Portraiture

Background:
A portrait grabs our attention. People are fascinated by other people and since the advent of photography, images of people have saturated our lives. You cannot get through a day without seeing a portrait of someone, whether it be in advertisements, on walls, or on a Facebook profile. Almost all professional photographers have worked with people taking portraits. In this project you must focus on the figure. Try to express the personality and expression of your subject through photographs. Put your viewer in familiar situations, so they don’t think about the fact that they are being photographed. You must not forget about the background however, your subject should be complemented by his/her surroundings. Richard Avedon

Artists to consider: Man Ray, Richard Avedon, Alfred Eisenstadt, Annie Liebowitz, Helmut Newton

Assignment:
Your assignment is to photograph multiple portraits using an entire roll (24 exposures). You must photograph: yourself (self-portrait), a photograph of someone else, and a group portrait. Be careful not to take a snapshot. (Tell your friend to stand over there and smile brightly, saying “cheese”). Photography as a fine art does not allow for snapshots or cheesiness. You must turn in the following:

*A high quality print includes: Full range of values, pleasing composition utilizing the elements and principles, utilization of a contrast filter, manipulation of lighting. In addition, the print should be evenly mounted on black paper with all edges glued down.

Steps:

• Think about who you want to photograph. Try to get them in their natural element rather than setting a scene.
  
• Try multiple photographs of people both looking at the camera and not looking at the camera. Candid shots work very well. Hang out and talk to your friends while shooting.
  
• Meter for your subject and avoid unnecessary elements in the frame.
  

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