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Typing Practice 019 - Technique Portrait Tips. Claire Gillo

violet moon 2020. 4. 20. 06:45

Claire Gillo

Claire Gillo is AP's acting technique editor, a freelance writer, and a photographer based in Devon. During the past decade she has worked across a number of photography magazines. Find out more about her work at www.clairegillo.com 

 

Action portraits

Claire Gillo shows you how to freeze a ballerina action using minimal kit

 

Using the light

I got asked if this image had been taken using flash and the answer is 'no'! Using the natural sunlight as it begins to soften and drop in the sky creates amazing opportunities for striking portraits. The shadows cast over one side of the dancer's body create a more sculptural look.

 

Timed to perfection 

With action portraiture it's tricky to capture the optimum moment, so I set my camera up to make the job easier. First I put my focus setting to the tracking feature, then the camera into the burst mode (for the jumps, this is vital) and always count the model in to the jumps. Take a test shot before they start any movement to check light direction, exposure and overall effect. Don't be afraid to keep your model waiting while you perfect these aspects, because if you have something like the exposure or light direction wrong you won't have a usable image. 

 

Clothing

Clothing, hair and make-up are all big considerations to take into account when planning a portrait shoot. Carry a number of outfits so you can experiment and match your subject's outfit to the setting. In this instance the ruffled skirt mimics the grey rocks. Touches like this give your images that extra depth. 

 

Dance with the setting

One of the key elements to shooting portraits on location is getting the right location. Be prepared to do some research, recces and forward planning so when the conditions are right you can just jump (excuse the pun) right into it. For this shoot we headed down to an isolated beach in Devon, and had it to ourselves. It would have been a real pain to clone people out of the background.