 Jean-Hee Lee |
Books on Portrait/People Photography? Hi everyone, I'm really interested in improving my people-photo skills, and would love to take a class, but I'm not sure if I can afford it now (I'm a student). I'm looking for suggestions of books about this topic that you've found helpful. Most of what I've found online seems to be geared towards studio set-ups, but I don't even have a flash (except what's on my camera), never mind lights, umbrellas, or whatever. Is there anything out there that deals with things like what are the important elements in a good portrait, or how to come up with effective poses, or how to approach/interact with your subjects, etc.? Thanks!
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Debby A. Tabb |
Jeanie, There is a thread here on BP that you may enjoy it's the Studio Photography Thread 1-23. It covers many others as they opened studios and began thier businesses. Here's part 1: http://www.betterphoto.com/forms/QnAdetail.php?threadID=17534 I hope this helps,
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Jean-Hee Lee |
Thanks for the link, but I don't have any way to set up a studio at this point. I'm just looking for info/advice on the art and technique of people photography. Maybe there are some websites with this kind of info?
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Debby A. Tabb |
The thread has posing ,expressions,ect. to the building of a business and how to run it. thought it would help you. Check Ebay for lots of books, just type in posing. hope this helps, Debby
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Jean-Hee Lee |
Okay, I'll check out the thread and ebay. Thanks for the tips!
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Mark Feldstein |
Hi ya Jeanie ! If you start at your local library, you'll probably find a number of books by some master portrait painters like Rembrandt, Cezanne, Tian, Davinci, Matisse, Van Gough and others. Then look at the more modern artists (I especially like Edward Hopper) and study those. Study their paintings especially from the standpoint of posing, perspective and the direction of the subject to the available lighting back then, (window light, candle and lamp and lantern) and placement of shadows. You might also take a look at http://www.therp.co.uk/ which is the Royal Society of Portrait Painters. I really like their work as well. Photographically, take a look at the portraiture books by Karsh, Richard Avedon, Arnold Newman and a guy named William Albert Allard. There's an oldie but a goodie called "The Portrait" published by Time Life books you might find on e-bay or in the library too. All of those artists I mentioned didn't use studios per se, or fancy equipment but pretty much available light or incandescent bulbs in reflectors with various simple modifiers. Again, as you study their work, pay careful attention to where the light was evidently coming from, how they used shadow to convey or evoke a feeling, and especially how they seemed to capture the subject's personality in that particular moment. So, while lighting is important, engaging your subjects in conversation, usually to get them to open up about themselves, is even more important and learning how to photograph them while you do that is a real skill. Practice to refine your own lighting techniques is probably the best thing you can do to learn how to shoot better portraits. Sure you can take courses here and elsewhere and pay lots of money to learn other photographers techniques, but ultimately your own skills will evolve with practice. Being a student you should have lots of subjects around who might even volunteer as subjects with just available light in the student union (if you have one) sitting at a table talking about something that interests both of you while you shoot. Take it light [but not necessarily with strobes
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Mark Feldstein |
BTW Jeanie, the work in your gallery here is quite good. I don't think you need any courses, just practice refining the skills it appears you've already developed. I especially like the shot of the beggar although I wouldn't have cropped it quite so tight. The other shots you've got there seem to be a compendium of spontaneous moments in peoples lives. THAT's the essence of portraiture, I think. And you do have a knack for that. Bill Allard's work (although he'll cop to using a bit of fill flash once in awhile) and my own are more of a photojournalistic approach to portraits. His books, I'm sure, will help you a lot. If you need titles, let me know. M.
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Jean-Hee Lee |
Mark, Thanks so much for your answer! I'll be using your suggestions for awhile, I think! Also, thanks for your comment on my photos - it's nice to get some reassurance that I'm heading in the right direction... Jeanie
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Mark Feldstein |
Glad to help out Jeanie. You're quite welcome any time. ;>) M
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Jane M |
Jeanie, you can learn a lot online, I learned by looking at the good portraits on this site and figuring out how to do them by experimentation and searching on the web. This site is a great place to learn!
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