PROJECT #9: CHIAROSCURO PORTRAITS

chi·a·ro·scu·ro

/kyärəˈsk(y)o͝orō/

noun

1. the treatment of light and shade in drawing and painting.

   • an effect of contrasted light and shadow created by light falling unevenly or from a particular direction on something.
   • *****************************************************************************************************************

DIRECTIONS.

1. Make 9 exposures of a person, or people, using the Rembrandt lighting technique (that is, with the small triangle of highlight on the shadowed side of the face).

2. Make 9 additional exposures using the chiaroscuro technique (does not necessarily need the triangle that is specific to Rembrandt light)

NOTE.

All 18+ images must be portraits of people.

Within the 18+ images, there need to be a minimum of three different people that you have photographed.

RATIONALE.

To explore intentional light, and exert a bit of control in the way the light illuminates the subject.

 

Chiaroscuro (Italian for light-dark) in art is characterized by strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition. More HERE.

Rembrandt lighting is a lighting technique that is sometimes used in studio portrait photography. It can be achieved using one light and a reflector, or two lights, and is popular because it is capable of producing images which appear both natural and compelling with a minimum of equipment. Rembrandt lighting is characterised by an illuminated triangle under the eye of the subject, on the less illuminated side of the face. It is named for the Dutch painter Rembrandt, known for his use of light. More HERE.

In order to achieve the beautiful contrast between light and dark, known as chiaroscuro, there is a method employed by photographers -Rembrandt Lighting.

 

Decoding Chiaroscuro. CLICK HERE.
Click HERE to see and read how it is done.
An Aper(cul)ture article on Rembrandt lighting technique HERE.
Click HERE to see a few more lighting techniques (as well as more on Rembrandt lighting)
Examples. (CLICK HERE).

How to Create Rembrandt Lighting

PROJECT #8: INTENTIONAL SLOW SHUTTER, v.2

 

DIRECTIONS.
1. Set camera to S (shutter priority) -or- Use the Slow Shutter app on your phone.
2. Make 12+ images of intentional motion blur.
3. For at least FOUR of your subjects, photograph the subject that is moving TWICE, at different shutter speeds. We will create diptychs (like the above examples). The other images you make might be one-off motion blur images.

• Make a range of photos that show fast & slow shutter speeds. 
• Subject matter is your own choosing. 

NOTE.
*Mind your ISO in relation to your shutter speed.
**You will be turning in 16 images in total (two different versions of FOUR of motion blur ideas) 

LINK.
Shutter Speed Project Ideas

RATIONALE.
To continue exploration and mastery of manipulating shutter speed in your camera. 

PROJECT #6: AUTUMN LEAVES (Ongoing & Completed by Monday, November 2)

DIRECTIONS. 

1. Make 16+ photographs of the changing color of leaves.

2. Develop in Photoshop and/or Lightroom (in color)

3. Post the final images to your blog

PHOTOGRAPHING.

Venture safely into the world and make photographs of autumn leaves. 

How you arrange and compose your photos is open to your interpretation. 

You may go about the project as a straight-forward landscape project. ...

Or, you could collect leaf textures using macro settings. 

You can approach it like a still life project: arranging the leaves as objects. 

Or you could think conceptually, and approach it like the environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy (click here for Andy).

REMEMBER:

1. Set the ISO of your camera appropriately.
2. Set the WB of your camera appropriately.
3. Open the aperture wide (small f-stop number) if you want an out of focus background.

4. Use macro function for close up textures.

SITES FOR REFERENCE.

Oregon fall foliage site. CLICK HERE.
Place suggestions. CLICK HERE.
Tips for shooting fall foliage. CLICK HERE.
Extra Crunchy tips for photographing fall foliage. CLICK HERE.