to work add another light

• deal with the background and light that to control shadows
• maybe add a hair light.

Lighting is our friend and enemy. This is, perhaps more important to understand than you particular subject, since without light on your side, you cannot show anything the way you wish.

Now had I seen well lit studio portraits by you previously, I'd have to believe that the particular lighting was part of the picture's meaning and necessities.

Given how you introduce your picture, I have chosen to believe you need to get lighting practice.

Again, I really like the concept and this is worth more work. I hope you will continue sharing.

Asher

First off I'd like to thank you for being so thorough, I've never been any other forum where people are helpful and so in-depth. I understand mostly of what you are saying, but I get a little lost at reflecting and such. All of this was done in a garage and 3 of them were only like using one sb-25. The first was lit using to monlights, one reflected and one main through a translucent umbrella.

Hi Jerome,
I liked all of your images. What I liked most was the creative use of light in terms of composition.

Eric Hiss said:

Hi Jerome,
I liked all of your images. What I liked most was the creative use of light in terms of composition.

Click to expand...

Hi Eric,

Which pictures show this?

Asher