Notes on portraits

A few quick notes on portraits while I have not internalized these techniques yet:

• Fill the frame. Depending on if the background is blurred out or not, the area filled by the person should vary between 65 to 90 %.
  
• Remember the 1/3rd rule.
  
• Do not use light straight from the camera. Or, use side-light. Do not shoot at noon.
  
• If the eyes are looking away or hands are stretched, position the subject so that the look or the hands are towards the emptier half of the frame. For example, if a subject is looking to her left, position the subject on the left half of the frame so her eyes are looking towards the "open-half" of the photograph.
  
• Keep the focal length between 100 & 150 mm, & stay at least 10 feet away from the subject. This might change depending on whether you want to keep the backdrop in focus or not.
  
• And most importantly, the subject should be completely at home with you. Humour is very useful to a good photographer.
  

Huckleberry Finn

Time & Date: Early Morning, May 2004

Subject: Huckleberry Finn

Exposure: F8, AP

Comments: The soft morning light with the sun relatively low in the sky does not cast harsh shadows, which gives an even gradient of tonality across the subject. The framing is fair, though it appears as if the subject is looking up slightly. The background, since I did not attempt to frame the setting too, should really have been blurred out - I'm not sure if the background is a distraction. The eyes are positioned according to the one-third rule. A plain shirt would probably have been better. The expression, though, is a rare one!

Lotus Mahal

Time & Date: Noon. June 2006

Subject: Lotus Mahal, Zenana Enclosure, Hampi

Camera: Olympus D-435

Comments: I've had a tendency in the past to make the composition very tight. I think the framing of this one allows enough space to the subject & puts some kind of a setting into perspective. A slightly diagonal shot, in my mind, emphasizes the element of depth. Obviously, exposing for the relatively bright noon sky has meant that the subject itself is rather dulled. The man in the frame gives a perspective on the building dimensions - one of my pet tricks. The top left part of the picture is a little empty. A tree or two would have been nice.