AUSTIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE

PHOTOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT

Introduction

to

Classical Portraiture

by

H. Lynn Jones

Copyright 1993, 1995, All rights reserved

(Excerpted from a commercially produced text)

Permission granted to reproduce and utilize as needed for training by Austin Community College, Department of Photographic Technology as well as limited similar use by other publicly funded educational institutions.

What is Classical Portraiture?

Classical Portraiture is the photographic image capture of the essence of a person or group of people, not the clinical reality.

The pose should make the observer believe that he has seen a moment in time, a moment of interested observation, a moment of introspection, in short, a moment which reveals something of importance concerning the subject.

The lighting should enhance the appearance through a whole series of posibilities. It can make one look heavier, make one look thinner, emphasize or de-emphasize the roundness of the features, de-emphasize negative features such as too large or too small noses, very large ears, deep set eyes, bulging eyes, baldness, very spherical glasses, skin blemishes, crossed eyes, or various other problems.

Lighting contrast can sharply affect the impact of a portrait. Low lighting ratios of 1:1 or 1:2 for high key children, young women, brides, or blonde, light complected women. Normal contrasts such as 1:3 or occasionally 1:4 for more normal subjects. High ratios in the areas of 1: 6 to 1: 8 or some times completely unfilled yielding stark contrasts for extreme effects such as theatrical, character or glamour photography.

A Few Words About Portraiture

The photography profession shares an implied warranty with the legal and medical professions which is, "You shall leave your client no worse than you found him". Try to keep this in mind as you photograph people! There are a number of different kinds of portraiture and rarely is any one photographer good at all of them

Classical Portraiture

The function of traditional portraiture sometimes called "Classical Portraiture" is to reproduce the essence of a person rather than the "clinical reality". It should present the person in a realistic manner, be instantly recognizable, reasonably flattering, represent an approximate time period, emphasize the perceived positive aspects and de-emphasize the more negative aspects and minor flaws encountered in most individuals. This style of portraiture may be accomplished, in the studio, on location, or in the home. While the "look" of the photography my change considerably under these conditions, the qualities of fine portraiture should not.

Portraiture of Children

A difficult subset of portraiture requiring skills, patience, and the ability to communicate with children. When done well as by Constance Bannister, Lisa Murphey, Ted Lane or Tony Schneider, it can approach fine art, gentle humor, and be most remunerative. This requires electronic flash, good sets and settings, the ability to get good expressions, and the photographer must be able to work fast, since children can't perform for more than 5-6 minutes at a time. Purchasers of child photography want to see full faces broad smiles, and the sense of happiness. This doesn't mean, however, that fine photography cannot be achieved, for certainly it can.

Bridal, Bride & Groom Portraiture

Bridal Portraiture is classical portraiture of the bride in her gown, usually in a studio setting but more and more outdoors or in an attractive setting adjacent to the wedding site.

Bride and groom portraiture is accomplished under the same circumstances although formal outdoor portraiture of this type has been popular for twenty or more years. Rocky Gunn was the foremost practitioner of this art until his premature death a few years ago.

Character Portraiture

A style of portraiture in which people are photographed in such a way that a story is told about them or their life styles. This is not necessarily "pretty" photography but rather a photographic style which emphasizes certain characteristics of the subject and may, in addition, tell the observer some things about this person and his life style.

Environmental Portraiture

The portrait photography of people in a specific environment, usually one which is appropriate to the profession or life style of the subject. In some instances it will be quite commercial in that its purpose is the description or promotion of a person in the workplace. This is often seen in photojournalism, institutional, or corporate photography. All the fine qualities of good portraiture should apply as well as story telling content.

Documentary Portraiture

Similar to environmental portraiture in many ways is documentary portraiture, a sub species of documentary photography. In this type portraiture, the photographer must convey a social message, a style of dress, life style, type of work, living conditions, and socio-economic status among the many bits of information to be transmitted.

Glamour Portraiture

The photography of women in such poses, costume, and lighting as to enhance their beauty, sensuality, and stylism. Every skill of the photographer must be used in this effort and the style of the photographic artist will be as important as the style of the subject. Usually, in these photographs the subject is dressed.

Boudoir Portraiture

Similar in style to glamour portraiture but in varying states of undress, virtually never nude, and in a setting suggesting the bed or bedroom. Normally these are quite low in contrast, with lovely skin detail and more often than not in muted cool colors. Some amount of diffusion of the image is not uncommon.

Theatrical Portraiture

A very stylistic and promotional style of portraiture which enhances the strong features of the subject. Often times the subject will be photographed in a theatrical role both in costume and setting. Lighting must be dramatic and theatrically appropriate to the situation. A study of George Hurrell, Bruno of Hollywood, John Platz, William Mortensen, or Robert Mapelthorpe will help to understand the best of this genre.

Figure Portraiture

A hybrid type of portraiture combining glamour, boudoir, and theatrical techniques in the photography of the nude male or female body. There is somewhat more of this done in black and white than in color and, typically, more of the female figure than the male. The photographer must be skilled and tasteful in order not to produce an indefensible illustration or at the very least gross and tasteless.

Portrait Lighting

The Four Standard Lights

The Key or Main Light

In order to understand portrait lighting, you must understand its source. Portrait lighting, in fact, mimics natural sun lighting. Mostly, we see sun lighting progressing downward from a high position. Most portrait key lighting is high, about 45⁰ , progressing downward. Examples are Butterfly, Loop, and 45 ⁰. At sunrise and sunset, the sunlight is approximately parallel with the ground. We adopt this style with our Split lighting in which the key light is almost parallel with the floor, just slightly above subject eye level.

In natural lighting the sun is 3 f stops brighter than the skylight resulting in a lighting ratio of about 8:1, far too high for portraiture, therefore we must moderate this high contrast when we create the classical portrait.

The Fill Light

The fill light is the "moderating influence" in portraiture. Its function is to provide full, flat, usually diffuse illumination of the face, to reduce contrast (lighting ratio) and to support exposure. The photographer must be sure not to permit the fill light to "drift" to the side of the nose away from the key light or "trapped shadows" will result (trapped shadows are shadows from an improperly placed secondary light which progress in a direction other than that of the key. Where the two shadows cross over they are doubly dense, looking like dirty spots on the subject).

The Hair Light

The hair light is normally found on the side of the subject opposite the Key. This is important since it is the shadow side of the head. The Hair Light is always slightly to the rear and above the head with light skimming the hair. Normally this is a very specular light rather than a diffuse light. Its function is more to produce interesting highlights rather than to actually illuminate the hair.

When doing high key, children, bridal's, and groups, however, it is frequently wise to use a small soft box as a hair light, deliberately letting it filter down to the shoulders as separation as well as hair light.

Background Light

The background light separates the subject from the background, illuminates the background to improve the color harmony and interest, and to create a spot of light near the subjects neck and chin to attract the eye of the viewer into the portrait where hopefully the composition will hold him.

Additional Lights Sometimes Used

Accent Light

Normally a specular light, somewhat lower in angle, from the rear and placing a linear highlight along the side of the face for various reasons of character or weight loss.

Occasionally in formal bridal photography, this light will be a small soft box with the purpose of transilluminating the veil and improving the modeling of the face.

Compound Key

The portrait artist some times uses a split lighting compound key at or slightly below the value of the primary key in order to emphasize the shape of the subjects face. Most commonly this is used in character or theatrical portraits. Occasionally this will also be used in formal bridal photography, using a light box for the compound key.

Double Key

Sometimes as in the case of young people, attractive teen girls, or in dramatic theatricals, it may be desirable to use a double key. This is done by using two 10" or 12" undiffused lamp heads a few inches apart, sometimes but not always tilted slightly toward each other as though a single key light. This arrangement imparts a special quality of roundness to the subject, unachievable in any other way.

Bare Bulb Halo Light

Occasionally it may be desirable to use a bare bulb as a combination subject rim light and background light. This arrangement will place a rim highlight all the way around a standing figure and will give a concentrically decreasing background light

Bare Bulb Fill Light

Rarely when dealing with horribly curved eyeglasses, it may be necessary to accept the highlights and spot them out. If this is the case, the best way of handling the problem is a bare bulb fill light. This will create pinpoint highlights easily removed and will permit a full face photograph which will minimize the optical distortions caused by such glasses.