Keld Helmer-Petersen

WHAT IS PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY?

Portrait or portrait photography is a photograph of a person or a group of people, capturing the personality of the subject in the image. Aspects such as lighting, backdrops and poses can influence the mood of the portrait, to further portray certain emotions and feelings.

There are many different types of portrait photography, however each photograph can be altered by composition, whether its a head-shot, half body, three quarter length, full length body shot, or whether the photograph is taken at a high angle, low angle, or canted angle. These can all manipulate the mood of the portrait.

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MAIN TYPES OF PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY INCLUDE:

• formal: Portraits taken in formal conditions refer to taking photos usually for an occasion such as wedding or school photographs, where the subject is arranged to pose under effective lighting conditions, the rule of thirds and depth of field.

• informal: informal portraits are simply the opposite of formal portraits, with a rather casual and relaxed mood to the image and show the personality of the subject. These types of portraits are usually not taken in a studio like formal portraits are, but is still aware of lighting conditions, the rule of thirds and depth of field.

• candid: This is a taking photos of people when they have no idea that you are taking the photograph, being able to catch someone in the act, creating naturalistic and ‘in the moment’ photographs that often reflect the true emotions of the subject

• environmental: This type of portrait is taken in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings.

OTHER PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHS INCLUDE:

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Here is my interpretation of altered landscapes, where I edited these photographs of the medieval town of Krakow. I edited them using Photoshop. In the first two photos, I used the threshold tool to achieve the black and white effect. This creates the contrast, adding a cartoon vibe to the photographs, a key aspect of many altered landscape photographic styles.