The Parting
When I was taking photographic art classes in college, like a lot of newbies I decided I wanted to be a professional photographer making great photographs and becoming famous and decadently wealthy. Landscapes, city-scapes, everyday street scenes; anything but portraits. However, I was well grounded enough to know that I would soon starve to death if I did not make portraits. To remedy the sickening situation, I took night classes from a local portrait photographer. There were five of us, I think, and I don't really remember much of what was taught, but one trick did stick with me: a way to help make your subject look slimmer in full body-length poses. First thing is the angle from which you shoot; best is what the pro called profile-front; in other words, shoot at an angle from the side and front. (He gave us handouts illustrating all this, but I probably smoked mine). A definite No! is allowing the bare arm to hang at the side; it will fool the viewer's eye into comparing body size to arm size, making the torso look thicker. Another No! is for the subject to pull his arm tight against the body; it will flatten and spread the flesh, again fooling the eye into thinking the entire torso is bigger than what it really is. Now comes the reason for shooting at an angle; have the subject place their hand on their hip or waist in such a way that the bent arm will form a hole between it and the torso. This in effect will allow the smallest part of the torso (the small of the back) to show unobstructed through the hole and deceive the eye into seeing a thinner body.
I never became a portrait photographer or any other kind of photographer for that matter, much less famous to the point where I could light my cigars with $50 bills. I did much better in my life; I found each one of you and that has made me decadently rich in spirit.
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A good photograph is knowing where to stand.
~Ansel Adams
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The "photo" adorning today's post has become a minor hit on Mega Shot; it was "Photo of the Day" in the Digital Art category on Tuesday, and I am plumb tickled to have my work chosen. There is nothing photographic about it except it was created in photo editing software. It is actually a standard Paintshop Pro gradient with the sun and flare added via the software's "Lights" filter. My only artistic endeavor was to draw in the sail on the "water" horizon and draw the little man and his shadow. Cripes; I can't even draw a stick figure; one of the people commenting thought it was a horse! It is actually a story of a man whose life-long love is leaving him on a sailing ship to never be seen by him again. He dejectedly stands and helplessly watches as her ship goes past the horizon, leaving him alone and broken hearted. No, I don't know why she left him; maybe she got a better offer. Anyway, it was a fun little project.
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Have a Thursday, you all! Again, it snows!!!
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When I was taking photographic art classes in college, like a lot of newbies I decided I wanted to be a professional photographer making great photographs and becoming famous and decadently wealthy. Landscapes, city-scapes, everyday street scenes; anything but portraits. However, I was well grounded enough to know that I would soon starve to death if I did not make portraits. To remedy the sickening situation, I took night classes from a local portrait photographer. There were five of us, I think, and I don't really remember much of what was taught, but one trick did stick with me: a way to help make your subject look slimmer in full body-length poses. First thing is the angle from which you shoot; best is what the pro called profile-front; in other words, shoot at an angle from the side and front. (He gave us handouts illustrating all this, but I probably smoked mine). A definite No! is allowing the bare arm to hang at the side; it will fool the viewer's eye into comparing body size to arm size, making the torso look thicker. Another No! is for the subject to pull his arm tight against the body; it will flatten and spread the flesh, again fooling the eye into thinking the entire torso is bigger than what it really is. Now comes the reason for shooting at an angle; have the subject place their hand on their hip or waist in such a way that the bent arm will form a hole between it and the torso. This in effect will allow the smallest part of the torso (the small of the back) to show unobstructed through the hole and deceive the eye into seeing a thinner body.
I never became a portrait photographer or any other kind of photographer for that matter, much less famous to the point where I could light my cigars with $50 bills. I did much better in my life; I found each one of you and that has made me decadently rich in spirit.
----
A good photograph is knowing where to stand.
~Ansel Adams
----
The "photo" adorning today's post has become a minor hit on Mega Shot; it was "Photo of the Day" in the Digital Art category on Tuesday, and I am plumb tickled to have my work chosen. There is nothing photographic about it except it was created in photo editing software. It is actually a standard Paintshop Pro gradient with the sun and flare added via the software's "Lights" filter. My only artistic endeavor was to draw in the sail on the "water" horizon and draw the little man and his shadow. Cripes; I can't even draw a stick figure; one of the people commenting thought it was a horse! It is actually a story of a man whose life-long love is leaving him on a sailing ship to never be seen by him again. He dejectedly stands and helplessly watches as her ship goes past the horizon, leaving him alone and broken hearted. No, I don't know why she left him; maybe she got a better offer. Anyway, it was a fun little project.
----
Have a Thursday, you all! Again, it snows!!!
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4 comments:
Great tips! on TAKING potraits. My dancing friends have the same sort of rules. Never allow a photo to be taken of you straight on, always maintain a smile (either demure or brilliant), and always assume the "dancer's pose" for pictures. Its all about your angles and body line. At first it feels funny to actually be "posing" for the best shot but once you see how effective a good pose can be to accent your nicest parts it is totally worth being a ham to achieve such. I'll have to share your tips w/ Mike as he takes most of my dance photos.
Your picture is lovely and looks like a warm place to sit under an umbrella and have a good think.
happy Thursday dear friend.
I thought that it is a dessert, and the ship is a mirage. The figurine of the man moves me. He is so little and so alone, and so huge space sorrouds him. Yes, it's very poetical.
I like the words of Ansel Adams.
Thanks, Tammy.
I would not have minded being a portrait photographer, but I am too impatient; I would have my clientele afraid to come around. :-)
There are a lot of "secrets" to posing, and many books have been written about it. A good and experienced portrait photographer knows knows how to deal with individuals and their personalities.
Have a good evening.
Thanks, Jola.
I like your interpretation, too. It makes it a surreal scene and leaves the sail's purpose to the imagination.
Adams was a great photographer and naturalist; he would have felt right at home in your Podlasie.
Have a good Friday.
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