Diamond Cameo is where four small oval portraits (1″ x ³/₄“) 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.

The carte de visite was a format of small photograph which was patented in Paris by photographer André Adolphe Eugène Disdéri in 1854, although first used by Louis Dodero. It was usually an albumen print from a collodion negative on thin paper glued onto a thicker paper card. The size of a carte de visite is 54.0 mm × 89 mm mounted on a card sized 64 mm × 100 mm. 

Henry Mullins:

Henry Mullins was the first professional photographer to come to Jersey and establish a portraiture business in the very early days of photography

Henry Mullins is one of the most prolific photographers represented in the Societe Jersiase Photo-Archive, producing over 9,000 portraits of islanders from 1852 to 1873 at a time when the population was around 55,000. The record we have of his work comes through his albums, in which he placed his clients in a social hierarchy. The arrangement of Mullins’ portraits of ‘who’s who’ in 19th century Jersey are highly politicised.

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. Here he would photograph Jersey political elite (The Bailiff, Lt Governor, Jurats, Deputies etc), mercantile families (Robin, Janvrin, Hemery, Nicolle ect.) military officers and professional classes (advocates, bankers, clergy, doctors etc). Initially he was in partnership with a Mr Millward, about whom very little is known. By the following year he was working alone and he continued to work out of the same studio for another 26 years.

Diamond Cameo Photoshoot:

For this photoshoot, I went into the studio and took headshots of students. I ensured that I captured them from direct angles eg front on and side on so I can then use these to create a diamond cameo. I experimented with using a dark background and light background I took a variety of portrait and landscape photos.

Once I had my images, I then picked 4 that I wanted to use on my diamond cameo. I edited these on Lightroom, adjusting the exposure, composure, whites etc. I then opened a new blank page on photoshop then pressed file the open in order to pick on of the 4 images from my file. Once I had opened the image I wanted to use, I clicked on the elliptical Marquee Tool and created an oval shape around the face of the subject. I then dragged down the tab and using the select tool, dragged the cut out onto the blank page. I then used ctrl t in order to move and adjust the size of the images. I repeated these steps until I had 4 images in a diamond shape.

Finally, to finish off this first attempt, I added a drop shadow to each of the images to make them stand out compared to the white background. Here is my first attempt at creating a diamond cameo.

I then decided I wanted to experiment more with this first attempt and chose to make the images black and white. In order to do this, I went onto image, adjustments then pressed black and white.

Next, I made the images have a sepia colour in order to give the impression of it being old as seen in Henry Mullins’ images. I did this by going onto image, adjustments, photo filter then chose the sepia colour and raised this to 62%.

I then decided to colour the blank background in order to make it more interesting to look at. I decided to use a beige like colour in order to match with the old theme I was going with. In order to colour the background, I used the paint bucket tool and then experimented with different colours until I was left with an image I was satisfied with.

Lastly, I experimented with adding a pattern over my images. I did this by going onto each of my layers then right clicking and pressing blending options. I then went down to pattern overlay and chose a brown grassy pattern as I felt this matched the sepia tone I had previously. I then changed the opacity of it to be 24% so you can still see the person behind it. I also decided to make the background a bit less colourful as otherwise it felt too similar to the images and looked cluttered.

Overall, I like how this first attempt and my different experimentations of it came out. I feel I successfully managed to create a diamond cameo and a vintage tone as seen in Henry Mullin’s work, which is what I was trying to achieve. Next, I want to experiment with different images and a different model.

I think these diamond cameos turned out well too. However, to further my work next time I would try to add a frame to my images as I noticed that I whilst researching about diamond cameos, they sometimes had a frame around the headshots, making them look richer and helped to make the overall image look more vintage.

For my final diamond cameo, I decided to try something different and create a bright boarder around my images which are placed on a black piece of paper. I did this by repeating the usual steps when creating my other diamond cameos. However, once I had done these steps, I went onto each of my layers and right clicked on them. I then went onto blending options and selected outer glow. I experimented with different opacities, sizes and ranges until I found the perfect glow boarder. I made one in colour and then one in black and white.

Here I experimented with adding two different people to one diamond cameo:

During this project, I managed to experiment with a variety of different diamond cameos. For example, I tried a range of different colours, textures, people and backgrounds. These different attempts at creating different, unique diamond cameos helped me to be able to use photoshop more comfortably and make my work more interesting to look at as it isn’t just the same concept each time.

What are Head-shots?

Head-shots are a specific type of portrait photography that focuses on capturing an individual’s face, typically from the shoulders up. They are often used in professional settings, such as for actors, models, business professionals, or individuals seeking employment. Head-shots aim to capture the subject’s personality, professionalism, and approach-ability. They are used for various purposes, including resumes, portfolios, websites, social media profiles, and corporate profiles. Head shots are generally characterized by a clean and simple composition, with the subject looking directly at the camera to establish a connection with the viewer.

Why are they important?

Headshots are important for professional presentation, personal branding, career advancement, networking, and brand consistency. They create a positive first impression, convey personality and professionalism, increase visibility and opportunities, improve online presence, and contribute to a cohesive image for businesses.

Who is famous for Head-shots?

There are several famous photographers known for their expertise in head shot photography, including Peter Hurley, Annie Leibovitz, Mark Seliger, Lindsay Adler, and Greg Gorman. These photographers have established themselves as experts in capturing authentic and compelling headshots, working with celebrities and models. They are recognized for their unique styles and ability to capture personality and emotion in their images. However, there are also numerous other talented headshot photographers who may vary in popularity based on personal preferences and location.

Examples of Headshots;

What is fixing the shadows?

Fixing the shadows in photography refers to the process of ensuring that the dark areas of an image have adequate detail and are not overly underexposed or lost in darkness. It involves adjusting the exposure or using post-processing techniques to retain or enhance the shadow details, making them visible and well-defined without being too bright or washed out.

In photography, shadows play an essential role in creating depth, contrast, and mood, so it is important to strike a balance between the well-exposed areas and the shadows in an image. This can be achieved through proper lighting techniques during the initial capture or through adjustments made during post-processing using software tools like Photoshop, Lightroom, or other editing software.

Fixing shadows typically involves adjusting the brightness, exposure, contrast, or levels of the shadow areas selectively to ensure that they are neither too dark nor too bright. With careful editing, photographers can bring out details in the shadows without losing the overall integrity of the image.

Why is it Important?

Fixing shadows in photography is crucial for multiple reasons: it enhances detail and clarity, sets the desired mood and atmosphere, creates balance and contrast, adds visual interest through patterns and textures, and effectively conveys storytelling elements. Overall, shadow fixing elevates the quality and impact of an image, making it visually captivating and successful.

Additional facts about fixing the shadow;

Fixing shadows in photography involves manipulating light sources and exposure settings to achieve a desired outcome. It can be done during the shooting process or in post-processing using software like Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. HDR photography and dodging/burning techniques are commonly used to capture a wider range of shadow details and selectively adjust exposure. Shadows can be natural or artificially created, and experimentation is important to discover unique styles and enhance image composition. Ultimately, fixing shadows is an artistic choice driven by the photographer’s vision.

What is the origin of photography?

Photography originated in the early 19th century and is credited to multiple inventors and technological advancements. Joseph Nicéphore Niépce created the first permanent photograph in 1826 using a camera obscura and a bitumen-coated metal plate. Louis Daguerre developed the daguerreotype process in 1839, producing detailed images on silver-plated copper plates with reduced exposure time. William Henry Fox Talbot introduced the calotype process, enabling multiple prints from a single negative in 1839. Further innovations such as dry plates, roll film, and portable cameras were introduced throughout the 19th century. The Kodak camera by George Eastman in 1888 made photography accessible to the general public. The development of photography is a result of the collaborative efforts of inventors and technological advancements.

Why is the origin of photography important?

The origin of photography is significant because it revolutionized various aspects of human life. It showcases technological advancements, enables documentation and historical preservation, fosters artistic expression, facilitates communication and journalism, and has personal and social impact. Photography has transformed how we create, remember, communicate, and understand the world.

Additional facts about the origin of photography;

The origin of photography is marked by several important milestones. The camera obscura, used by artists for centuries, laid the foundation for capturing light to create images. Joseph Nicéphore Niépce’s successful capture of the first permanent photograph in 1826 and Louis Daguerre’s introduction of the daguerreotype in 1839 were significant breakthroughs. The development of the wet plate collodion process in the 1850s improved image quality and production. Advancements in technology and manufacturing made photography more accessible to the public, and the shift to digital photography in the 20th century transformed the industry. These milestones demonstrate the continuous evolution and impact of photography on the medium itself.

Butterfly lighting is a technique of lighting the forms a small butterfly shape under the nose, where it got its name, and it can also highlight the cheekbones.

It is a technique that will flatter anyone. Then taken with soft light it can cast a delicate light to create an ethereal look. here is a example that I took.

to create the technique have a light directly faceing down on to the models face, as seen below.

This is my finalized successful virtual gallery. I picked these images as it has a range of the lighting techniques; Rembrandt, Chiaroscuro,

Throughout this project, I learnt about a variety of different lighting types eg Rembrandt, Butterfly and Chiaroscuro lighting and where they originated from. I also learnt how to set up each lighting type in the studio. During this process, I also became familiar with setting up the camera according to the type of picture I wanted to take eg changing the mode of the camera, the ISO, aperture etc. I think most of my photoshoots were successful and I managed to grasp the concept of each lighting technique and portray them in my work. I also like the clarity of my images and the quality which gives my images a professional look.

However, I felt that butterfly lighting was my weakest area of the 3 lighting types. This is because in my images the butterfly shadow that should be seen below the nose wasn’t as clear and defined as it could’ve been. So, if I were to do this photoshoot again, I would try placing my light source slightly higher in order to cast a bigger shadow.

butterfly lighting edits

most photos that I’ve seen with the butterfly effect have been in black and white with your odd exceptions in colour, therefore this persuaded me to make the image black and white. and I liked the way the image came out.

this is also another image that I like because it does what a portrait is supposed to do show off the details of the subject and it also shows off the butterfly effect really well.

Rembrandt lighting:

to make the Rembrandt effect look even better I decided to make the subject in the photo more brighter however still have the textures and shades on the face as I personally think it made the triangle and the shadow on the subject pop even more.

this other photo I decided to make with Rembrandt effect was in black and white as I wanted to experiment doing different things instead of having the photos in just colour for my Rembrandt images.

Chiaroscuro lighting:

to achieve the Chiaroscuro effect I had to show the contrast between black and white by making it seem like there is an unknown source of light beaming on the subject

I made another photo which I think fits the description of the Chiaroscuro lighting effect personally I think it came out really well