Najbolji savjeti za portretnu fotografiju od profesionalaca

Kako vrhunski stručnjaci za portrete pristupaju snimanju i koju opremu koriste? Zamolili smo šest hvaljenih fotografa da podijele svoje najbolje tajne portretne fotografijeikad

Rory Lewis – Portret i fotografija u glavi

Rory je osvojio nagradu Portret Britanije četiri godine zaredom i umjetnik Nacionalne galerije portreta BAME. Također vodi tečajeve i mentorske programe. Pogledajte www.rorylewis.studio i
@rorylewisofficial na Instagramu.

David Morrisey

Glumac David Morrissey. Slika:Rory Lewis

'Opisan od strane Britanskog filmskog instituta kao jednog od najsvestranijih engleskih glumaca svoje generacije, David Morrissey je poznat po pedantnoj pripremi i istraživanju koje poduzima za svoje uloge – možda ste ga nedavno vidjeli u hit BBC-evoj dramskoj seriji, Sherwood, “, objašnjava Rory. 'Snimio sam Davidov portret za novi projekt pod nazivom Selah, crpeći inspiraciju od slikara starih majstora kao što su Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Tizian i Ribera. Pokušao sam majstorski rekreirati svjetlo, atmosferu i tonove klasičnih portretnih slika.

'Volim ovu poziciju nazvati herojskom snimkom, pozicioniranje subjekta na stranu, gledanje preko ramena. Postavljen sam malo niže, zbog čega David izgleda visok i istaknut.’
Studijska rasvjeta može djelovati zastrašujuće ako je nikad prije niste isprobali, ali kako Rory objašnjava:‘Nije ni približno tako strašno kao što većina ljudi misli. Po mom mišljenju, sve je u tome da stvari budu jednostavne. Većina mojih portretnih sjedenja je poput ove, koristeći samo jedno ili dva svjetla. Ovdje sam koristio dvije Profoto B10 glave, s dva Small Octa Softboxa.

Jedan je bio iza na 220 stupnjeva desno, a drugi je bio ispred Davida, opet desno na 140 stupnjeva. Također sam koristio Manfrotto 1×1 Skylight Rapid s lijeve strane kako bih ublažio sjene.'
David je snimljen na 1/100 s, f/7.1, ISO 100. 'Nikad ne odstupam od f/5.6 ili 7.1 u mojim portretima, koristeći fotoaparat srednjeg formata Hasselblad X1D II 50C', dodaje Rory. ‘Ovi otvori daju veliku dubinu i detalje.’

Portret korišten u promotivnoj kampanji za Sveučilište u Cardiffu. Slika:Rory Lewis

Roryni najbolji savjeti za fotografiranje portreta:

1. Pronađite zanimljive teme – ‘Nisi ništa bez uvjerljive teme. Pokušajte stvoriti temu ili projekt. To može biti član obitelji koji ima priču za ispričati ili netko iz vaše zajednice.’
2. Budite inspirirani likovnom umjetnošću – ‘Na moj stil utječu renesansni portreti i “chiaroscuro” – tehnika koja koristi jake tonske kontraste između svijetlog i tamnog za modeliranje trodimenzionalnih oblika.’
3. Neka rasvjeta bude jednostavna – Kao što je spomenuto, većina mojih portretnih sjedenja koristi samo jedno ili dva svjetla. Isprobajte sami ovu jednostavnu postavku – postavite jednu glavu bljeskalice s kišobranom za snimanje pod kutom od 45° u odnosu na model, na visinu od oko šest stopa. To stvara jako, tvrdo, izravno svjetlo sa strane i odozgo. Jamčim da će ovo stvoriti živopisne rezultate.’

Jade Keshia Gordon – portretna fotografija mode i ljepote

Jade Keshia Gordon londonska je modna i kozmetička fotografkinja koja je snimala za tvrtke kao što su Nike i Canon . Njezini su se radovi pojavljivali u časopisima, uključujući Forbes i Elle . Posjetite jkgphotography.co.uk

WMNS WEAR

'Ovo je snimljeno na snimanju za modnu kampanju za kolekciju proljeće/ljeto odjeće marke WMNS WEAR', prisjeća se Jade. Tema kampanje bila je 'Euphoria'.
Model, Lay, postavljen je blizu bijelog zida u studiju. Zid je bio osvijetljen s dva RGB LED panela s podesivim bojama postavljena pod kutom od 45 stupnjeva s obje strane modela, koja su bila postavljena na jarko ljubičastu boju. Bijeli reflektor je zatim projiciran na model s prednje strane i malo lijevo od modela.

Učinak toga bio je stvaranje snažne, tvrde ljubičaste sjene u bijelom krugu na pozadini. Jade je snimila ovu snimku pomoću EF 8-15 mm f/4 L Fisheye na Canon EOS R5, putem RF adaptera, i koristila je ekspoziciju od 1/125 s pri f/4 pri ISO 320. Budući da je snimala tako blizu modela, to je otežalo postavljanje reflektora. ‘Trebali smo da bude što je moguće bliže prednjem dijelu modela, ali bez da uđe i moja sjena u kadar.’

Slika:Jade Keshia Gordon

Jadeini najbolji savjeti za fotografiranje portreta:

1. Eksperimentirajte s reflektorima – Korištenje reflektora stvorilo je vizualno upečatljivu sliku, poboljšanu upotrebom pozadinskih svjetala u boji koja su stvorila sjenu u boji. 'Reflektori poput ovog su skupi, ali možete postići sličan učinak s digitalnim ili dijaprojektorom', savjetuje Jade. ‘Neće biti tako svijetle, ali možete snimati na višem ISO-u da to kompenzirate.’
2. Pokušajte koristiti širokokutni objektiv – ‘Neki ljudi misle da portrete morate snimati kratkim teleobjektivima, ali široki kutovi vrlo su česti u modnoj fotografiji. Izvrsni su kada želite naglasiti oblik i stil odjevnog predmeta. I ovo sam snimio pomoću objektiva 24-70 mm, ali nije imao istu vibraciju kao s ribljim okom.’
3. Kreativno koristite boju – „Šarene pozadine doista mogu učiniti portret „istaknutim“, ali morate paziti da nadopunjuju ton kože i odjeću subjekta, a ne da im se sukobljavaju. Upotrijebite obojene zidove ili namjenske pozadine u boji, ili obojite bijeli ili sivi zid pomoću gelova preko vaših svjetala ili RGB LED svjetala s promjenjivim bojama.’

Sam Nash – Komercijalna portretna fotografija

Sam Nash portretni je fotograf sa sjedištem u Londonu koji je počeo snimati događaje prije nego što je prešao na komercijalnu fotografiju – snimajući oglasne kampanje za časopise, maloprodaju i lifestyle puca. Sada se fokusira isključivo na portretnu i modnu fotografiju jer je tu otkrio svoju pravu strast. www.samnashshots.com

Balerina

Balerina. Slika:Sam Nash

'Ova snimka plesačice Kate Byrne snimljena je pomoću Rotolight AEOS 2 u zatvorenom napuštenom studiju u otvoru koji je imao više katova i lokacija za snimanje unutar sebe. Model je bio uredno uokviren unutar kockica koje sam osvijetlio narančastim filtrom odabranim između 2500 digitalnih filtara koji su bili dostupni.

'Ponekad su odabrane boje čisto estetske kako bi se uskladile s garderobom, kao i s ambijentom snimanja. I set up another AEOS 2, set to 40% power, inside the new Rotolight P90 parabolic soft dome placed six feet from Kate to give a beautiful key light on her. I used a Sony Alpha 1 camera with a 50mm F1.2 GM lens.’

Kesha

Kesha. Image:Sam Nash

‘Kesha appeared in James Bond’s most recent outing, No Time to Die. This shot was achieved using just one Rotolight NEO 3. It was shot outdoors, in an alley. ‘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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