[Leica] Portraiture without the blinding flash.

[Bryant <tbryant@wizard.net>]

Hi Luggers, esp. Ted,

    Some thoughts on portraiture:

> Just wondered if anyone out there has done any "serious portrait work"
> using only window light? In colour or B&W, and what film/lens
> combination they used?

> I mean portraits that challenge the "portrait studio " of
> strobes/hotlights ?

    I've had fairly good luck with this technique.  All you need is
your Leica, a 90 (I'm a fan of the old Summicron), and a good tripod.

    Get a nice background set up, usually with the window which is your main
source of illumination a bit in front of the subject.  You might want to have
a large piece of white poster board on the other side of the window to
function as a reflector to mute any strong shadows caused by the window's
light.  

    Check your lighting.  In general, you don't want more than about 4 stops
between the darkest and lightest portion of the picture.  I prefer north
facing windows (Northern hemisphere, of course) or cloudy days.  Adjust harsh
shadows with the white poster board(s).

    Make your subject comfortable, and let them know that the exposures will
be rather long, as there isn't much light, but there will be no flash.  This
latter gets them fairly relaxed.  Most people do not like strobes going off
into their eyes, and their anticipation of this does not add to the quality of
the portrait.  

    Before you make an exposure, position your subject, and tell them to
relax and hold very still.  Then take the picture.  I use a cable release or
the self timer.  The gentle click of the Leica shutter is a plus here.  The
less the subject is disturbed, the better the portrait. 

    Other thoughts:

        Shoot lots of film.  For nervous subjects, the first roll is almost
        always a bust. 

        Most women, and a sizable number of men really glow if you ask them to
        look at a happy baby held off camera.

        Have a good line of conversation.  This requires practice.  It's an
        art, not a science, and you get better at making you subject look 
        good after you've done this a few times.

   Good luck,


   Tom