Erik Valind - Portrait Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots

Portrait Photography

From Snapshots to Great Shots

Erik Valind

Portrait Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots

Erik Valind

Peachpit Press

www.peachpit.com

To report errors, please send a note to

Peachpit Press is a division of Pearson Education.
Copyright 2014 by Peachpit Press

Project Editor: Valerie Witte
Production Editor: Katerina Malone
Developmental and Copyeditor: Anne Marie Walker
Proofreader: Patricia J. Pane
Composition: WolfsonDesign
Indexer: Valerie Haynes Perry
Cover Image: Erik Valind
Cover Design: Aren Straiger
Interior Design: Mimi Heft

Notice of Rights

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. For information on getting permission for reprints and excerpts, contact .

Notice of Liability

The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the author nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it.

Trademarks

From Snapshots to Great Shots is a trademark, in the U.S. and/or other countries, of Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates.

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and Peachpit was aware of a trademark claim, the designations appear as requested by the owner of the trademark. All other product names and services identified throughout this book are used in editorial fashion only and for the benefit of such companies with no intention of infringement of the trademark. No such use, or the use of any trade name, is intended to convey endorsement or other affiliation with this book.

ISBN-13: 978-0-321-95161-8
ISBN10: 0-321-95161-1

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Printed and bound in the United States of America

Dedication

To the muse; for when she resides in a person,
we cannot help but to take up our cameras.

Acknowledgements

I would like to sincerely thank all of my friends, family, and clients who have sat in front of my lens over the years. A real portrait is more about communication and trust than any combination of camera settings. Thank you for trusting me.

I want to thank the people who inspired me to pursue portrait photography in the beginning and who still inspire me to pick up the camera every day. Thank you, Danielle, for being my first muse, for drawing my gaze from action sports and the ocean to the people who actively pursue life instead. Thank you, Keely, for being my canvas and my mirror as I strove to learn how to shape light. You and so many others radiate beauty inside and out, and I hope that over the years Ive managed to catch but a glimmer of that on film.

I definitely want to thank the entire team over at Peachpit. Especially Ted Waitt for bringing me into the family, and Valerie Witte for cracking the whip and making sure my first solo book turned out great. I also need to thank Anne Marie Walker, Katerina Malone, and Patricia Pane for assisting me in taking tons of content and crafting it into something pretty to look at and pleasant to read. Without the aid of a small army, my words and photos would be nothing more than a bloated blog post. The quality of their contributions will be obvious in the pages of this book, but their professionalism and patience throughout the entire process is what I appreciated the most.

Also a special thank-you to Olivier from Sylights.com, and to all companies that put an emphasis on education with their products and services.

Finally, I want to thank everyone who has read my books or attended one of my workshops or seminars. Learning ones craft is key to creating better work and realizing the images in your minds eye. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share what Im passionate about with you, and for helping me become a better photographer and teacher in the process.

Erik Valind
New York, NY
February, 2014

Contents

Introduction

Many photo books that youll see on the shelf do a great job of delving into specific aspects of photography. Some books cover narrow subjects, like studio portrait lighting, or using only natural daylight. I wrote this book with a goal of combining all of the different pieces that work together to make a great portrait, with any subject, regardless of the lighting conditions. Yes, it was a lofty goal, but I guarantee after reading this book youll approach your subject, your gear, and your locations differently. With this newfound awareness, youll be creating incredible portraits in no time.

Q: What can I expect to learn from this book? A: In this book, youll get a well-rounded guide to taking better portraitsfrom the technical camera settings and lens selection, to the intangible communication and direction with your subjects, and finally, to specific tools and techniques for conquering a wide range of lighting environments to make people look their best. Q: What are the assignments all about? A: Dont worry, the assignments arent meant to feel like high school math homework. Personally, I learn best by doing, so each assignment covers techniques that were discussed in the chapter, and they encourage you to go out and put them into practice as soon as possible. This way you can focus on your subject at the next photoshoot, and not on trying a new tip or technique for the first time. Practice makes perfect. Then make sure to share your results with other readers on the books Flickr page. Q: Should I read the book straight through or can I skip around from chapter to chapter? A: Definitely begin with . It is designed to improve your portrait photography skills in a matter of minutes, helping you dial in key camera settings and important tips on composition. After that most of the book is broken up in such a way that each chapter covers a specific scenario or lighting environment. You can skip ahead to a problem thats vexing you at the moment, or more importantly, you can use these chapters as references to reread before future portrait shoots.

Top 10 Tips to Better Portraits

Nikon D800 ISO 100 1/200 sec. f/9 70mm lens

How to Start Taking Better Portraits Right Out of the Box!

If you only have time to read one chapter, this is itthe top tips to taking better portraits right out of the gate. Its not a chapter that tells you to go buy a better lens, or go hire world-class models, or even to fly to exotic locations for better backdrops. It deals with actions you can take right now.

Lets jump right in and start improving your portrait photography with the settings you have on the camera you already own. With a handful of tips and techniques that transcend equipment, youll be taking great shots in no time.

Cameras at the ready!

Poring Over the Picture

Nikon D800 ISO 100 1/160 sec. f/2.8 85mm lens

For this photo of a young model in the park I had to travel very light, as I had no assistant. We also had a short time to shoot before sunset. For these reasons I took only one lens and focused on these basic tips to get a great portrait out on location.

Next page