P O R T R A I T STIPS + LIGHTING

O U R G O A L …

• A great portrait captures the personality of the subject. • You want your subject to look “good”; the best version of

themselves. • However, you also want them to look interesting. • Typically portraits are shot at eye level angle and framed as

mid or close-up shot

K E E P I T S I M P L E …

• Many portraits tend to have a neutral background so as not to distract from the subject.

• Background colours are also important. Try to find colours that will bring out the colours in your subject (clothes, skin tone, eye-colour)

• Try not to clash with your subject.

U S E A L A R G E A P E R T U R E !Using a large aperture (i.e. f1.4 - 4) will create a narrow DoF to blur out the background, drawing focus to your subject.

T I P SHERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP IMPROVE YOUR PORTRAITS AND MAKE THEM VISUALLY INTERESTING.

CHANGE YOUR ANGLE / PERSPECTIVE

• Most portraits are taken with the camera at (or around) the eye level of the subject.

• While this is good common sense – completely changing the angle that you shoot can present a creative perspective of your subject.

P L AY W I T H E Y E C O N TA C T

• Looking off camera: • Have your subject focus their attention on something unseen or outside

the field of view of your camera. • This can create a feeling of candidness and also create a little intrigue

and interest as the viewer of the shot wonders what they are looking at.

P L AY W I T H E Y E C O N TA C T

• Looking within the frame • Alternatively, you could have your subject looking at something

(or someone) within the frame. • For example, a child looking at a ball, a woman looking at her

new baby, a man looking hungrily at an amazing burrito from Burrito Boyz

L I G H T I N G

H O W D O Y O U T H I N K T H I S P H O T O I S L I T ?

T H O U G H T S ?

L I G H T I N G

• Typically, portraits are lit from the front using soft or diffused lighting

• Harsh, bright light is not flattering

• Soft light tends to make subjects look good

E X P E R I M E N T W I T H L I G H T I N G

• There are almost unlimited possibilities when it comes to using light in portraits.

• Directions of light: front, back, top, bottom, and side lighting can create different moods

• Using different directions of light can create different patterns of light

• Various results can be achieved using natural and studio lighting

T R Y T W O , O R T H R E E S O U R C E S O F L I G H T

L I G H T I N G F O R P O R T R A I T S

• As we watch the following video clip, take notes on the lighting patterns and how the lights are positioned in each pattern

S P L I T L I G H T I N G

• Half of the face is lit, creating dramatic shadow on other side

L O O P L I G H T I N G

• Loop lighting is made by creating a small shadow of the subjects noses on their cheeks. To create loop lighting, the light source must be slightly higher than eye level and about 30-45 degrees from the camera

• Loop shadow created under nose

• Nose shadow never touches cheek shadow

R E M B R A N D T L I G H T I N G

• Rembrandt lighting is identified by the triangle of light on the cheek.

B U T T E R F LY L I G H T I N G

• Butterfly lighting is named for the butterfly shaped shadow that is created under the nose by placing the main light source above and directly behind the camera.

B R O A D L I G H T I N G

• Broad lighting is not so much a particular pattern, but a style of lighting. Any of the following patterns of light can be either broad or short: loop, Rembrandt, split.

S H O R T L I G H T I N G

• Short lighting puts the side turned towards the camera (that which appears larger) in more shadow.

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

Y O U S U F K A R S H

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

A N N I E L E I B O V I T Z

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

S T E V E M C C U R R Y

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

L E E J E F F R I E S

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

J I M M Y N E L S S O N

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

E R I C L A F F O R G U E

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

D AV I D L A Z A R

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

J O E L S A N T O S

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

R I C H A R D AV E D O N

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

D O R O T H E A L A N G E

FA M O U S P O R T R A I T P H O T O G R A P H E R S

P R A C T I C E E X E R C I S E• In a small group or pairs, practice creating each of the

lighting patterns:

• butterfly lighting

• loop lighting

• Rembrandt lighting

• split lighting

• Remember to show both broad lighting and short lighting – for each of the different patterns, where applicable.

• Use light from a window, a floor lamp with a bare bulb (take the shade off) or the sun

• This works best to start out with the subject facing the camera directly, no turning except to create the broad and short.

• Share your results please and share any challenges or problems you encountered.