Environmental portraits

JimW

I’m starting to do some environmental portraits of people who live in my apartment building in NYC. This is Elise, an artist who lives upstairs. The upper floors have some nice window light. In these photos, she is working in the early morning.










The following photo is my RAW capture from the camera with no flash or funny stuff yet. Standing there that morning, the room was much brighter than the following RAW capture shows. However, I wanted to retain some value in those highlights, so I need to raise the brightness considerably without blowing the highlights. So, I put a flash on a light stand behind me and to the camera’s left, and pointed it up to bounce off the ceiling, and triggered it with a Pocket Wizard radio slave. But I didn’t want the flash to overpower the sunlight streaming in the windows. I put the flash on manual, ¼ power. The iso is 100, aperture is F9, shutter is 1/15 on a tripod. This gave me the brightness I wanted, yet left some value in those sun patches. Comments welcome.

System

like these very much-

the second one with your use of the mirror is a nice touch-

appreciate the explanation re the lighting-

Antonio Correia

I like all the photos.
They are a good example of the use of fill flash.

But, and probably you will agree with me, the photo which transmits the best the mood the ambiance of the working area, is the last one, where no flash was used.
We can see her profile. Good. Good.:D

May be a very soft flash to fill the shadows on the bottom right would be great ...
Care to try ? How about black and white ?

JimW

Thank you George and Antonio for your comments.

Actually, Antonio, I prefer the brighter version (the first). However, I understand and appreciate your words concerning the mood of the natural light. It was so very bright in the room. The only reason the RAW capture is so dark is because I was trying to hold the highlights in the ambient exposure. But I am still working on a reshoot, and will try to maximize the natural light effect. I love b&w and often use it, but for this project I’ve decided on color.

It’s always a tradeoff between the natural light and flash, and I appreciate your vote for the natural light. Unfortunately, it would result in the room looking much darker than it really was. One partial solution is to reshoot at a different time of day, to avoid the direct sun. I will try that too.

I sincerely appreciate your comments.

emmalou

I like the first shot....especially the plants reaching for the sun Is she a graphic designer? Looks like some silkscreen stuff on the walls as well..
I look forward to "meeting" more of your apartment dwellers

leaforte

The blues in the second photo are nice balance points. IMO the second photo has the most character. Thanks for sharing.

leaforte

Do Overs

The first really intrigues me and I keep going back. hmmm. What is there about it? Maybe the the colours from the windows, or the canvases on the walls, the pinks and blues, or the way the baskets in the foreground bring it all around to the desk? I'm not sure. But I definitely like to look at #1.

Hussain-Arts

nice place for working .. wow

wesleyt

Jim,

I absolutely love #1. THanks for sharing it with us!

- Wes

JimW

emmalou, leaforte, Hussain-Arts, wesleyt – Thanks all for your comments.


<<< Is she a graphic designer? Looks like some silkscreen stuff on the walls as well.>>>

It does but, no, she makes fine art with pencils and paints usually. (Elise is an interesting and accomplished artist, represented by the Cynthia Broan Gallery.)


<<< The first really intrigues me and I keep going back. hmmm. What is there about it? Maybe the the colours from the windows, or the canvases on the walls, the pinks and blues, or the way the baskets in the foreground bring it all around to the desk? I'm not sure. But I definitely like to look at #1.>>

I understand. For me anyway, it’s the sense of place. In environmental portraits this comes into play more than in the studio. The plants, art on walls, colors, scene outside the window etc. all inform us as to the person, but a person’s space informs us too. She works alone, and the sense of place in the first photo tells us more than the closer view in the second, I think. Perhaps that’s why the first wears well compared to the second. Anyway, appreciate the comments.