book

Digital Portrait Photography and Lighting: Take Memorable Shots Every Time

Name: Digital Portrait Photography and Lighting: Take Memorable Shots Every Time
ISBN: 9780471781288

by Catherine Jamieson, Sean McCormick

July 2006

Beginner to intermediate

368 pages

10h 21m

English

Wiley

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Copyright
About the Authors
Credits
Preface
Acknowledgments
About Istoica
I. Understanding Digital Portrait Photography
1. Exploring Portrait Photography
1.1. Take a Better Snapshot1.2. Create a Casual Portrait1.3. Set Up a Formal Portrait1.4. Self-Portraits1.5. Do You Have What It Takes?
2. The Tools of the Trade
2.1. The Camera2.1.1. Getting the right camera for the job2.1.2. What features do you need?2.1.3. A word about shooting RAW2.2. Lenses2.2.1. Aperture2.2.2. Focal length2.2.2.1. Fixed length or prime lenses2.2.2.2. Wide angle2.2.2.3. Standard/normal2.2.2.4. Short telephoto2.2.2.5. Mid telephoto2.2.2.6. Long telephoto2.2.3. Zoom lenses2.2.4. Fast and slow2.2.5. Brands and features2.2.5.1. Silent auto-focus2.2.5.2. Crop reduction2.2.5.3. Superior optics2.2.5.4. Image stabilization2.3. Accessories2.3.1. Tripods, monopods, and other braces2.3.1.1. Picking the right tripod2.3.1.2. Monopods2.3.2. In search of the perfect tripod2.3.2.1. Mini-tabletop2.3.2.2. Small but not tiny2.3.2.3. Emergency do-it-all2.3.2.4. The pretty good tripod2.3.2.5. The really good tripod2.4. Camera Accessories2.4.1. In-camera media/memory cards2.4.2. Batteries2.4.3. Filters2.4.4. Hoods2.4.5. Cable release or wireless remote2.5. Basic Studio Accessories2.5.1. Posing stools2.5.2. Backgrounds and backdrops
3. Lighting Primer
3.1. Measuring Light3.1.1. Using the in-camera light meter3.1.1.1. Automatic metering3.1.1.2. Center-weighted metering3.1.1.3. Matrix metering3.1.1.4. Spot metering3.1.2. Using a handheld light meter3.2. White Balance3.3. Shooting Portraits Under Studio Lighting3.3.1. Continuous lighting3.3.1.1. Advantages of continuous lighting3.3.1.2. Disadvantages of continuous lighting3.3.1.3. Tungsten3.3.1.4. Fluorescent3.3.1.5. HID3.3.2. Studio strobe lighting3.3.2.1. Advantages of strobe lighting3.3.2.2. Disadvantages of strobe lighting3.3.2.3. Monoblock3.3.2.4. Powerpack3.4. Lighting Accessories3.4.1. Softboxes3.4.2. Umbrellas3.4.3. Collapsible reflectors3.4.4. Snoots3.4.5. Barndoors3.4.6. Honeycomb grids3.4.7. Gobo3.5. Setting Up Your Studio Lighting3.5.1. Starter kit3.5.2. Basic kit3.5.3. Advanced kit3.6. Portrait Lighting Basics3.6.1. Standard setup3.6.2. Main light3.6.3. Fill light3.6.4. Backlight
II. Posing and Composing

4. Composing a Portrait
4.1. Portrait Types4.2. The Portrait Recipe4.3. Create a Strong Center of Interest4.4. Using the Rule of Thirds4.4.1. Headshots4.4.2. Full or partial body4.4.3. Environmental4.4.4. Groups4.5. Portrait Lighting Styles4.5.1. Short lighting (far side)4.5.2. Broad lighting (near side)4.5.3. Front lighting4.5.4. Back/rim lighting4.6. Keep It Balanced4.6.1. Color4.6.2. Space4.7. The Composition Roundup
5. Posing Techniques
5.1. Work With the Client5.1.1. Ask the right questions5.1.2. Decide on a composition5.1.3. What your client needs to know5.1.3.1. Hair5.1.3.2. Makeup5.1.3.3. Jewelry5.1.3.4. Clothing5.2. Casual Portrait Poses5.3. Traditional Poses5.4. Artistic and Creative Poses5.5. Basic Principles of Posing5.6. Posing Individuals5.6.1. Posing the body5.6.2. Posing the shoulders5.6.3. Posing the head5.6.4. Posing arms and hands5.6.5. Posing feet and legs5.7. Posing Couples5.8. Posing Children, Families, and Small Groups5.9. Pet Portraits
6. The Director's Chair
6.1. Using Enhancing Techniques6.2. The Classic Poses6.3. The Classic Lighting Styles6.3.1. Lighting ratios6.3.2. Keep your distance6.3.3. Vertical position6.3.4. Horizontal Position6.4. The Common Challenges6.4.1. Plus-size models6.4.1.1. Waists6.4.1.2. Hips and thighs6.5. Shine, Gleam, and Glitter6.5.1. Heads6.5.2. Glasses6.5.3. Noses, foreheads, and chins6.6. All About Faces6.6.1. Smiles and teeth6.6.2. Cheeks6.6.3. Chin and neck6.6.4. Ears6.6.5. Eyes6.6.6. Face shape and texture6.6.7. Forehead6.6.8. Mouth6.6.9. Nose6.7. You're Ready to Shoot
III. Into Action: Creating Portraits
7. Outdoor Portraiture
7.1. Working On Location7.1.1. Advance scouting7.1.2. Be a good guest7.2. What Should Be In Your Bag7.2.1. Lenses, filters, and attachments7.2.1.1. Filters7.2.2. Tripods and braces7.2.3. Reflectors7.2.4. Props7.2.5. Miscellaneous gear7.3. Shooting in Direct Sunlight7.3.1. Using fill flash7.3.2. Morning and evening light7.3.2.1. Front lighting7.3.2.2. Side lighting7.3.2.3. Backlighting7.3.3. Midday light7.4. Shooting in Open Shade7.4.1. Backgrounds7.5. Shooting at Night7.5.1. Playing with light7.5.2. Problems with shooting at night7.5.2.1. Noise7.5.2.2. White balance7.5.2.3. Working in the dark7.6. Shooting in Adverse Weather Conditions7.6.1. Rain, mist, and fog7.6.1.1. Potential problems with shooting in the rain7.6.2. Cold7.6.2.1. Cold-weather camera care7.6.2.2. Cold-weather model care7.6.2.3. Post-shoot precautions7.6.3. Heat7.6.4. Wind
8. Interior Existing Light Portraiture
8.1. Working on Location8.1.1. Advance scouting8.1.2. Follow the rules8.1.3. Take only what you need8.2. What Should Be in Your Bag8.2.1. Lenses, filters, and attachments8.2.2. Tripods and braces8.2.3. Reflectors8.2.4. Backdrops8.2.5. Props8.2.6. Makeup8.2.7. Portable lighting8.3. Working with Natural and Mixed Light8.3.1. Common problems and solutions8.3.1.1. Where to shoot?8.3.1.2. Not enough light?8.3.1.3. Too much light?8.3.2. Taking advantage of the conflict8.3.3. Choosing the light direction8.3.4. Stunning shots using backlight8.3.5. Backlighting tips8.3.6. Using windows, doors, and other frames8.4. Working with Artificial Light8.4.1. Common problems and solutions8.4.1.1. Distractions8.4.1.2. Coping with unwanted color cast8.5. Special Lighting Conditions8.5.1. Stages, theatres, and clubs8.5.1.1. Photographing from a distance8.5.1.2. Photographing up close8.5.1.3. The universal solutions to shooting performance venues8.5.2. Portraits with fire and candlelight
9. Studio Portraiture
9.1. Studio Backgrounds9.1.1. Enhance, never overwhelm9.1.2. Background color counts9.1.3. Props9.1.3.1. Children's props9.1.3.2. Multipurpose props9.2. Clothing9.3. Vignetting in the Studio9.4. Theme, Art, and Abstract Portraits9.4.1. Using Graphic Shapes9.4.2. Creating Shapes with Light9.5. Black-and-White and Toned Portraiture9.6. From Pose to Print: The Portrait Sequence9.6.1. Plan and plan again9.6.2. Get your lighting set9.6.3. After the model arrives9.6.4. Costumes and props9.6.5. Perfecting the pose9.6.6. Metering and taking test shots9.6.7. Review, repose, and shoot9.6.8. After the model is gone
IV. Post-Production and Presentation
10. The Digital Darkroom
10.1. About Image-Editing Software10.2. The Darkroom Hardware10.2.1. Adobe system requirements10.2.2. Display10.2.3. Monitor calibration tool10.2.4. Video card10.2.5. Hard drives10.2.6. DVD burner10.3. Alternatives to Photoshop10.4. Getting to Know Photoshop Elements10.5. Best Practices10.5.1. Use the layers, Luke10.5.2. Nondestructive editing10.5.3. Saving multiple versions10.5.4. File formats10.6. Working with RAW Files10.6.1. Using Camera RAW10.6.2. Using RawShooter essentials10.6.3. Using native software10.7. Read, Listen, and Learn
11. Basic Image Editing
11.1. Professional Diligence11.2. Best-Practice Editing Process11.2.1. Step 1: Crop, resize, and fix resolution11.2.2. Step 2: Correct or enhance tonal quality11.2.3. Step 3: Fine-tune and correct problems11.2.4. Step 4: Sharpen and clarify11.3. Perfect the Tonal Quality11.3.1. Adjusting levels11.3.1.1. Using a Levels adjustment layer11.3.1.2. Using the Shadow/Highlight tool11.3.2. Dodging and burning11.3.3. Using an overlay layer11.3.4. Correcting color casts11.3.4.1. Sampling a neutral area11.3.4.2. Applying digital filters11.4. Fine-Tuning and Correcting11.4.1. Using the Healing tool11.4.2. Using the Clone tool11.4.3. Using the Patch tool11.5. Sharpen and Clarify
12. Finishing Touches
12.1. Make Eyes Sparkle12.2. Removing Red Eye12.2.1. Using the Red Eye Removal tool12.2.2. Removing red eye manually12.3. Whitening Eyes and Teeth12.3.1. Whiten and brighten eyes12.3.1.1. Whiten12.3.1.2. Brighten12.3.2. Whitening teeth12.4. Soft-Focus Effects12.5. Center Spot with Outer Blur12.6. Vignettes12.7. Color and Tone Conversions12.8. Creating Sepia-Toned Images12.9. Saving Files12.9.1. A word about printing12.9.2. Continuous tone versus ppi or dpi12.9.3. Resolution12.9.4. What size, resolution, and type?12.10. Go Forth and Make Portraits
A. References and Resources
A.1. 4-H Style PortraitureA.2. 500 Poses!A.3. A Little HistoryA.4. AboutA.5. BusinessA.6. Career Advice from iseekA.7. Color Theory — RGB and CMYKA.8. Complete Digital PhotographyA.9. Digital Imaging LinksA.10. Doing the MathA.11. Glossary of Photographic TermsA.12. The History of PortraitureA.13. The Learning Page — More HistoryA.14. Joe Zeltsman Knows a Lot of ThingsA.15. Ken RockwellA.16. Lights, Camera, Alien Bees?A.17. Online Training LibraryA.18. Photoshop SupportA.19. Retouching TechniquesA.20. Setting Up Group PortraitsA.21. Stock WorkA.21.1. The Relationships categoryA.21.2. The Self-Expression categoryA.21.3. Other stock companies
B. Going Into Business
B.1. Basic Business SetupB.1.1. Business licenseB.1.2. Business banking accountB.1.3. InsuranceB.1.4. Join professional or trade organizationsB.1.5. Supplier and photo lab arrangementsB.2. CostsB.2.1.B.2.1.1. Startup costsB.2.1.2. Overhead costsB.2.2. Operating costsB.3. Pricing Your ServicesB.3.1. Check the competitionB.3.2. Calculate your base rateB.3.3. Pricing commercial workB.3.3.1. Pricing retail workB.3.4. Pricing printsB.3.5. Model releasesB.4. Marketing Your BusinessB.4.1. Define the target marketB.4.2. Create a portfolioB.4.2.1. Go get 'em, Tiger

Content preview from Digital Portrait Photography and Lighting: Take Memorable Shots Every Time

Part II. Posing and Composing

Chapter 4: Composing a Portrait

Chapter 5: Posing Techniques

Chapter 6: The Director's Chair

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Digital Portrait Photography and Lighting: Take Memorable Shots Every Time

by Catherine Jamieson, Sean McCormick

Part II. Posing and Composing

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