This exercise explores different methods available to the photographer for night portrait photography, producing three full length portraits. In preparing for this project I looked at the work of New York photojournalist, WeeGee whose work included shots from many crime scenes making use of flash photography. His images tend to be high contrast from the powerful flash bulb.

Long exposure

5 minutes at f / 9.00, ISO 200

This image used a long exposure of 5 minutes requiring a tripod. Finding the correct length of exposure took trial and error. The lens did need light to be able to focus correctly. Auto focus was then turned off. This approach is not something I would use for night portraits, unless I wanted a blurred effect.

High ISO and outside lights

1.0 sec at f / 4.5. ISO 16000

This produced a more pleasing effect and was definitely preferred by the subject who didn’t have to try and stand still for two minutes. It was quick to set up and produces a natural look. I like the effect of the solar powered outside lights, which bring out the texture of the background.

Flash

1/160 sec at f/9.0, ISO 200

The flash produced a different effect. After experimenting, the power of the flash was turned down to achieve a more subtle look. Flash photography is an area where I would like to develop my skills, particularly with on camera flash.

This exercise explores the use of flash to bring out a foreground subject. This is something I have previously used on my old camera, which had an on camera flash. An example of a self portrait is shown below. Taken in Times Square, NYC, the use of flash creates a better balance of subject and bright lights of the background. This was fairly straight forward as it only required reducing the power of the flash for a more natural look.

My current camera has an external flash, which has rarely been used. Developing my understanding of lighting (including flash) is one of my areas to improve. After a number of experiments with the strength of the flash, shutter speed and aperture the following image was taken.

Small changes to the setting, particularly with the power of the flash made a big difference to how natural the lighting of the subject is. Images shot with the subject further back in the room needed the output strength of the flash turning up.

Having gained confidence with the settings on the camera and speedlight, the next step is to take more images outside.

The purpose of this exercise is to think about the different type of lighting conditions available and the effect they can have on the image. This is not limited to the variety of light at different types of day, and could also include different types and strengths of artificial light e.g. candle light, flash light, car headlights, street lighting, computer monitor light.

This will be an exercise to return to as not all the lighting conditions on my planned list were available to shoot due to availability of the subject, myself and the weather.

As part of the exercise, I also became more aware of the effect of the location, e.g. natural light outside is different from natural light indoors. Another example is the use of blinds to create a softer light. One area for further study is looking at the where the subject is in relation to the light source, and how light and shadow can create different effects on the face.

Interestingly, I preferred many of the images as black and white as this added to the character created by the different lighting. For example, in the shot taken using warm LED fairy lights, the reflective mood of the subject is enhanced by the conversion to black and white Four images are shown below, followed by a contact sheet of nine images in colour.

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Exercise 2.6 combines portrait and landscape, emphasising the sense of space.

These images were taken whilst on holiday, and use the background of a Mallorcan garden. The subject was a cyclist so wore colourful cycling clothes and the first shots shows the subject riding their bike in the distance.

I planned for a range of images including full length and head shots, following the instructions to keep both foreground and background in focus. Something I wouldn’t usually do.

In the background, I looked for shapes and lines such as the curved arch into the garden, the path and the spiky sculpture at the back of the garden.

One of the aims was to take set of images with the subject in different areas of the frame and using the rule of thirds.

I like the variety produced by aiming to place the subject in different areas of the frame. Something I will plan into future portraiture sessions. With hindsight I would do more planning of the location in advance to plan shots and make note of potential distractions such as the power cables. As someone who rarely takes portraits where I have to do more to direct the subject, this was a new experience. I do prefer to take environmental portraits where the subject is actively involved in an activity, for example musicians at gigs, but found this useful exercise.

This image, featuring members of the Orquestra de Cambra de Mallorca was chosen for it’s many subjects

My eye is initially drawn to the steps that lead up to the violinists in the centre of the image, before looking at the performers on the left and right of the image Distractions on the edges of the picture include the family on the left hand side. To keep the focus on the performers I would crop this image (see below) on the, so the musicians are framed by the tree trunk on the left so the eye can follow the leaves overhead to the right hand side.

Dividing the image into thirds, the performers on the cropped image fall into the left hand, centre, and right hand sections, though they do not lie on one of the four points in the golden section. However, the eye is drawn to the violinist in the centre of the image.

There are still many however, distractions in the image such as the many instrument cases, music stands (a necessary distraction), shutters, and the brightness of the wall above the central arch. On the left-hand side a woman is holding the music on the stand to stop it from blowing away in the breeze. The image below identifies the elements that draw my attention

This exercise involves identifying the subject, foreground, mid-ground and back ground and background from three images for the People and Activity Project. I found this a thought provoking exercise as most of the images for this project taken at Go Ape did not at first glance have an obvious foreground as a typical landscape shot may have. The process of completing this exercise raise my awareness of these factors as part of the compositional process.

These approach for these images was inspired by Andreas Gursky with distant view of the activity. The subject chosen was people at Grizedale Forest on the Go Ape course. Though the final approach chosen allowed me to step back from the activity, the pre planning included research in to different approaches looking at photographers such as Tish Murtha, Diane Arbus, Susan Meiselas, Trent Parke, and Manuel Alvarez Bravo.

I am quite familiar with photographing musicians in rehearsal and performance and these are usually close ups, capturing interaction between players, so I wanted a challenge of a different more distant approach.

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With the benefit of hindsight, I would have liked to shoot a lot more photos (as the instructions suggested). My aim was to capture images of people participating in the activities offered for people at Go Ape, from a distance rather than being at the centre of the activity. Providing a ‘bigger picture’ view, rather than a detailed closeup, shows the activity in its context.

Though Gursky’s distant approach appealed for this set of images, there is a crucial difference in the number of people shown. Gursky’s images, such as the Dance Valley Festival image, are packed full of people. This is approach, which works well for large sporting events and reminded me of an earlier photo taken at the final stage of the Tour de France in Paris and something I would explore further for similar images to this or a concert with a large number of performers.

My key learning points from this exercise are

• Plan in advance, which approach to take
• look at different approaches to generate ideas and try out new approaches
• Consider the view point e.g high up, low down
• Take a lot of images to then refine
• Leave time between making the selection of final images

This exercise looks at shooting two different subjects (plants and a person), but removing all trace of the background and context. For the plants I looked at the black and white images of Karl Blossfeldt, which are striking for their level of detail. The plain background focuses all the attention on the object.

These images were shot using white card as a background and converted to black and white. Though taken in a beautiful large garden, the only object portrayed for the viewer is a small part of an individual plant with no clue to its setting.

The portrait and fashion photographer Richard Avedon, uses a similar technique in many of his portraits. Shot against a plain background, the simplicity of the setting emphasises the character of the subject, rather than the activity.

Though very different examples, the effect of the background can be crucial for the intended effect on the viewer and how they may interpret the photo. In the plants, the focus is on a small section, not the whole plant or its setting. For Baptiste, the focus is on his enigmatic expression. Depending on the required outcome their is room for both approaches

I have found this a though provoking exercise. Taking images of plants in this way is something I would like to explore further with using different backgrounds e.g. textured or black. Portraits are an area where I want to develop my skills and though I am very comfortable taking images of people in their natural environment e.g. musicians performing, I have less experience of taking staged or more formal photos.