Photoshoot 1

Photoshoot 2

Photoshoot 3

Photoshoot 1 Favourite images + edits

ISO 800 , Focal Length 75 mm, Aperture f/5.0, Shutter Speed 1/125 sec

ISO 800 , Focal Length 75 mm, Aperture f/4.0, Shutter Speed 1/100 sec

Photoshoot 2 Favourite images + edits

Canon Camera, ISO 6400, Focal Length 32mm, Aperture f/4.0, Shutter Speed 1/40 sec

Canon Camera, ISO 6400, Focal Length 28mm, Aperture f/4.0, Shutter Speed 1/40 sec

Canon Camera, ISO 6400, Focal Length 28mm, Aperture f/4.0, Shutter Speed 1/25 sec

Canon Camera, ISO 5000, Focal Length 20mm, Aperture f/4.0, Shutter Speed 1/30 sec

Photoshoot 3 Favourite images + edits

ISO 100 , Focal Length 4.25mm, Aperture f/1.8, Shutter Speed 1/50 sec

ISO 100 , Focal Length 4.25mm, Aperture f/1.8, Shutter Speed 1/50 sec

ISO 40 , Focal Length 4.25mm, Aperture f/1.8, Shutter Speed 1/100 sec

Camera settings I used:

Portrait Plans

For my Environmental Portraits, I will photograph indoor and outdoor locations of people at:

• School

I will be photographing my:

• Friends.
• Acquaintances/ fellow students.
• Teachers

I will take my photos:

• During my lesson time
• In my free times
• Whilst on a break.
• Hanging out with friends.

How I will take my photos will be:

• With a Camera.
• In a place I am comfortable
• With my friends

why I will take them is because:

• It captures people in a natural environment.
• Displays school life and people’s natural environment
• Examples of what students, teachers and workers do and what environment they are in.

For my first experimentation with environmental photography I photographed my friends around school and focused on the different backgrounds and different angles whilst they are in their ‘natural environment’. This consists of working or learning or conversing with friends, completing schoolwork or teaching a lesson. Taking these photos was beneficial to helping me adjust to taking portrait photos of people instead of objects.

These full body shots were taken in the locker room, I took these photos to represent students as they daily enter the locker room and socialise with friends etc. I got my model to pose for these photos to create a mixture of photos in my experimentation. I wanted her to look directly at the camera and engage with it whilst looking happy with positive energy. Next time to improve I would remove the shadow from behind her as I think it makes the image confusing and looks slightly more unprofessional.

I first of all edited this half-body shot photo by increasing the exposure and making it more colourful and far less dull. I like this picture because it shows her looking directly at the camera with a blank expression, this shows her possible inner feelings and shows her concentration and calmness.

However, I decided to edit this picture in black and white. I think this works with the image as it has many different shadows. I prefer the image above due to the brightness of colour showing more personality through the high exposure and highlights.

I took these photos of students in their natural environment. I think these photos are effective because they were not posing and they were genuine. These differ from my other photos due to the fact they they are not looking directly at the camera like the others and that they show real emotion whilst conversing with friends, which is perfect for school environmental photography. I edited this photo by increasing the exposure and focusing on making it slightly brighter with more colour. However, I do not like these photos as much due to the background being slightly blurred and two people are also blurry. This lowers the quality of the image and makes them less strong.

I like these photos because they are landscape unlike my other photos, they again show a school environment with two students. I easily edited these by just increasing the brilliance, contrast, exposure. This helped escalate my images by just making them more colourful and stand out more. I also made these photos slightly darker and created a shadow around the two people whilst they look more serious.

This photograph was a photo I look from a heightened angle or ‘above angle’ to capture these students in their natural environment. I wanted to quickly capture this photo whist these students weren’t looking, this helped with the rawness of the photo and the students in their natural element. I like how they are all doing their own thing.

• Two students are on their phone
• One is communicating

I like this because they aren’t all doing the same thing and it shows a reality of school life throughout adolescent teens.

This photo shows environmental photography in school In a unique way. This photo of a single student is powerful in my opinion. I like it because of the blurred background around her, this helps her to stand out more and become even more eye-catching. Her lack of emotion portrays how she feels and her eyes are directly looking into the lens which shows her engaging with the photo.

I edited these photos by adding multiple different colours. In the first photo, I added a slight yellow tint, I like this because It creates a warmer colour around her which helps to highlight her and create a contrast between a bluer background with colder and warmer tones. The second photo I only added a small amount of yellow and focused more on the slight blue tint to it, I did this to focus more on this colder approach.

However, I like the yellow in the second picture because of the I think this was a good addition to this photo as it brightens the photo but does not add too much warmth to the photo.

In photography, lighting is extremely important for every photograph, as it adds a mood to each photo. There are three different common types of lighting, shown below:

Rembrandt Lighting:

Rembrandt lighting is a technique that was taken from a famous painter in the 1600s, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. It’s a popular technique because it creates images that look both dramatic yet natural. This technique is a way of lighting the face so that a small upside-down triangle of light appears just under the models eye, on the less illuminated side of their face. It is a simple, effective photography lighting setup that’s flattering to a wide variety of faces, and is easy to master quickly. It’s possible to achieve this using just your camera and a single light source, which is why its so popular.

Examples of Rembrandt lighting:

The Rembrandt lighting technique is mostly known for dimension and depth it adds to portraiture. By using it you instantly create shadows and contrast in your photos. It also adds an element of drama, which is effective in photography because it draws the viewer’s attention immediately.

Lighting set up:

Light – lighting styles are determined by the position of your light source. Rembrandt lighting is created by the single light source being at a 40 – 45 degree angle and higher than the subject. Both flashlights and continuous lights can be used for this technique.

Lens – a 35mm or 50mm lens will work the best for this technique if your space is at a premium. Or, if you’ re looking at including more of the subject than just the head and shoulders. A 50mm works very nicely for portraits, and will give a nice depth of field if you’re shooting with a shallow aperture. However, a 35mm will give you a wider perspective, meaning you can include more of the background in a photo. However, this is usually not needed in portraits as we want to focus on the subject.

Butterfly Lighting:

Butterfly lighting is a lighting pattern used in portrait photography where the key light is placed above and pointing down on the subject’s face. This creates a dramatic shadow under the nose and chin that looks like a butterfly. One of the most famous photographers to use butterfly lighting was George Hurrell, who was known for his dramatic portraits of Hollywood stars, and since, the technique has grown more popular.

Examples of butterfly lighting:

Butterfly lighting is primarily used in a studio setting. It is named “butterfly” because of the butterfly shaped shadow that it creates just under the models nose. This occurs because of the lighting in the shot, comes from above the models head. Butterfly lighting is mostly used for portraits, as it is flattering on everybody.

Lighting set up:

Light – Butterfly lighting requires a key light that can be a flash unit, or continuous. If continuous, it can be artificial or natural, meaning you have a lot more choice in which lighting you think would benefit your photos a lot more. Butterfly lighting can be varied, soft or hard depending on the objective of the image.

Lens – The most popular lens used for butterfly lighting is between a 50 – 85mm lens. This helps the photo because it allows a larger depth of field.

Chiaroscuro lighting:

Chiaroscuro lighting is a high-contrasting light technique that utilises a low-key lighting set up to achieve contrast between the subject and the dark background. Window light is the most accessible for this technique, as it focuses on only half of the models face being seen. By using window light, the photographer is able to enhance the exposure to avoid any distraction in the background of the photo. This helps keep the spotlight on the model. The window must be the only source of light when using this technique, if there is other background lighting then the focus will drift from the model into the background.

Examples of Chiaroscuro lighting:

This technique is mainly used in film to create striking images or evoke a certain feeling. The contrast between light and shade can help frame a subject more effectively. Drawing viewers eyes to things they would not usually focus on in the image.

Lighting set up:

Light – Chiaroscuro mainly uses one key light, and a variation using a reflector which helps deepen the contrast between the shadows.

Print Screen 1:

To start with, I opened up a plain gallery photo I found on the internet, I chose this one because there is lots of space where I can add my own images in. I began with these two images because they are definitely two of my most successful images that I have taken and edited so far. I thought that by adding these to the sides without any other images near them, it prevents distractions when looking at them, and means the viewer can focus on them more. By using photoshop I was also able to add shadow effects, and slant the images on the sides to add a sense of realism, it already began to look professional.

Print Screen 2:

I then moved on to the back section of the gallery, where I added another still life image I had taken in the middle. I did this because it looks efficient if my still life photos are equally separated. I did not need to add any shadows to this image because it was a neutral shot, meaning I can not see any of the sides.

Final Virtual Gallery:

This was the final result of my virtual gallery, after I added in my final images. For the final two, I decided to incorporate photos of tools, which was inspired by Walker Evans and Darren Harvey-Regan. I did this because it created a realistic contrast of photos you could find in a real art gallery. I like the effect of the two tool images separating the still life because it creates disparity, and therefore makes each detail in each image more noticeable and eye-catching.

What is Rembrandt lighting?

Developing from a Dutch portrait painter, Rembrandt Harmenszoon Van Rijn, it refers to the way of lighting the face in which an upside-down triangle is formed under the eyes with shadows of the subject.

With the invention of spotlights in Hollywood in the early 20th century, Rembrandt lighting in photograph emerged from this as people were able to experience with light artificially instead of relying on it naturally.

Becoming widely used with film stars for promotional material it soon became a well known lighting technique.

Why use Rembrandt?

By using Rembrandt lighting, it creates a interesting shadow and contrast, with the triangle of light being casted on the subjects face.

Drawing in the eye with an interesting lighting technique, the portraits subject is made the main focal point with a shallow depth of field as an additional method helping to achieve this.

Rembrandt can be used with either hard or soft light creating a choice in how the photographer wants to create an individual look on the viewer.

(As seen here).

Hard light

Soft light

(As seen in both images the reoccurring triangle of light below the eye signifies this lighting technique as Rembrandt).

How to create Rembrandt:

Light – By using one singular light source, at an angle of 40 – 45 degrees, placed higher than the subject, this creates the Rembrandt technique.

Lens – A 35mm or 55mm is the best lens types for Rembrandt lighting. 50mm is best for a good depth of field and shallow aperture. 35mm is best for a wider point of view and is able to capture the subject entirely.

Examples of own work:

In most cases we can make use of natural or available / ambient light but we must be aware of different kinds of natural light and learn how to exploit it thoughtfully and creatively.

Natural Lighting :

Natural light refers to the ambient light supplied by the sun or moon, not a camera flash or other artificial light sources. Natural light is also taken to include lights you’d find naturally in the environment, such as street lights, lamps, etc.

Ambient lighting :

Ambient light is any light a photographer or cinematographer did not bring to the shoot. Also known as available light, it’s any light that you haven’t set up yourself. 

Within this photo, I personally like it as it has a successful background to make environmental portraits by the outfit and props behind her to make her significantly blend in with the background. I did some experimenting and increased the temp however kept the tint the same. The original photo on exposure was too high so I decreased the exposure until it had the correct amount. I then continued to decrease highlights as if I decreased my shadows next it would significantly deepen the depth of shadows which shown successful, however this image originally has natural lighting whereas forced lighting in a certain area would emphasise these shadows. Lastly, I put it in black and white to create an effect of vintage and nostalgia and the original image was too colourful in my opinion.

Firstly, I edited the colour one to create a warmer temperature and lowered the exposure ever so slightly so the image wasn’t as exposed and bright. Decreased the shadows to deepen them but contrasted it with increased the highlights to make it not too dark. I then put it in black and white to see if I liked the possibility of it being in that colour however I definitely preferred it in colour as the image itself and surroundings are very bright and colourful and I think that adds to the image and ultimately creates environmental portrait so the viewer has more of an understanding of the environment behind her.

Personally, I couldn’t decide which one I preferred as I think the colourful image is more eye-catching however the black and white reduces all the tones especially the green tone but the colourful image does help the viewer see the props and background to actually understand what environment relates to him as a person.

I definitely prefer this image in black and white as he gives off old energy which links to the nostalgic theme and black and white significantly adds a vintage vibe. I decreased the exposure to make it less bright and exposed and contrasted it with increasing the contrast so the image had more definition and decreased the shadows too deepen them as its in black and white and finalised it by adding some texture so the image had more definition and looked more realistic.

I flagged and made my images green to make it easier for me to quickly reach my best images in my environmental portrait collection and therefore be able to see what to do next to improve or do the same for my next project to be able to be more successful.

I am going to take 100-200 of various different backgrounds. I am going to be photographing my friends and family. I am trying to reflect their background’s and their life’s within these images, such as..

1. Home
2. Favourite place to eat
3. Work
4. Social place

I think these places will show a lot about the person and what they are like. Environmental portraits reveals a lot about you as a person and opens up many doors showing you how they live and what they do, therefore I chose these locations.

I made them stand in the centre, some smiling an some not. Some close to the camera and some far away. Some of the photograph will be them doing the action/ favourite thing and enjoying themselves. I love the way that these portraits portray peoples homes and how they live which shows an important message. I like how in my image’s people are smiling and showing how they love their activity and are full of happiness doing it too. Here are some examples from goggle of what i am looking to do.

This is a similar sort of idea of the portraits I would to reactive or achieve, such as..

To conclude

The goal of action panning photography is to create an image in which a subject in motion looks relatively sharp and clear while the background appears streaky and blurry. The key to a successful action panning image is having something acceptably sharp in the frame which is what I am going to produce within these images.

There is many different variants of light and how it can be shown, such as

• intensity of the light
• direction of the light
• temperature of the light (and white balance on the camera)
• making use of “the golden hour”
• Using reflectors (silver / gold)

As the names imply, hard light is harsh and creates strong shadows, while soft light is more diffused and creates softer shadows. Hard light has more contrast and is usually brighter than soft light, while soft light is usually more even.

There are three types of styles; Rembrandt lighting, butterfly lighting, chiarascuro 

What is Rembrandt lighting style?

Rembrandt lighting is a technique using one light and one reflector or two separate lights. It’s a popular technique because it creates images that look both dramatic yet natural. It’s characterized by a lit-up triangle underneath the subject’s eye on the less illuminated area of the face

Rembrandt lighting is characterized by an illuminated triangle (also called “Rembrandt patch”) under the eye of the subject on the less illuminated side of the face. 

i.e.

What is the butterfly lighting?

Butterfly lighting is a portrait lighting pattern where the key light is placed above and directly centerd with a subject’s face. This creates a shadow under the nose that resembles a butterfly.

Butterfly lighting is a type of lighting pattern for studio portraiture. It is used for taking flattering, glamorous portrait photos. The lighting is soft on the face. It forms a butterfly-shaped shadow under the subject’s nose, which is the source of the name

Lighting: 

Butterfly lighting requires a key light that can be a flash unit or continuous. If continuos, it can be artificial or natural. In other words, you can use strobes, speedlights, LEDs or even the sun.

A butterfly lighting effect refers to the setup and not to the quality of light – it can be soft or hard light depending on the effect you want.

i.e.

Lastly..

Chiaroscuro, in art, is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achieve a sense of volume in modelling three-dimensional objects and figures.

Chiaroscuro is the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting- it literally translates to light-dark.

i.e.

That is the set up.

You can use different kinds of lighting with flash..

flash “bouncing”
fill-in flash
TTL / Speedlight flash
remote / infra-red flash (studio lighting)
fast + slow synch flash
light painting c/w slow shutter speeds

There are three main types of studio lighting that is commonly used, Rembrandt lighting, Butterfly lighting and Chiaroscuro lighting.

Rembrandt lighting –

Rembrandt lighting is a technique that was taken from a famous painter from the 1600s Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn. The technique is a way of lighting the face so that a small upside-down triangle of light appears on the cheek, just under the eye of the model in the photo.

This technique is most commonly known for the impact it had on Hollywood photos throughout the years, used in promotional photographs to show them in a dramatic and eye-catching way.

Using Rembrandt lighting you instantly create shadows and contrast in your photos. it also adds an element of drama and psychological depth to the model in the photo. It draws the viewers attention to the eye of the person in the photo since it acts like a photographic device. This is helpful because in portraiture the eyes are usually the main focal point and subject of the photo.

Lighting setup :

Light: Lighting styles are determined by the positioning of your light source.  Rembrandt lighting is created by the single light source being at a 40 to 45-degree angle and higher than the subject. Use cans use both flashlights and continuous lights.

Lens: Use a 35mm or 50mm if space is at a premium – or if you’re looking at including more of the subject than just the head and shoulders. A 50mm works really nicely for portraits and will give a nice depth of field if you’re shooting at a shallow aperture. But a 35mm will give you a wider point of view and is great to fit more of the body in of your subject.

Butterfly Lighting –

Butterfly lighting is a type of lighting technique primarily used in a studio setting. Its named ‘ butterfly ‘ because of the butterfly-shaped shadow that it creates just under the models nose. This happens because the lighting used in the shot, comes from above the face of the model. It can also commonly be called ‘paramount lighting’ or ‘glamour lighting’.

Butterfly lighting is used mostly for portraits, its a pattern that flatters everybody that its used on which makes it one of the most common lighting setups.

Lighting setup :

Lighting: Butterfly lighting requires a key light that can be a flash unit or continuous. If continuous, it can be artificial or natural. In other words, you can use strobes, speed lights, LEDs or even the sun.

A butterfly lighting effect refers to the setup and not to the quality of light – it can be soft or hard light depending on the effect you want.

Chiaroscuro –

Chiaroscuro is Italian for ( light/dark ) which is obvious for the photos it produces. There is a very obvious contrast of lighting in these photos, the shadows are very harsh and dark while the highlights are very bright and illuminating. This shows the bold contrast.

It first appeared in a 15th century painting in Italy and Flanders, but true Chiaroscuro was developed during the 16th century, in Mannerism and in Baroque art – dark subjects were dramatically lighted by a shaft of light from a single constricted and often unseen source. It was a compositional device seen of old ‘masters’ from that time.

Chiaroscuro is also often seen in Hollywood now too, usually in crime or thriller dramas to enhance the theme of unsettlement throughout the film.

Lighting Setup :

Chiaroscuro using one key light and a variation using a reflector that reflects light from the key light back onto the sitter, which gives the illusion of the light and dark contrast.