Introduction to Environmental Portraiture

What is Environmental portraiture?

An environmental portrait is a portrait executed in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subject’s life and surroundings. The most common purpose of environmental photography is to inform and educate people about how their actions affect the environment.

Mood Board:

About Environmental Portraits:

A good environmental portrait is a photograph of a person that connects them with their natural surroundings. The photo will provide more of a story about the person than a formal portrait would. A portrait of a person in their natural environment adds depth to both them and the location.

Typology in photography:

A photographic typology is a single photograph or more commonly a body of photographic work, that shares a high level of consistency. This consistency is usually found within the subjects, environment, photographic process, and presentation or direction of the subject.

Environmental Portraits – Action Plan

Who am I taking photographs of?

I have decided that I will capture most of my photos of teachers around the school. This is because they each have a strong profession, and have specific duties to carry out in their job, making my photos look professional.

Where am I taking the photographs?

I am going around the school, to different classrooms and environments. I will capture different environments such as the canteen, classrooms and offices.

What am I taking photographs of?

For my photoshoot, I am going to make the main focus of my images the subject in each photo. I will ensure that the viewer’s eye will focus on the subject, and then move throughout the background. In order to do this, I will need to make the subject engage with the camera so the effect of telling a story is made.

Why am I taking these photographs?

I am carrying out this photoshoot in the school because it has perfect environments that tell stories about the subjects and their professions. In each photo or environment, the viewer gets to see what the subject’s job is really like, and how passionate they are towards it. By doing this, it also allows the viewer to feel closer to the subject.

Studio Lighting: Basics – George Blake

When using lighting you must think of the following when creating a desired outcome:

  • Intensity of the light
  • Direction of the light
  • Temperature of the Light (Warm or cold + white balance)
  • use of ” the golden hour”
  • Using reflectors (silver/gold)

Light can differentiate in many ways depending on how it is used for example…

And

White balance (WB) and colour temperature