A guide to developing a good photo for your portrait starts with finding a good light source.
Let's look at some lighting options.
It can be as simple as photographing your subject in sunlight.
It can be as simple as photographing your subject in sunlight.
You can also photograph the subject using the light coming in from a window.
You can use this inexpensive light source found in hardware stores.
An overcast day can bring out beautiful colors in a face.
But first some notes to consider.
*Shadows on the face create depth and mood and can 'anchor' the portrait. Don't avoid them.
*Ordinarily a portrait with straight on lighting where the entire face is illuminated can be boring - unless the painting is about color. So if that's what you want make sure your photo picks up enough color. I'll translate that into more expressive color for you.
*Try and avoid a 50-50 ratio of light and shadow on the face. It seems to not translate well into portrait paintings. But as you'll see below it's just a rule that can be broken.
*Shadows on the face create depth and mood and can 'anchor' the portrait. Don't avoid them.
*Ordinarily a portrait with straight on lighting where the entire face is illuminated can be boring - unless the painting is about color. So if that's what you want make sure your photo picks up enough color. I'll translate that into more expressive color for you.
*Try and avoid a 50-50 ratio of light and shadow on the face. It seems to not translate well into portrait paintings. But as you'll see below it's just a rule that can be broken.
Here are examples of two popular methods of lighting for a portrait.
Above is a perfect illustration of 'rim' lighting.
Consider a light to shadow (or shadow to light) ratio of 1/4 - 3/4. So it would be 1/4 of the face in light and 3/4 in shadow - or vice versa. This example shows 3/4 light and 1/4 shadow.
These two portraits show what 3/4 shade and 1/4 light look like.
This portrait I did of Spike Lee is rim lighting where the shadow is the smaller element of the portrait and the light is the larger. You can see the shadow on Spike's right cheek. The rest is in light. Spike owns the painting.
Here are 2 examples or portraits that are more about color than light and shadow. The one one left is my portrait of the former restaurateur Mario Batali and the one on the right is my portrait of former NYC mayor Ed Koch. Ed's estate owns the painting.
This portrait of Robert De Niro actually broke my own rule of not having the face in 1/2 light and 1/2 shadow yet the painting works anyway.
I would be thrilled to do a portrait of your precious pet. Here are two examples: Lucy on the left and Cloony on the right.
Portraits are $575 for 16 x 20; $725 for 24 x 20 and $1050 for 30 x 24 with a 50% non-refundable deposit. If you live locally, I would come by and take some photos. If not, we would work together until we get the best photo.
Two step process:
To commission a portrait submit your deposit and then email me with a variety of photos in .jpeg format to look at. Try to limit the size of each of your photos to under 1 megabyte.
Click on the Buy Now button below. This will take you to PayPal where you can pay by credit card if you do not have a Pay Pal account. When the page comes up put 'portrait' under 'description'. Then put $200 in 'price per item' (do not add the $ sign). Click on 'continue' then click on 'pay with debit or credit card', enter your information and click on 'pay'. You should then receive a confirmation.
To commission a portrait submit your deposit and then email me with a variety of photos in .jpeg format to look at. Try to limit the size of each of your photos to under 1 megabyte.
Click on the Buy Now button below. This will take you to PayPal where you can pay by credit card if you do not have a Pay Pal account. When the page comes up put 'portrait' under 'description'. Then put $200 in 'price per item' (do not add the $ sign). Click on 'continue' then click on 'pay with debit or credit card', enter your information and click on 'pay'. You should then receive a confirmation.