This was my first shoot trying my new idea and technique. There was a lot to think about when deciding composition/framing and position of the model. I kept in mind things that I found interesting from my research, so trying to show a sense of place.
This shoot was a lot more difficult than I expected. There is so much you have to make sure is correct and I can imagine when I am photographing people in their homes I’ll feel a bit of pressure to be quick. The first thing to think about was how much of the window I want to get in the frame. I originally thought about only having the glass but now I have tried it, I think it works better with the window frame. It suggests more information about what is going on. The next thing to think about was the position of the subject. Do I want them facing the camera? Carrying in with whatever they are doing? Looking into the distance? Although in this shoot he looked at the camera, this is something I want to experiment more with to see what is most successful.
The window in the photo above takes up too much of the frame. I need to get the proportion right where theres enough window that it is clear what it is but not too much that it distracts you from the main subject. This window was particularly difficult to work around as it was a door so was tall but thin.
The reflection is an interesting aspect to the portraits but is challenging. The first obvious issue is making sure I am not seen in the window. This limits the angles I can shoot at. This shoot was just before sunset so I had to make sure the light hit how I wanted it and didn’t make the reflection too bright. Apart from that there is only so much I can control as I can’t choose what is in the surrounding area.
This is the most successful image of this shoot. You can clearly see the subject (which is the most important thing I want) but can also see the reflection. The reflection adds depth and will make it more interesting for the viewer. There is no window frame in this one as there was just too much in the frame. I made the mistake of shooting in landscape for all the other photos. I did this because I thought if I shot in landscape it would be more effective at showing the window. I know now that this doesn’t work and will stick to portrait in the future.
What I have learnt is that the time of day I shot at was effective. I chose evening as the sun was lower creating nicer light and less harsh shadow. It also meant there wasn’t too much direct light, meaning the image had a softer feel to it. I will do the next shoot before sun set as well to check if this is how I want to carry on.
Lucy Davis 