Editorial Portrait Photography Workshop

Individual Program

Preparation:

Familiarize yourself with Ansel Adams Zone system and modes of checking luminance of the scenery, including the critical areas like model’s face and its visual role in the final image

Study photographs by:

Nadar (Gaspard-Félix Tournachon 1820 –1910) a French photographer Portrait of Sarah Bernhardt

Man Ray (1890 –1976)   an American in Paris  Oeuvres

Bill Brandt  (1904 – 1983) a British photographer  Nude 1952, portraits

Henri Cartier-Bresson  (1908 –2004) a French photographer  Madrid, 1933

Irving Penn   (1917 – 2009)  an American photographer Nicole Kidman, New York, 2003

Guy Burdin, (1928 – 1991) a French fashion photographer

Richard Avedon  (1923 – 2004)  an American photographer Reverend Martin Cyril D'Arcy, S.J., New York

Don McCullin (1935) a British photographer  Soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment counter-attack young Catholic stone-throwers in The Bogside, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 1971

How to approach the commission to take portraits of

  • a subject, you have never met

  • using available light only (no flash)

  • set yourself time restriction of 20 min to create 2 portraits

Requirements:

  • Sound technical background

  • Understand various functions of your camera especially measurement of light (preferably available light)

  • Good quality camera (preferable DSLR or Mirrorless or SLR or rangefinder camera)

  • Understanding of psychological impact of different lenses

  • Maximum lens aperture f/1.8

  • Manual exposure speed availability

  • Write down all your observations and write to me bolutos@gmail .com

  • Understanding of exposure delay and its importance for portrait photography

  • Creative use of available light and exposure

  • Brief outline of editorial requirements

  • Ability to create an effective rapport with your subject

    • Sensitivity to the subject’s personality and emotions

    • Gentle steering of the interaction to achieve the desired body movements

    • Maintaining effortless relation with the subject, while controlling all technical aspects “behind the scenes”

  • for reference see my book

  • Silent Conversations

    After the workshop, you may send me a single portrait plus observations/thoughts for individual response bolutos@gmail.com

A single, original session may produce images for all types of functions like:

a poster or a book cover