Why do this?
Fascinated and inspired by the old masters' portrait paintings in the Renaissance period, I want to create moody, painterly portraits using a camera.
Style:
The images for this type of photography are dark, moody and have shaper light contrasts.
Outline:
1) One light, unfeathered
Pros: Easy to start and see the lighting patterns; bigger catchlights
Cons: Too intense and strong, missing that moody look; also lighting up the backdrop
2) One light, feathered (lighting up the subject with the edge of the softbox)
Pros: Less intense but more dramatic; not lighting up the backdrop.
Cons: Needs multiple trial-and-error to position the light correctly.
3) Two lights
-Using the 2nd light as the fill light
-Variations: change the distance of the 2nd light to fill up more/less shadows
-There are more options as where you place the fill light (but not discussed in this video; check out the online class)
-Be careful not to fully fill up the shadows, otherwise the image will not appear to be moody and painterly.
4) Using natural lights
-I didn't intend to do natural light, we have a few minutes left so it was a bonus shot.
-Add the black side of the reflector or flag the light to add more shadows (sorry that I didn't bring a reflector).
-Add the white/silver side of the reflector to remove the shadows
-Improvements: shoot in another time when the natural light is more intense; shoot in a darker interior to bring in more shadows and contrasts.
5) Learn more in the my online class: Shooting Painterly Portraits.
christina-s-site.thinkific.co...
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My equipment:
-Camera: Canon R5
-Lens: Canon 85mm F1.4 lens
-Flash: Godox AD600 (main); AD200 (fill)
-Softbox: Glow Ez Lock 48" Octabox (main); 36" (fill)
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✅ Be sure to grab your FREE FLASH CARDS: 4 Steps to Shoot Fast on the Camera's Manual Mode
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✅ Photosprouts Photography Workshops* | Instructor-led Workshops in San Francisco
| Equipment provided |
Browse In-Person Workshops:
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✅ Christina Szeto Photography
Exquisite Family Photography serving the San Francisco Bay Area
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📸Photosprouts Online Classes:
📸 MASTER CLASS | From Natural Light to Off-Camera Flash Portraiture
| Building Your Confidence In On-Location Lighting |
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📸 The Exquisite Kids & Family Posing System
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📸 Shooting Painterly Portraits
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📸 Understanding Color Gels:
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📸 Color grading:
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📸 The Joy of Flower Photography:
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📸 Beginner 101 For Photography Newbies:
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