The following is a direct copy and has been Pasted in for future reference from the People & Place coursework PDF Doc. (pasted in Maroon)
1 photograph
There is an important difference in the overall look and character of a portrait between images in which the subject is looking straight to camera, and those in which the subject is looking away, even if only slightly. This is the photographer’s decision, and you may have a distinct preference for one or the other, but often it is by no means obvious which may produce the better image.
For this exercise, set up a portrait session in which the face is prominent (and so perhaps head-and-shoulders or torso), and over the course of the shooting direct your subject to, can mean anything from slightly away from the camera to looking completely to one side, and you will need to give some ‘stage’ directions.
Eye contact is not at all easy to maintain when you are constantly looking through a camera so it is important to keep the communication between you and your subject alive through conversation and gesture.
It is equally important to use eye contact whenever you aren’t looking through the lens just as you would if you were having a normal conversation. Ideally, you should use a tripod for this project – one of its uses is that, once the shot is framed, you can talk directly to the sitter without having to look through the viewfinder.
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Equipment
Camera – Nikon D4
Lens – 200 / f2.0
Ancillary Equipment – Tripod
Method & Approach
Please see pictures and captions below.
Note – all pictures have been compressed hence there might be a quality reduction when enlarging.
Picture 1 – Eye contact and expression
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4 (Camera positioned on a tripod)
Speed 1/250th sec
Aperture f2.0
ISO 200
White Balance Setting Custom (4700°K)
Lens 200 / f2.0
Focal Length 200mm
Comments – With this shot I wanted the subject to dominate and therefore I decided to use my 200 / f2.0 prime lens. This lens has the ability to shoot at relatively high speed in low light conditions and also create the most beautiful blurry backgrounds. Because this lens is very heavy, to effectively use it for long periods at a time it can only be mounted on either a tripod or monopod, hence I used a tripod as suggested for this exercise. I wanted real separation of background colour to that of the subjects hair colour and in choosing my location I decided upon a woodland walk that offered a vivid green background. To capture this background my wife knelt down allowing me a slightly better height advantage and from here I took several shoots with her looking directly at me, over my shoulder and as in this picture away from the camera. In choosing this picture I choose it because it’s a different look from my normal smiling wife and if you look closely you can see she is actually talking to me whilst I am directing and clicking away with the remote trigger in my hand.
What have I learnt from this exercise
Whilst setting the tripod and camera up, I have learnt to just keep talking to the subject about the idea of the shoot and where I would like them to stand. Once ready to go with the camera just keep talking and whilst they are listening and repositioning themselves accordingly, just keep clicking away with the remote in your hand. I found that a great deal of the pictures were average and perhaps meaningless but some will be very worthwhile especially if you take the time to choose a relevant location of contrast to the subject or perhaps a part of the country that you regularly visit and are familiar with.
Thoughts and Reflection
I walk this wood with my wife on a regular basis and we are both very familiar with its surroundings and in particular its woodland sounds. Having this knowledge and familiarity makes taking pictures mentally and psychologically less threatening. Basically put … with this location we both felt much more at ease being here in the first place and in reflection to this it therefore goes without saying that the photographer and subject have to be comfortable not only with each other but also of their current and chosen surroundings.
Summary
I took my time in choosing this particular location and I believe it paid off as I love the colours and their contrast in this picture.
stingray493 