 Mark A. Oxtoby |
Darker Skin Tone Portrait Help I'm due to do my first portrait session with an African lady with quite dark skin tones. Could you give me some tips/advice for taking shots with Darker Skin tones/Backgrounds etc. I always shoot outdoors. Thanks for the help
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Kerry L. Walker |
Take a meter reading off her skin and expose for that. If you are shooting film, use a low contrast film like Kodak Portra NC. That way the dark skin tones won't get lost in a lighter background. The same principle works for very light skinned Caucasians. It keeps the skin tones from being too light in a darker background.
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Mark A. Oxtoby |
Thanks Kerry. Are their any other films - what about the Ilford range? I am shooting 35mm.
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Kerry L. Walker |
Ilford makes good film but Kodak is the only one I am really familiar with - at least enough to give a recommendation.
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Michael H. Cothran |
Darker skin prospers from having a strong key light aimed towards the side or back of the head. It will add highlights and an outline. It can even be done on both sides of the head from the rear. Monte Zucker has done some amazing shots of darker skinned people with amazing detail. Flat lighting that you would use on a fair skinned person just wouldn't work with darker skin. Michael H. Cothran www.mhcphoto.net
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