In the previous class, we went during the Golden Hour sunlight to practice our portraiture shots. I wasn’t  pleased with the outcome of some of these photographs, but they nevertheless provided me with valuable experience through which I developed various techniques I would like to express throughout my final sets. Here are the top sets photos I chose from my collection and what I learned from each on:

1. Silhouettes

I found this photo really fascinating, as it didn’t capture any specific details of the model while still transmitting emotions of loneliness and isolation. The sun shines at the back of the image, capturing an outline of the body but not any facial features, making the portraiture more mysterious, unique, and eye-catching. At the same time, the hair of the person reflects some of the sunlight, and some relatively stronger sun rays pass around the head to create a thicker atmosphere. The clouds in the background add depth and interest, leading the viewer’s attention to the main subject. Through editing, I emphasized the black point, shadows, and added brilliance to create stronger contrast between light and dark.

Overall, I was pleased with the outcome of this photograph. In future shots, however, I would wish to add more elements to the background, perhaps another shadow, to make the image’s meaning and theme clearer and make it more interesting.

2. Autumn and Hope

These 2 photos can be considered to be of the same collection, showing a person sitting under trees with beautiful yellow/orange leafs. Overall, the first image focuses more on the expression of the model. It features a person looking at the far distance, as if thinking of something deep in his heart. One half of his face is illuminated by sunlight, while the other half stays in the shadow, as if a comparison between hope, dreams, and reality. In the background, the autumn leaves create depth and reflect a contrast between the dark cloths of the model and also symbolize time and the end of summertime, its memories fading away at the arrival of winter. It reflects the life of a ordinary person in the modern society and challenges he faces, something which many can connect to.

The second image focuses more on the posture and hands. While reflecting the same atmosphere and mood, the image shows the model with his hands in his pockets in a natural sitting posture. It shows difficulties and experiences the model is going through with a pause of the fast-paced life to think and reflect.

These particular 2 are my favorite out of the practice shots, as the image looks natural and candid rather than pre-arranged, giving a deeper insight into a person’s inner thoughts, mood, and feelings. Even though I am deciding to take the first set of photographs in a studio, this photograph is important experience for me when considering the effects of background and posture in portraiture.

3. Shadows

These set of 2 images once again focus on lighting, shadows, and reflections once again. The first image portrays a model looking in the distance and illuminated by light, while his reflection in the window shows his shadow and silhouette. The reflection also captures the rising sun and some of its light rays, making the left hand side of the image more interesting overall. The model’s facial expression and surroundings all suggest feelings of hope and motivation to complete some goal. However, I dislike the other elements captured in the reflection, such as an outline of the school building, which really draws attention away from the main subject.

The second image captures a larger portion of the model’s mody and posture. Similar to the previous set, it shows his hands placed naturally in his pockets and his upright position, further taking on the feelings of motivation the photograph brings to the audience. In this image, the outline of the building is less of a distraction but more of a leading line, leading attention through the reflection of the sun and onto the main subject. Through editing, I was capable of adjusting intensity of color tones and increasing sharpness to make contrast stand out and make the image rather sincere in order to make connection with the audience.