Recently I put out a challenge for you to take a portrait of a friend or neighbor, so I thought I’d give you some inspiration and ideas by rounding up some stunning portraits.
I love photographing people and lighting is something I teach in my classes and here on the website including:
- How to Create a Dramatic Profile Portrait Anywhere Without Using Flash
- How to Use Off Camera Flash for Outdoor Portraits
- Off Camera Flash Techniques For Dramatic Portrait Lighting
Enjoy this set of images. They are from 500px by various photographers. Take note of the different styles and the lighting in each portrait. What style do you relate to or like the most?
First of all i really liked those photos and i appreciate your work a lot (big big big thanks for you)
I realized that is some photos have a great eyes contact so could you
establish an something about eyes contact in photography ?
it will help us too much.
again thanks best regards .
As an amateur photographer, I would like to leave a big Thank You to Darlene for this site and the many great tutorials, tips, and inspiring images. I’m a subscriber, but I confess that I don’t check the site very often; I like to do most of my learning behind the camera rather than in front of the computer. Even though, when I do check the site I enjoy the nature of the tips and tutorial seeing as I use only natural light which slightly limits my ability to experiment. The comments, especially when based on relevant techniques and skills, are especially helpful. Personally, I enjoy photos with a more natural feel so I’m not attracted to all of the ones above, but they all have something to teach and I have so much to learn; they are definitely something to aspire to. I will try to start posting some of my images to get the most out of the professional experience and feedback of all photographers here. Best Regards.
Thanks for that!
here : http://www.500px.com/
Thank you so much!
I love the portraits of old people, but most seem to be of folks from other cultures than mine. I find that my friends and family seem to react with dismay to any signs of ageing (especially wrinkles) in photos I take of them. That may be something of a cultural thing here in the US, but I’d love to get better at showing them how beautiful they are to me.
these are all great pictures Darlene… I specially liked… “Elliot & his Hen”… the child looks so cute and at the same time.. his eyes are so naughty…
“Autumn light” is another photograph that I would like to click myself… its soo very cute and well captured with so many colors in the pic….
Can i also share one of my clicks here… if you allow
I know I love the hen one too! Yes please share!
I was about to share one of this pictures on my facebook page but I noticed that there is a $50 cost to do so, if I understand it correctly.
I tought that including the author and source would suffice.
I’d appreciate your coments.
Sorry I’m not sure what you mean. The photos shared here are owned by the original photographers. Have you clicked through to their 500px to see the image there?
I clicked the thumbs up on the “old man at the mountains” photo and took me to a place where those royalty prices appeared.
Not sure what you clicked but just go here to the photos page https://500px.com/photo/15444879/an-old-man-at-the-mountains-by-abe-less and click the Facebook share and you can share it, there is no fee.
“Inspiring” is really not the word I would use to describe these portraits. Banal is more like it. Besides, most of them are over-processed into oblivion.
Thanks for your thoughts. I obviously disagree but that’s the great thing about photography – we can all have own opinions. Can you share a couple that you do feel are inspiring? What do you look for?
I’m looking for something that makes me curious about the person portrayed. Very few pictures from the ones above make me want to know more about people in them – or those who took them, for that matter. It’s completely and utterly a question of taste and preferences,I ‘m absolutely aware of that. But I really loathe overprocessing and the slicked look of portraits resulting from it.
As do I which is why I chose these as I didn’t feel they were over processed. Many are made to look like plastic skin, I do not like that look.
I find your comment interesting. I have been doing this for 38 years and have experienced all forms of portraiture from classic through to abstract form both in the field and in my studio. I personally feel these examples posted on this blog worthy of inpsiration for those who are developing. I too would love to see examples of what inspires you. Portraiture is such an emotional form of photography for both subject and viewer which is why I find it so rewarding. Regards, Allan (Brisbane, Australia).
Karina, if these are banal why don’t you inspire us mere mortals by sharing some of your inspiring photos so we can all see how a maestro does it.
Don’t slip on the sarcasm you are dripping.
Hey, you turned the tap on. If I could take photos half as banal as these I would be very happy.
John please let’s keep it on a less personal level. She is entitled to her opinion without having to feel beat up. She has ever right to make a comment and express her opinion. So please let’s all remember that. Please see Allan and Gregory’s conversation above to see how it is done in an adult manner. Let’s go that route please.
Happy to do that Darlene. I accept Karina is entitled to her opinion. I also accept that photography, like any art form, is subjective to the individual. What I couldn’t accept was the wholesale dismissal of 30 excellent photos as merely banal or over processed without at least giving an example of what, in her opinion, an inspiring should look like.
Fair enough, but it was the tone of your message that was a bit offensive to her I’d say. I had already replied and asked her to show us an example of what is inspiring to her. There is a lot of sarcasm in the tone and you got a reply from her that had the same. That’s how thing get outta hand. Just keep it less personal please, thanks.
Without being as assertive as Karina, I, too, while being a very introductory photographer, found the images were too artificial. Perhaps it was really obvious because so many photos were placed adjacent to one another. I understand that post-processing is very important but too many of these images looked heavily processed to me in obvious ways, even though I know very little about post-processing. As well I felt that you could almost feel the photographer asking the subject to pose in a particular way. I think that a good adage is: ‘The art of arts is to hide the art’.
Gregory I am not going to agree or disagree with you as everyone has there own thoughts on these matters. But I would like to at least make this comment; there are many forms of portraiture and what you describe in my opinion is a very different form to that shown in these examples. To me, you are describing candid portraiture where as these examples that Darlene has posted are in some cases structured characterisations and in others intended compositions that are clearly not meant to be candid. What I see as inspirational is the usage of DOF, Light, Tones, Textures, Composition, Balance, Emotion as a conglomerate of technical elements creating an image of intent. Therefore yes they all look as purposely posed but that in my opinion was intended. I feel the comments of reference suggesting heavily processed may not be as heavy as some may appear. I am a big believer in the theory that you always learn no matter how much you know and is why I started keeping an eye on this site. Whilst I may not agree with everything said or images shown, I think one should always keep an open mind and in that context I do think these images have inspirational qualities. I shoot mostly in the f1.2 to f2.8 range and I can say that much of what you see in these images is achievable without much processing at all. If nothing else, the very fact that people are debating this topic is a wonderful thing and gets peoples minds into thought. For this I thank Darlene for placing herself on the front line. She has my respect in full….
Allan, Thank for responding to my comments. I agree with you that what Darlene selected were non-candid portraits and I showed my strong preference for more candid ones. I also agree that continuing learning is important in all forms of human endeavour and I definitely can learn from the usage of DOF, etc. I also appreciate your comment, based on much greater experience than I have, that the images may not be as overprocessed as I thought. However, I do not think that I implied that Darlene should not have posted the images, that I do not respect her, or that there should not be debate. From my experience this discussion about post-processing in photography is still a hot topic and has ‘ever been thus’. Finally, I think that Darlene used the words “… some stunning portraits” and “Enjoy this set of images”. What I was trying to say, however imperfectly, was that I personally do not enjoy this style of photography that much and I find a more subtle approach more pleasing.
Well said Gregory, I think it is great that our passion draws individuality from all perspectives. The irony is that I myself am not a big fan of heavy saturations nor overprocessing and 85% of my output is delivered to my clients straight from the camera. But in saying that, I also feel a well rounded set of skills includes the ability to process images in post edit. I think were I was coming from in my comments more aligns to the disapointment I have had of recent with the copious amount of internet resources that has mislead budding photographers and how unlike the eralier years whereby photography was a true trade, it seems these days everyone is a professional on the basis of camera smarts in onboard technologies as opposed to photographic knowledge derived from learning the real fundamentals of photography. And to finish my explanation, I see so many people discrediting great work by genuine photographers on the basis of their newfound successes underpinned by a smart camera rather than their actual abilities. So when I see examples of work that obviously demostrates solid effort and utilisation of sound skills, I like to acknowledge and appreciate such efforts regardless of whether or not I myself would shoot that style. I still believe that this work is inspirational for developing photographers because it gives a definitive level to aim for.
All valid opinions.
Great comments on both parts guys, way to keep it civil and adult. Thank you for that!
A great selection of photos! I will keep this email marked and refer back to these shots again, and probably again 🙂
Thanks Martin. I am all about the light and selected these as they all have great lighting.