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Portrait Composition and Subject Placement
Fundamental Portrait Lighting

Photography (Basic) - Introduction to photography and other graphic techniques
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302.159.1 Figure 7-5.–Subject placed too low in the photograph. Most inexperienced photographers place the head too low, rather than too high. This is usually the result of the photographer's desire to show as large a head as possible. When the head is too low, there is not enough body to support it (fig. 7-5). When  the  head  is  turned  toward  the  side,  avoid having the tip of the nose from coinciding with the outline of the cheek or projecting only slightly beyond the cheek line. In either case, the far eye will be divided by the nose. When the tip of the nose sticks out only a little beyond the cheek line, it appears as a lump on the cheek Before you seat a subject, suggest that the subject may like to check his or her appearance in a mirror. Combing the hair, straightening a tie, setting a hat at the proper angle, and smoothing out the lay of the clothes should ensure a neat, well-groomed appearance. When the subject is in military uniform, be sure that medals, ribbons,  insignia  of  grade  or  rate,  and  other  accessories are worn properly. These minor details are easily overlooked and failure to correct a discrepancy may make  it  necessary  to  retake  the  portrait. When a military subject is seated, one particularly important point to consider is the lay of the coat collar. The collar has a tendency to separate from the back of the subject's neck and project outward resulting in the impression of a hump. The coat should be pulled down to make the collar fit properly and make the line of the subject’s  back  appear  free  from  slouch  or  slump.  When the portrait includes only the head and shoulders, the drape of the coat can be improved by unbuttoning the lower button and pulling the bottom of the coat down. The  sleeves  of  a  coat  are  another  problem, particularly  when  you  photograph  a  seated  subject. There is a tendency for the sleeves to work up and wrinkle at the elbows, allowing either too much wrist or too much shirt cuff to show. To help remedy this, have the subject pull the sleeves of the coat down and straighten  out  the  wrinkles  as  much  as  possible. Wrinkles, folds, and unwanted creases in a uniform detract from a neat appearance. When the subject is wearing a long-sleeved shirt under a coat and the hands will appear in the portrait, both shirt cuffs should be visible or both should be out of sight. Do not have one cuff visible and the other not. Stay near the camera and tell the subject what to do. You are obligated to give directions regarding the pose. A subject is not able to see all posing aspects for the portrait. Whether the subject is an admiral or seaman, you  are  expected  to  detect  and  correct  any  discrepancy in pose, uniform, gestures, or actions, and so on. One of the greatest obstacles to successful portraiture is the timidness  of  some  photographers  and  the  way  they handle  the  subject.  Never  take  a  portrait  when something about the portrait is wrong because of fear or timidity to speak and act in the presence of high grade. The  results  will  be  disappointing  and  embarrassing. When the military subject is to be photographed uncovered, be sure that the hat is removed far enough in advance so any impression on the forehead caused by the hatband has time to disappear. When the subject shows a tendency to squint or blink, suggest that he rest his eyes by closing them for a moment. The facial expression is an important element to a good portrait. Unless some method is used to induce a  pleasant  expression,  the  subject  will  generally  appear bored and uninteresting. Telling a subject to look this way or smile is not enough to cause the subject to smile. A forced smile sometimes looks more like a frown. A good method to get a pleasant expression is through conversation. Talk about a recent incident, a funny story, the weather, or any other topic that will cause the subject to concentrate on something other than the business of making  a  portrait.  With  most  people,  a  smile  is contagious. When you smile at a person, the person usually responds with a smile. Beware of a broad smile 7-8







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