Michelle. Early 1990s. Film.
No matter how much photography changes I am fascinated that with new tech, new cameras and new post processing tools when I look at examples of portraiture from all over the world I keep finding an endless variety of portraits that circle around three main parameters. Those would be: 1. The increasing use of black and white. 2. Medium-to-long lenses used to lightly compress the perspective. 3. Wider apertures to drop backgrounds well out of focus. Sub-trends have to do with poses, compositions (mostly head and shoulders) and expressions (calm and quiet).
There is one more trend but it's been front and center almost since the beginning of photography. Perennial. That would be the subjects; usually beautiful, young women with gorgeous eyes.
I love this two light approach to portraiture (above). It's one big light from one side and one small grid spot to illuminate the background for a tight area of separation.
I can switch from camera to camera and lens to lens (if they are all around the same angle of view...) and if I hew to the essentials list above I can make portraits that I really like.
Off to swim practice. Tossing my "travel kit" in the car. It's a tiny Domke bag with the Sigma fp, an extra battery, and the 24,45 and 90m Sigma Contempo lenses. All slow. All good. What more do we need?
8 comments:
I've seen what I think is another trend, maybe related to the increasing B&W you're seeing -- that's desaturated color. The results don't look hand-colored, but they're off in that direction, though more sophisticated.
Karsh made outstanding portraits of people who weren't blessed with the beauty genes. That takes a special talent imho.
When I worked as a TV cameraman in the '60s, the directors always called this composition a "shampoo shot." Head and Shoulders...
Karsh may have made photographs of many famous people but making them look beautiful was not his mission. Nor did he frequently accomplish bringing out the beauty instead of just the celebrity interest in the subjects. He was a good portraitist but not better than most at flattering his subjects or quietly acknowledging their inherent beauty. IMHO
For that you want Skrebneski...
Not all cultures are so obsessed with beauty and pretty things to the exclusion of looking deeper into an image to find the essence of a person.
Karash's images satisfied the paying client in a lot of circumstances. Sometimes for publicity but many times to captures the inner character of the sitter. His mastery was clearly illustrated in his portrait of Churchill.
Eric
Good photography captures your subject's, and your, soul.
i love the first random thought! as for the second, love it too! you and most people with enough time and effort can take awesome pictures with any camera >$USD500 (or even less :-) !) and manufactured after 2010 i.e. equivalence something something :-) thanks to you and the Q's IP rating I now want a used Q2. Some day a used Q2 and a used SL2-S (because the IP rating is even better) will be mine so i can take photos in a full-on Vancouver atmospheric river rain shower!
Hi Roland, are you guys getting the same drenching rain and nasty winds as the Californians? If so, stay safe!!!
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