Re: [Leica] Portraiture without the blinding flash.

["Steve LeHuray" <icommag@toad.net>]

In case you don't know the Washington Post has a nice 2 part article on 
"How to take Portraits" article by Frank Ripper. Go to
http://www.washingtonpost.com then go to Camera Works.

Steve
Annapolis


> 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
>