The use of artificial lighting offers many creative possibilities such as chiaroscuro, Rembrandt, hard and soft lighting. This can be done through the use of 1 and 2 point lighting. One point lighting is a type of studio portrait, in which only one light source is used to illuminate the subject, resulting in often dark and moody images. On the other hand, two point lighting is a type of studio portrait, in which two light sources are used to illuminate the subject, causing the images to often look clear, professional and shadow-less.

One Point Lighting and Chiaroscuro

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Chiaroscuro is an Italian term literally meaning ‘light and dark’, and also is a method of lighting in which the use of contrast and shading is used to produce a composition. This type of lighting was originally showcased and developed to its full potential by artist Leonardo Da Vinci. Artist or photographers often use this technique in order to achieve a dramatic or impactful final image.

Analysis

Peter Lindbergh

Peter Lindbergh was a German fashion photographer, born in 1944, known best for his cinematic photography and being one of the most influential contemporary photographers. Lindbergh first started off his creative career by studying painting at the College of Art in Krefeld. After graduating Lindbergh turned to the medium of photography, later working for Stern Magazine.

Lindbergh was said to set himself apart from other photographers by redefining beauty standards in fashion photography. He did this by not defining the subject in the photographs by their age, and excessively retouching the images to conceal it. Lindbergh believed that photographers should “free women, and finally everyone, from the terror of youth and perfection”.

This black and white image taken by Peter Lindbergh displays a head shot of actress Lupita Nyong’o in one point lighting. By using this method Lindbergh has illuminated the left side of her face while casing a dark shadow on the other. In addition, it can be said that Lindbergh’s use of black and white, instead of colour, accentuates this chiaroscuro lighting and the contrast between light and dark. These contrasting tones also create various angular lines around the image, such as the sharp diagonal shadow line on her neck, which can be said to lead the viewer’s eye towards the focal point of her face. Here Lindbergh has centred Nyong’o in the centre of the image, which allows for almost an even amount of empty space either side of her and the main focus to be on the headshot itself.

Focusing on the technical aspects of this photograph, you can see that Lindbergh has used a fast shutter speed to capture this image, due to the fact that there is little to no blur and it was taken in a dark setting. Furthermore, he has also used a medium to large aperture, as you can see that the background has been given less focus than Nyong’o herself, allowing for a small depth of field. The one point studio lighting for this photograph also means that Lindbergh must have used a high ISO, so that the camera would be more responsive to the little amount of light in the room.

Photo-shoot

Plan

Contact sheets

Edited Images

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While editing these images I focused mainly on adjusting the exposure and contrast, so that my use of one point lighting would be best displayed. To do this I made sure my images were not too under or over exposed, allowing for a clear and sharp portrait. To further the effects of this type of lighting I increased the contrast on all of my images, in order to get a more dramatic chiaroscuro photograph. I also reduced some of the noise in the background of the images, due to low light.

Final Image

I believe that this is my best image from my studio one point lighting photoshoot, due to the fact that I think it best showcases the technique of chiaroscuro and the contrast between light and dark. In addition, it is also one of my sharpest images and is well centred with a basic background, allowing for the viewers attention to be drawn to the focal point of the subject in the image.

Plan

Contact Sheets

Edited Images

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For these images I went about editing them focusing mainly on the tone and contrast of the images, using the previously studied photographer, Martin Parr as inspiration. I did this by first increasing the contrast, replicating Parr’s jarringly bold photographs. In addition, I also increased the warmth of the images, aiming to further embolden the seaside scene.

Final Image

I believe this photograph to be my best as the woman in the image is wearing very vibrant colours and also she is well framed by the two walls either side. These walls along with the horizontal railings and the road lines in front of the harbour, create quite a geometric image full of leading lines.

An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subjects usual environment, such as their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings. The term is most frequently used as a genre of photography.

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Arnold Newman

Arnold Newman was an American photographer, born in 1918 in New York, well known for his environmental portraiture work, which showcased a formal image of a subject surrounded by their work space or environment. Newman stated that he viewed his photography as an expression of himself, reflecting him and his fascination with people and the world around him. Newman was also often named the “Father of Environmental Portraiture”, with his work being displayed in museums all over the world.

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Analysis

This black and white, half body portrait, taken by Arnold Newman, clearly displays the genre of environmental portraits, due to the subject of this image being Erhard Weyhe, an art book dealer, sitting among his immense book collection. Furthermore, here the subject, Weyhe, is displaying direct eye contact with the camera showing engagement, also whilst smiling suggesting an informal image. These stacks of books allow for short and interrupted leading lines, that guide your eyes around the background of the image, whilst making what would be empty space around the portrait feel cluttered and meaningful to the story of the subject. These books, that show the essence of his profession also act as a repetition of shape throughout the photograph.

In Addition, the lighting of this image appears to be the natural lighting of the work environment due to the highly contrasting tones between the book pages and the shadowed areas around the room, which would perhaps mean that it could be described as underexposed. Here you can see that Newman has chosen to take this picture with a small aperture, therefore allowing for a large depth of field meaning that the subject’s workplace environment is clearly showcased. Furthermore, the shutter speed used for this image is presented as fast, due to the fact that it is a clear and detailed photograph without any blurs.

In this photograph Newman has intended to present one of the great book dealers of his time, Erhard Weyhe, and to give an incite on his way of living and working. This lifestyle has been presented by Newman as a somewhat labouring and almost chaotic one, due to what looks like an interminable tunnel of books, pilled high. This depiction of Weyhe could be a sign of respect and appreciation from Newman towards his profession.

Environmental Portrait Photo-shoot

Plan

Contact Sheet

For this photo-shoot I used a fast shutter speed aiming to capture sharp images. Also, I used a small aperture for these portraits so their work environment would be clear due to the nature of the background. Here I have crossed images out in red that I will not edit, either because the subject is not engaging with the camera, or it is too over exposed or blurry. I have also highlighted the images I will edit in green as I believe them to be my best from this shoot, showing the fundamentals of environmental portraiture.

Edited Images

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Final Image

I believe that this is my best environmental portrait as it displays a clear half body image, with the subject surrounded by their work environment, shown on the board on the right. In addition, as the subject is smiling it causes the image to feel welcoming, reinforcing the profession qualities of teaching.

For this introduction to portraits, we had to take photographs of key workers or modern day heroes in their work attire. These key workers can come in all forms from the nurses and doctors who work on the front line, to the postmen and women who continued to do their job under such hazardous circumstances.

Contact Sheets

For this project I decided to focus on construction or repair workers that might have had to continue working during the lock-down stages of the pandemic to keep the island running. Here I have crossed out the images in red that I will not edit due to them being to blurry or not focusing on the topic of key workers. I have highlighted the images I will edit in green as I feel they best showcase the essence of the topic.

Edited Images

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I believe that these are my best images as they display how life needs to carry on even in a global pandemic, and how people like this allow for that to happen. It could be said that they also incorporate this years theme of hope, as they are building for a future in which this pandemic no longer exists.

Mood Board and Ideas

Alfred Stieglitz

Alfred Stieglitz was an American photographer, born in 1864, who has been said to be instrumental in making photography an accepted art form. One of the ways in which he did this, was through his photo series ‘Songs of The Sky’, from 1923 to 1934, where he explored patterns and rhythm created in the clouds. His aim for the viewer was to cause them to have the same emotional response as him, at the moment in time he took the photo, and to also display that the content of a photograph was different from its subject.

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Image Analysis

This black and white photograph taken by Alfred Stieglitz, which is a part of his ‘Songs of The Sky’ series, displays a dramatic image of the sky in which the clouds are swirled around the photo, almost splitting it into two halves, a light side and a dark side. These streaks in the cloud’s curve create soft leading lines, causing your eyes to wrap around and be lead to the dark patch in the left hand of the photo. This area of the image strongly contrasts with the bright, highlighted, white clouds and the right half of the piece. In addition, the texture of this photo appears to be slightly rough and grainy, although this could be by choice or simply due to the time period in which this was taken, and the camera quality then.

You can see here that the lighting of this photograph must be natural as it is taken of the sky, and it also creates strong and dark shadows. I think that Stieglitz used a quick shutter speed here, as the clouds would have been moving, so he would need to do this in order to catch a crisp and sharp image. Also due to the fact that all of this frame is in focus, I believe that he used a small aperture, allowing for the whole of the image to be clearly seen and observed and creating a wide depth of field.

Furthermore, you can tell from the angle and the framing of this image, that Stieglitz was aiming to show a subjective point of view, creating an inclusive experience of that particular moment, like he does in his other pieces from the ‘Songs of The Sky’ series.

Stieglitz Inspired Photoshoot

Plan

Contact Sheets

For this photoshoot I used fast shutter speed to allow me to capture sharp images of the moving clouds and the patterns they create. As the light changed throughout the shoot, I had to change the ISO and the white balance with it. Where I didn’t do this you can see some of my images are over exposed, which I have crossed out in red as I won’t be editing them. Although the photographs highlighted in green are the images I will edit, as I believe they best link to the themes of repetition, patterns, rhythm, reflection and symmetry, whilst also displaying a clear and focused image.

Photoshop Development

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To create images that looked similar to the work of Stieglitz, I used photoshop to convert these images into black and white, whilst also increasing the contrast and texture, and lowering the exposure with the camera raw filter. After this, I went back with the dodge and burn tool to further define the shadows and highlights.

Final Image

I think that this edited image from my photoshoot in the style of Stieglitz is my best, as the space left in the center creates an almost triangle and with it a focal point, which is framed by the surrounding clouds. I also believe that this image could link to the theme of symmetry, although both sides are not identical, if the photo were split vertically down the middle and mirrored, it would result in a very similar final image.