Photographing Children in Natural Light E-Book

Bella West

• Herausgeber: Crowood
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 177

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

This book shows you how to make the most of natural light when photographing children on location or at home and to take beautiful pictures to cherish. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the qualities of natural light at certain times of the day and in different seasons. Focusing on the fundamentals of traditonal protraiture, it encourages you to create images in your own style and with timeless beauty. The book explains control of light and exposure, advises on composition and perspective and emphasizes communication, expression and creating visual emotion.It also shares ideas for locations and seeing beyond the ordinary and encourages experimentation and creativity. Invaluable for both parents and aspiring professional photographers. Superbly illustrated with 222 colour photographs.

Leseprobe

Photographing Children in Natural Light

Art and Techniques

Bella West

First published in 2014 byThe Crowood Press LtdRamsbury, MarlboroughWiltshire SN8 2HR

www.crowood.com

This e-book first published in 2014

© Bella West 2014

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 1 84797 712 0

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

  1    Why Natural Light?

  2    Kit

  3    An Idea, Inspiration and Getting Creative

  4    Location

  5    Timing and Natural Light Conditions

  6    Posing, Placement, Communication

  7    Composition, Space, Image Quality

Further Information

Index

By setting the scene, finding a location with sympathetic light, we can observe children’s natural curiosity and personality to bring together sensitive portraits that are timeless and exude profundity.

Foreword

I am truly privileged to be invited to write this foreword as the chief executive of one of the world’s leading qualifying bodies of photography. For the last decade I have been spearheading the pursuit of quality, professionalism and creativity in photography, and Bella West has helped guide that process.

The British Institute of Professional Photography has exacting standards when assessing photographers’ work. It’s a progressive structure and is aimed at supporting photographers to become the best they can be. Being self-critical and selective are difficult achievements and Bella has not only worked through this process as a photographer, but has developed into an outstanding assessor, lecturer and trainer herself. In 2013 she accepted the Institute’s invitation to chair our Wedding & Portrait Awards, a national awards scheme for professional photographers. She guided the judging panel through discussions and dissention effortlessly!

Bella West has built her reputation on an assured manner, quality and timeless style. She learned the hard way – working up through the ranks of sports photography to a position as one of Europe’s leading portrait and wedding photographers. It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that she continues to ‘pay it forward’ by training and guiding photographers of all levels to be the very best that they can be.

This book is an intelligent lesson in the skills, artistry and control needed to be a credible portrait photographer, written by a photographer whom many attempt to emulate, but whose creativity lifts her into a league very few of us (even those of us with twenty years’ experience!) can hope to be a part of.

I sincerely hope you savour the creative simplicity of Bella’s lighting and composition and are able to take these skills forward in your own photography. I know I hope to!

Chris Harper FBIPP

Photographer and Chief Executive, British Institute of Professional Photography

Fig. 0.0

There is a skill in being able to engage with the subject in a way that brings out their natural expression and allows them to feel at ease with you, thus taking a portrait from being a ‘snap’ to a professionally commercial image. Knowing when coming in close is going to work through utilizing textures, or creating space and allowing the image to breathe, invites the viewer to read a portrait in order to create an emotive response from them.

Introduction

This book is directed at photographers wishing to take their portraiture to a new level, whether taking photographs of their own children at various stages of their childhood or dipping a toe into the professional world in order to earn an income. The content addresses all the elements that contribute to strong and saleable portraits. It will encourage readers to use the environment to create something very special for themselves or their clients from the most ordinary of locations or the most challenging of lighting conditions – by using the elements. Creating a special connection between photographer and child is fundamental to the finished feel of your portraits.

What this book won’t do is teach you an eye; that has to come from you. It will, however, help nurture a skill and make you more aware of possibilities and how to implement those ideas in your head. You will look at new ways of finding inspiration through your own environment, daily life and life experiences – and be inspired to draw from the ordinary.

The digital medium has opened up photography to the masses. It has become highly accessible and the opportunities for creativity are endless. It is a new education in itself for young and old – implementing methods in camera throughout the execution and through to the final printed piece. It has encouraged us to take risks through experimentation and personal projects, which in turn teach us our own creative limitations and that of the camera.

A snapshot is almost entirely subject-focused. With a professional image it’s a two-way street.

Those photographers who used to use film on a personal and professional level will understand this huge transition in both technical innovation and, to an extent, in the way that we take pictures, allowing them in a certain measure to dictate our creativity. A new door has now opened, giving us opportunities for experimentation, personal creative development and, through access to art via the web, inspiration beyond our wildest dreams. This surely is a positive and should be embraced.

Have we, however, almost become slaves to the camera and computer? Perhaps what we have lost in this transition process is the mystique that photography once held: the unknown capabilities of the camera. Post-production was limited by today’s standards, with the exception of dodging and burning, chemical manipulation, and pushing or holding back development to create the desired effect. The skill of the photographer was paramount to the success of an image or collection of photographs. Have we changed the way we see a picture before we take it? Are we thinking perhaps of what can be achieved post-production rather than the essential make-up of an image within the camera – the lighting technique, composition (to a point), attention to detail, and so on? Has it made us lazy? And does it matter?

For the purists amongst us, first and foremost we are photographers. We endeavour to create and capture moments in their most native forms. This book is about just that. We will touch on post-processing, colour management (you are the lab technician now, too), but essentially we will be looking at the fundamental make-up of a portrait using the environment (natural light in most cases) and some old-school techniques which will help you to understand how to produce skillful, honest portraits, whether it’s for family prosperity or maybe as a first step to becoming a professional photographer.

Development and subsequent refinement of a style need to be encouraged in order for the photographer to progress and gain personal satisfaction in his or her work. Recognize what moves you as an artist. This inspiration can be sought in different ways and sometimes originates from the least obvious sources, such as the environment, our children, fashion, films, life experiences and art.

As professionals or semi-professionals who charge a fee for our work, striving for that ‘one moment’ is probably not our greatest goal. We need to be seen to be creating something beyond the snapshot, with the aim of keeping a portrait natural yet with a strong professional edge and on a consistent basis. There should be artistic value to a photograph. Unlike perhaps a painting, a photograph is exact, precise and should be an honest representation of a child at a particular time in its life. This applies to all genres and styles of working – there is a market for them all. Photographers who prefer to work in a more documentary, fly-on-the-wall fashion need to have strong compositional skills and an ability to place themselves rather than their subjects in order to create natural portraits in beautiful light. Portraiture should not be restricted to one contrived way of working. However, in order to create powerful imagery which contains impact and longevity, all the elements need to come together. So if you are working in this style, don’t think that a documentary image is made up solely of great expression and being quick on the shutter. Composition, shape, tonality, expression and timing are just a few of the areas you will need to consider and implement into your work in order for it to graduate from being a snapshot into a professional portrait and thus enable you to command a reasonable fee.

If you asked the general public, could they tell you what it is that sets a professional image apart from a snapshot? What is it within a commissioned portrait that gives it the edge over a snapshot? Do they know the difference? In a recent survey amongst both professional photographers and the general public/parents, it became clear that the trained eye is very much recognized. This is important to know so that, as professional photographers, we can refine our skills and push creative boundaries – more so today than ever before given that the public has access to the same technology as the professional. It appears that it really is down to a photographer’s skill as opposed to the equipment used.

The public was asked: ‘When you look at a professional portrait, do you know what it is that takes it from being a snapshot to being a commercially valuable product, something you are prepared to spend good money on? What is the element within the picture that makes it different from a snapshot?’ The responses were:

•

‘The portrait is usually more artistically pleasing, great composition, etc. And I would expect a portrait to capture something more than the visual representation of the person. How the photographer does it I have no idea!’

•

‘It’s the moment captured – in terms of intensity of emotions (whatever they are) as well as the longevity of the moment.’

•

‘How do you bring that “whatever it is” out of someone (who is most likely feeling a little uncomfortable and nervous about having their portrait taken) and then capture it in a beautifully placed image? That is a skill that places the photographer apart from the guy taking snapshots. And also what sets talented photographers above others in their field.’

•

‘Attention to detail, getting the lighting, pose, background, exposure and printing just so.’

•

‘Light and perspective.’

•

‘It’s something in the photo that is unexpected. It may link to the person whose portrait it is, or it may be something that clashes with what you would have thought you would see. It’s that thing that makes you sit up or have some sort of emotional reaction – I don’t think it matters if it’s positive or negative; anything is better than a flat response.’

•

‘I’d expect a pro portrait to look natural, relaxing, stunning in colour (or black and white if chosen), tidy and clear of its chosen focal subject whilst at the same time clearly planned. I think the above sounds on the surface contradictory but makes sense in a good portrait. Ultimately they do say a lot about the photographer in that they show their ability to do the above, whatever level that ability may be. A snapshot of the same subject I would expect to be more “cluttered”.’

•

‘For environmental portraiture where the same light and background would be available to all it is how the professional uses that light and background and sees it so very differently to that of the client that is again synonymous with the pose and emotion they wish to evoke from that portrait.’

•

‘A snapshot is almost entirely subject-focused. With a professional image it’s a two-way street.’

Fig. 0.1

Creativity comes in many forms and is the result of undivided observation, skill and, above all, feeling for your subject.

This last comment reiterates what a professional portrait of a child taken in natural light isn’t. To bring these elements together takes an eye and imagination, but the implementation requires skill. The value of our work is determined by a number of parameters and all the elements must come together to create equilibrium. The fundamental make-up of a portrait taken in natural light contains the following elements:

•

An idea born from an experience, inspiration or just a whim – without the idea or concept, there is no image, whatever the genre.

•

A willingness to open your eyes to what is around you.

•

Recognizing what you enjoy visually and emotionally.

•

Being inspired by people, places and life – these will help you create your own ideas and design within your photography.

Light and Exposure

Marrying light and exposure effectively and understanding the control required in certain situations is key to the overall ‘feel’ of your work. A sound knowledge of how to adapt to natural light conditions in order to create the images in your head will ensure cohesion between idea and photograph. This may be soft atmospheric or hard graphic – how you use the directional light will be significant to the message your images give to the viewer.

A firm understanding of your camera’s capabilities is fundamental, as well as being familiar with its metering system, so that you can control the light coming into it and make changes ‘on the hoof’. Children don’t hang around and we need to be there to anticipate and to be reactive to changes. You will be working in both high and low key situations and often, especially outside, the light can change dramatically within seconds. Using a manual metering system, as opposed to Automatic or Program, will give you control and you will be dictating the exposure rather than the camera.

Being consistent in the way you use light will add to your own recognized style, together with the way you present your work, and the content and feel of your portraits. In turn, you will find it easier to market yourself to a specific client base. This applies to all genres from documentary and fly-on-the-wall to contrived and classical.

Posing and Placement

Creating space around your subject may give you further options for placement in areas which are perhaps not the most obvious. The success of how obscure you make this is often led by the quality of light on the child.

The contrast between the softness of the girl in Fig. 0.3 and the rigid architecture around her can work well, especially when you feel a picture is becoming too ‘serious’ or contrived. It can bring life to your work and retains that all-important feel of being a child at a carefree time in its life.

Fig. 0.2

With the placement of your subject, you can define the overall feel of the image and create a narrative. The location and composition you choose will draw the viewer’s eye to your subject. The complexity or simplicity of a portrait can come down to where you place the child in the image – it can be as simple as that.

Fig. 0.3

In this image the photographer has chosen to place the little girl almost centrally – perhaps to provide a range of cropping options. However, the area to the left of the image in front of the door would have been another possible position given the directional light from the doorway. The graphic uprights also lend a contrasting movement within the cloisters to this area, embracing the architecture yet introducing a softness.

Composition and Perspective

Having an open mind to how to compose your image, where to place your subject within the viewfinder, as well as where to place yourself, will give artistic perspective and strength to your portrait by opening up a narrative and encouraging a further dynamic to the picture which goes beyond the subject. Decisions are often split second, for example allowing more space around your subject to incorporate the environment or coming in close for a beautiful head study.

Fig. 0.4

Having at least a vague idea of what you want to achieve from a location can give you a springboard; being open to adapting to various compositions and being bold will add artistic value.

Communication, Expression, Emotion

Communication is the final defining element. The communication you have with your subject will wholly determine how the viewer feels about the image. The many factors that contribute to a successful portrait can often be let down through an expression which is perhaps not convincing or doesn’t fit the feel of the intended final image.

Emotional value is ultimately the engagement between the viewer and the portrait – on both counts, it is the emotion within the picture which evokes the response from the viewer, whether it is a parent, grandparent, or complete stranger. Understanding what gives your photograph lasting power and giving time for your subject to take on his or her own character will impact on how your images will be seen in, say, thirty years’ time. Will they still create discussion and hold emotive value? This emotional response is the result of a successful photograph – whether it’s a snapshot or a professionally polished print. The difference between the snapshot photographer and the professional is that if you are looking to earn an income from your portraits, you need to be able to produce that emotive value on a consistent, daily basis and not rely on a lucky moment. You need a formula in your working method to create depth of feeling in your work.

An emotional response may be one of warmth and euphoria or perhaps even sadness, but the photographer’s aim is to create something that carries strong emotive value. This doesn’t necessarily come just from the expression – emotion can be evoked from early morning light, a particular location, movement, the elements, anonymity, a glance or just a beautiful black and white print of someone very special. A portrait can have the power to anaesthetize the viewer with its depth and emotion; it can make one question the location, the age of the subject, the time of year, perhaps the social meaning – and maybe sometimes the ethics of an image.

Take Sally Mann’s compelling environmental portraits of children. Some viewers remain open-minded and understand her serendipity and honest vision, whereas others find her work offensive or even exploitative. But there is no denying her ability to blend the majesty of an environment with the exploration of boundaries and the visual vulnerability of her subjects. Whether this response is negative or positive, it is still an emotional, subjective reaction. You can’t expect everyone to love your style of work, which makes defining your own that more important.

Fig. 0.5

Fig. 0.6

Figs 0.5 and 0.6

The methods you use to put a child at ease will come from your own personality, and your own character can often resonate in the final piece. Time and experience will make you adept at what works best for you and which methods create the best response.

Fig. 1.0

Understanding how the position of the sun at given times of day and at different times of the year, will help you create images that go beyond the norm of location portrait photography.

Chapter 1

Why Natural Light?

Removing ourselves out of the somewhat artificial environment of the studio into what can be an unpredictable workplace can be daunting for the inexperienced or those who have worked within a ‘fixed formula’. It’s no easy task, especially if you’ve learnt your trade, established yourself in a studio environment and are perhaps in that comfort zone of what works for you.

However, working in available light will not limit the creative once they understand what is possible and what (to a point) isn’t. It provides an opportunity to create images which are both simplistic or complex in their make-up, depending on how the light is used. Whether the image is a beautiful backlit shot taken in a cornfield where we can incorporate flare and imbue a classical nostalgic feel, or whether an interior window light offers a chance for graphic drama, a different feel can be achieved at different times of day depending on the strength, quality and colour of the light. Yes, it can be unpredictable, and it is a challenge to bring all the elements together, but the results are individual and there are no boundaries in terms of creativity.

That wonderful hour when the sun rises and later when it sets has been indoctrinated in us as being the best time of day during which to take beautiful portraits and, when handled well, we can indeed produce something special at those times. However, in reality this isn’t always possible and, given that the light comes in many guises throughout the day or year, we must use what is available at these times to create something specific.