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Seeking some protraiture experience
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Hey guys n gals,
I am looking to gain some on-site portraiture knowledge via a ‘sit by nelly’ approach.
I am new to the whole DSLR medium, but am getting familiar with manual settings and attaining best exposures. However, I would really like to gain some insight into real life studio lighting, prop set ups and posing techniques etc.
It’s my opinion that watching and experiencing the professional at work is the best way to gain knowledge (only so much video tutorials can inspire), so if there are any pro’s out there in Dublin who wouldn’t mind letting an enthusiastic individual sit in on some shoots on Thursday or Friday nights and potentially Saturday afternoons, I would be delighted to hear from you.
Regards,
Dave.
I take it that is a no then? The feedback either + or – on this forum is akin to flatline from what I can tell.
I don’t think that someone will post up a no tbh. All you should expect is a yes.
Personally I think that you will struggle to find a pro who will show you portraiture and the workings of a studio etc… for free.
There is a risk to them that you’ll learn and then start up your own business at some stage. Not in their interest, ie what are they
getting out of it…The best route would be to get on a course from DPS (sponsors here no the site) in Dublin and take it from there.
I think a studio course may be your best bet, and like Mark mentions, can’t see a working pro willing to give you the equivalent for free. If you have any contacts or friends, I would say milk them, and perhaps they will let you sit in with them, but what you are looking for is what a great many before you have also sought, and found no better alternative than to be a dogsbody to a pro, in order that in return for assisting, they could glean some of this stuff. Even such assisting gigs are rare enough, so I think if this is what you really want, be focussed and patient.
Myself, and as someone with a great interest in portraiture, I would simply read far and wide, with many generous pro’s putting a lot of great information out there on just what you seek, and also a great many books written on all the same. After that, buy a set of lights, or maybe just a single light, and start dabbling.
Just my 2 cents.
Welcome to the forum by the way :) It can be a quiet one though, and many members only log in here sporadically, so a little patience can be a good thing.
Hi Murchu, hello, there certainly is a boat load of info online, I will indeed get some lighting in the near future, and I may actually seek out a used mannequin to learn lighting.
I will be keeping an eye out for a beauty dish and a softbox second hand.
I have been enjoying Matt Brodie’s post processing tutorials and will be seeking to try out his methodology in LR.
Dave.
Ha ha, you made me laugh, when I read used mannequin :) One possibility for dabbling, might be to research a specific lighting setup, and practice that with a model/ person that doesn’t mind you photographing them (friend/ relative/ etc). That way you can have your lighting setup done before any shooting, and no faffing around when you could be shooting your subject instead, plus it will allow you to explore a specific setup thoroughly, before moving on. Just a thought.
You’re right, there is a lot of stuff out there, and thats just the photography-related lighting stuff. I think the painters had an even greater depth of knowledge than photographers, and could be worth looking into things in that area too. In that regard, you might like this rerun from Mike Johnston – http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2014/01/vintage-top-the-northlight-portrait.html” onclick=”window.open(this.href);return false;. There’s a lot to get bogged down in, but understanding the basics and origins of lighting is critical I think, if only to make it easier to pick through the material out there :) Also, once you know the basics of lighting, main light/ fill light/ hard shadows/ soft shadows/ etc, you can reverse engineer any lighting you see and like, and replicate then yourself :)
Thx for the link Murchu, unfortunately I don’t have friends who would be up for shooting sessions, hence my thoughts of a mannequin or at least a model head XP.
Portraiture without the people ? I thought they would have been one of the essential elements ;)
Only joking.. well, half joking, lol
Art colleges could be a source for “willing” models / students who would pose for free.
miki g wrote:
Art colleges could be a source for “willing” models / students who would pose for free.
Can you vouch for this Miki? Why would someone give up their time for an amateur photographer that they wouldn’t know?
Ridiculous thread anyway!
miki g wrote:
Art colleges could be a source for “willing” models / students who would pose for free.Can you vouch for this Miki? Why would someone give up their time for an amateur photographer that they wouldn’t know?
John17
i have to agree with john here, while some might be willing to pose for their colleagues i dont see why they would go to some strangers house, an amateur photographer, to pose for them for free. if someone had approached me when i was in college with a request like that i would think it was rather odd. unless you can find a fashion student who wants their range photographed, in which case you will probably still need to find a model. if you are not comfortable enough to get friends or family to sit for you, how is it going to be easier with a stranger?
a mannequin will not reflect light in the same way as a person will, the only similarity is in the shape. you could just as well use a stick. or some clothes on a hangar.
miki g wrote:
Art colleges could be a source for “willing” models / students who would pose for free.
While you may be right in terms of no money changing hands, I would doubt any such collaboration between a photographer and a model is free. Usually these sort of arrangements involve both parties getting something out of it, be it the model getting images or prints, and the photographer of course geting to shoot the model. Even ‘free’ subjects like family/ friends/ pets, are rarely free, and all have their non-monetary price to be paid ;)
OOps. What I meant was enrolling on a course in an art college, where other students on the course could take turns at posing. On a personal level, on several occassions, I’ve had girls asking me to shoot a portfolio for them as they wanted to get into modelling.
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