Making a Photo

Building a photo from snapshot to studio shot. (Technically, you could do this with a point and shoot, but generally, no.) If you think of this website as bracketing a variable, here we are bracketing the formality of the photo, from casual to formal.

I think of formal shots as constructed images, where the photographer controls nearly every aspect of the photo, whereas informal shots are taken quickly with control over only a few variables, such as shutter speed and f-stop.

Bottom Line: Consider the range of options between a casual photo and a formal studio project.

Left

Right

Nicole shows up and I describe the photo I want to take, but I shoot her before I set up lights or background and before she puts on makeup or messes with her hair.

Nicole does up her makeup and hair. The photos is still casual in setup, but she is starting to look formal.

Nicole dresses up and puts on a necklace.

Nicole strikes a pose: "You will do what I say because I am a powerful woman."

Background added - some dark marble pattern paper on a sheet of foamcore.

NOTE: the lighting here was whatever light happened to be coming in the window behind her and the door to her right - an accident. I kind of like this accidental lighting better than my 3-light studio setup, but that is a secret.

When I covered the window with the marble paper, the exposure changed so much that her hair is now backlighted by the incidental light from the window, and the desk lamp to the left is warming her face and casting a shadow.

We added a big softbox to the front left of Nicole, hence the soft, shadowless light.

Added a strong light behind and left of Nicole to create more drama and texture across her face.

Added a strong backlight above and to the right to separate her hair from the background.

I still kind of like the accidental light in panel 5. If you have never taken a better photo by accident than you did on purpose you are either a really good photographer or you are full of crapola.