What are lighting loops?

Loop lighting is an essential lighting technique for portrait photographers. It is easy to create with just a single light source and is flattering on most subjects. This lighting pattern will create a shadow that loops down and around the side of the nose, and on the neck and under the chin.

How does a loop light work?

Loop lighting is a lighting pattern that creates a circular shadow on the subject’s face just under the nose. You can achieve this by placing the key light 45 degrees to the side of the subject and raising it just above their eye line.

Here’s my example of loop lighting, which is edited.

This one is not..

To achieve loop lighting, chose a useful portrait lens, usually between 50mm and 100mm focal length. Position the camera in front of your subject to frame the head and shoulders. Place the light to the side of your camera (at 30-45 degrees) and slightly above the subject’s head.

Henry Mullins started working at 230 Regent Street in London in the 1840s and moved to Jersey in July 1848, setting up a studio known as the Royal Saloon, at 7 Royal Square.

Between 1850-73 Henry Mullins made over 9000 carte de visite portraits of Jersey’s ruling elite and wealthy upper classes.

It’s not known when he was deceased, however he spent over 20 years in Jersey and produced 4 albums with 2 and half thousand in each album, he also put the most important people at the at pof the albums eg, people in chareg of state cham,bers and piut togther a social higharchoty with it going own to fame nd i mportamnce in his albums.

Cartes de visite

His speciality was cartes de visite and the photographic archive of La Société contains a massive collection of these. Their on line archive contains 9600 images, but the majority of these are sets of up to 16 photographs taken at a single sitting. In those times even 10s 6d was a substantial sum to pay to have one’s photograph taken, and included among his subjects are many of the island’s affluent and influential people.

He was also popular with officers of the Royal Militia Island of Jersey, for whom it was very popular to have portraits taken, as well as of their wives and children, for the more senior and more affluent officers. The pictures of these officers show clearly the fashion for long hair, whiskers and beards in the mid-1800s. Indeed, so similar is their appearance and so stylised the portraits, it is very hard to detect much difference between a large number of officers of the same rank and social standing.

An advertisement in the Jersey Times of 5 June 1849 states that “Portraits are taken in groups of two or three, or the single figure, or bust, and of various sizes, even small enough for a ring, the charge for which is reduced to one half of that in London.

Here is some of his grids that he took.

ALBUMEN PRINT

Invented in 1850, and commonly used in the late nineteenth century, the albumen print is a type of photographic print made from paper coated with albumen (egg white).

The albumen print became popular because it produced a rich sharp image. The process involves coating a sheet of paper with albumen (egg white), making the paper’s surface glossy and smooth. It is then coated in a solution of silver nitrate. The albumen and the silver nitrate form light-sensitive silver salts on the paper. When a glass negative is placed directly on the paper and exposed to light, it forms an image on the paper.

Here are some more recent images of his.

This technique is called diamond cameo, licenced by Henry Mullins. Some cameo carvers are well known and signed cameos are valuable. Hardstone cameos are more highly valued than the softer Shell cameos.

Diamond Cameo photograph was registered by F.R. Window of London in 1864. Four small oval portraits were placed on a carte de visite in the shape of a diamond, each portrait being of the same person photographed in a different position.

Their on line archive contains 9600 images, but the majority of these are sets of up to 16 photographs taken at a single sitting.

JUXTAPOSITION

Juxtaposition is placing two images together to show contrast or similarities.

Here is some of my examples’ of headshots, as well as an examples of diamond cameo.

One point lighting–

there is only one light source in the scene with no complementary sources to fill in shadows.

This is the simplest type of light placement and in fact mimics something we see every day — the sun! It has the most natural look and can have a dramatic lighting effect. It also draws attention, but can give a person onstage a very flat, two-dimensional look.

My photo of one ,two and three point lighting:

Two point lighting–

In a two-point lighting setup, two light sources are usually placed at 45 degree angle from the subject. One of them is your key light, which is the main light used to illuminate the subject, and the second is your fill light which helps to remove harsh shadows on the subject that are created by the key light.

Three point lighting-

Three-point lighting is a traditional method for illuminating a subject in a scene with light sources from three distinct positions. The three types of lights are key light, fill light, and backlight

Butterfly example..

This is butter fly because thee a butterfly shadow under the eye. It’s a single source directly in line with the subject’s face and the camera. If the shadows are a little too deep, a reflector can be placed below the subject to bounce light back up into the face.

Chiaroscuro example..

Chiaroscuro is a high-contrast lighting technique that utilises a low-key lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background. You light across your subject in one direction, and here we lit the background in the reverse direction. Ideally, the subject should go to black on the unlit side and the same for the background, it shows off the looks and eliminates the face.

Rembert example…

You can tell this photograph is Rembert because there’s a triangle underneath her eye. This is a technique utilizing one light and one reflector or two separate lights. It’s a popular technique because it creates images that look both dramatic yet natural.  Rembrandt lighting consists of a single light source placed on a 45 degree offset from the subject, about 5 feet away. Positioned roughly two feet higher than eye level, the light source is angled slightly downward and hits the side of the face that is farthest away from the camera

Here is some photos of the studio in action of 1,2,3, Rembert, butterfly and Chiaroscuro lighting..

One point lighting–

there is only one light source in the scene with no complementary sources to fill in shadows.

This is the simplest type of light placement and in fact mimics something we see every day — the sun! It has the most natural look and can have a dramatic lighting effect. It also draws attention, but can give a person onstage a very flat, two-dimensional look.

My photo of one ,two and three point lighting:

Two point lighting–

In a two-point lighting setup, two light sources are usually placed at 45 degree angle from the subject. One of them is your key light, which is the main light used to illuminate the subject, and the second is your fill light which helps to remove harsh shadows on the subject that are created by the key light.

Three point lighting-

Three-point lighting is a traditional method for illuminating a subject in a scene with light sources from three distinct positions. The three types of lights are key light, fill light, and backlight

Butterfly example..

This is butter fly because thee a butterfly shadow under the eye. It’s a single source directly in line with the subject’s face and the camera. If the shadows are a little too deep, a reflector can be placed below the subject to bounce light back up into the face.

Chiaroscuro example..

Chiaroscuro is a high-contrast lighting technique that utilises a low-key lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background. You light across your subject in one direction, and here we lit the background in the reverse direction. Ideally, the subject should go to black on the unlit side and the same for the background, it shows off the looks and eliminates the face.

Rembert example…

You can tell this photograph is Rembert because there’s a triangle underneath her eye. This is a technique utilizing one light and one reflector or two separate lights. It’s a popular technique because it creates images that look both dramatic yet natural.  Rembrandt lighting consists of a single light source placed on a 45 degree offset from the subject, about 5 feet away. Positioned roughly two feet higher than eye level, the light source is angled slightly downward and hits the side of the face that is farthest away from the camera

The last two pictures are edited to brighten up the contrast and flaws and imperfection’s.

Here is some photos of the studio in action.

To conclude

I think that this has been my best so far. It brings out so much about you as a person and having trail and error with different sets of lighting and 1,2 and 3 point lighting wasn’t easy, however we got there in the head. I really enjoyed taking these portraits but to do better I think I could’ve angled some of the light’s a bit better, which I will do for my next photoshoot. To wrap up I think I did quiet well in this project and these photographs’.

I took these photos of my teachers working. This shows them in their natural place of work, doing what they enjoy. I photographed these teachers because I feel as if I can trust them and know a bit about them therefore it would make sense to photograph them.

However I also took some of my own photos of my friend, at her work and happy a home enjoying herself.

These photos show a sense of charter and how hard they have worked to be where hey want to be.

 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.

Here are some of the photos after Lightroom…

To conclude..

For photographers, the responsibility is profound. Photographers not only capture the beauty and tragedy of our world, but also contribute significantly to shaping its future .

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

August Sander (1876 – 1964)

August Sander, born in Germany- died April 20, 1964, A German photographer who attempted to produce a comprehensive photographic document of the German people. His portraits were usually stark, photographed straight on in natural light, with facts of the sitters’ class and profession allude to through clothing, gesture, and backdrop.

The environmental factor of Sander’s portrait meant that the subjects in his photos would always be surrounded by the environmental they work in, in the background of the full-body shot, so their occupation was clear to the viewers. Here are some of them.

He used Zeiss lenses, an orthochromatic plate with corresponding light filter and clear fine grained glossy paper. He made his photos on 13 x 18 cm plates, enlarging them to 18 x 24 cm.” Which is about like a 5×7 large format camera.

The son of a mining carpenter, Sander apprenticed as a miner in 1889. Acquiring his first camera in 1892, he took up photography as a hobby and, after military service, pursued it professionally, working in a series of photographic firms and studios in Germany.

One of the first photographic typological studies was by the German photographer August Sandler.

Sanders approach to photographing the world has had an enormous influence on later photographers, such as Bernd and Hila Becher. 

Sander sought to create a record of social types, classes and the relationships between them, and recognised that the display of his portraits as a collection revealed so much more than the individual images would alone by themselves and he showed so much within his work . it was so powerful that it was a record.

The term ‘Typology’ was first used to describe a style of photography when Berend and Hila Becher began documenting dilapidated German industrial architecture in 1959. The couple described their subjects as ‘buildings where anonymity is accepted to be the style’. Each photograph was taken from the same angle, at approximately the same distance from the buildings. Their aim was to capture a record of a landscape they saw changing and disappearing before their eyes so once again, Typologies not only recorded a moment in time, they prompted the viewer to consider the subject’s place in the world.

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.

Here are some useful links related to this piece of work.

 Dusseldorf School of Photography

 August Sander’s 

 Bernd and Hilla Becher

He used movement that sought to depart from abstraction and artifice and return to realism, Sander wanted his photographs to expose truths. “Pure photography allows us to create portraits which render their subjects with absolute truth,” he said.

Another fascinating artist who took these style of photographs’ and structured them this way is..

Arnold Newman.

Arnold Abner Newman was an American photographer, noted for his “environmental portraits” of artists and politicians. He was also known for his carefully composed abstract still life images.

Born in Manhattan to a Jewish family, Newman grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey and later moved to Miami Beach, Florida. In 1936, he studied painting and drawing at the University of Miami. Unable to afford to continue after two years, he moved to Philadelphia to work for a studio, making 49-cent portraits in 1938.

Arnold Newman used many different techniques

and also favoured prime lenses, and clarity in his images. Newman was also known to use a range of lighting techniques to create the desired mood and atmosphere in his portraits. His skilful use of natural light, as well as studio lighting setups, helped him achieve a balance between the subject and their environment.

He frequently used medium format cameras, such as the Rolle flex and the Hasselblad, which allowed for greater detail and higher image quality. He also favoured prime lenses, and clarity in his images. Newman was also known to use a range of lighting techniques to create the desired mood and atmosphere in his portraits.

Here is some of his work.

Arnold Abner Newman was an American photographer, noted for his “environmental portraits” of artists and politicians. He was also known for his carefully composed abstract still life images.

To conclude
I think that this is very interesting and useful for peoples live, to show what they love to do and shows them happy doing what their doing which is nice to see, Portrait photography, also referred to as portraiture, is a type of photography in which the subject is one or more people and the aim is to convey something about the subject’s identity, personality, or story.

An environmental portrait is a photographed portrait that captures subjects in their natural surroundings instead of in a studio or other artificial setup.

Good environmental portraits will tell strong stories of their subjects. Their immediate surroundings will give the viewer insight into where these people are, what they do, and who they are. Locations that help to tell a person’s story could be places where they relax, and or work.

There are many different types of portrait styles you could take, and it gives you an insight on their life , especially if they have lived a long life, such as this mood board.

This.

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 term is most frequently used of a genre of photography.

It can show many things such as backgrounds, ethnicity, culture, religion, past and future, work, job, family and friends.

Environmental art is art that addresses social and political issues relating to the natural and urban environment.

The main aims of environmental art are to: Raise awareness of the dangers facing the planet and promote its conservation. Encourage communication and citizen participation to protect nature. Incentivise political commitment to fight global warming and its impact so that we can help each other and not single each other out.

Here’s an old image of this selective type of photo vs a today photo…

These types of photos are good for showing ethnic background’s and how people live the way they do and their lives revolving around jut one image. One photograph can show so much about someone and their life, past, future and present. It tells a story.

Environmental photography is a powerful conservation tool. There are many ways you can raise awareness about the importance of protecting our environment, but the most popular strategy is often through showcasing natural beauty, as in the case of Ansel Adams. Another tactic: demonstrating a visible problem.

A good photographer for this style of photos is..

Here’s a mind map of the main elements’ of environmental photography.

Why should you shoot environmental portraits?

When going for a more “real” depiction of a person in their workplace, an environmental portrait will deliver a better result. This is a way to describe the subject’s life in their everyday job from an authentic and spontaneous perspective.

Nature photography can also play a direct role in environmental work. Photography can be used to document and record the state of the landscape and how it has been shaped by human activities.

To conclude

I think that I am going to well on this project and am going to take loads of photos with different people and backgrounds, hopefully distributing a hidden and deeper meaning within the photos.

I like all of these images because they are very simple and classic. The lighting is focusing on the objects in the photograph. There is good exposure with these images and they are in focus. they seem to look clear and the shutter speed is a good temp for the mood and tone of these photos.

Some of these images are edited in Lightroom, with higher contrast and iso.

They are all set up with objects that could potentially outline you as a person.

To conclude –

Photographing inanimate still life subjects is a great creative and technical exercise. It allows you to take your time and carefully control your image, from the staging to the lighting, the shooting, and colorimetric management