Corporate Image

I had the pleasure of providing some portraits for John and Ina, who wanted some shots for their business website.
It can be useful for companies to put a picture or face to a name, and it enhances a personal element, which is important for any business. We decided on a more casual slant for the shoot. The location was the town park in Tralee. A nice open area, and with a time set earlier in the morning, the light was softer. Most photographers are keen to avoid the times of 12 noon, to 3pm. During those times the light is hard..and unflattering.

 

Ina & John: With a slight angle on the composition, 

adds a little informality to the shot

and conveys a documentary style to the viewer.  

I have both Ina and John in focus, but with a somewhat blurred background, this helps focus the attention of the viewer to the subjects. The slanted angle, can be very effective at times, a favourite of wedding photographers. However, it's important to not overdo it! A very strong angle can be distracting, or using the effect for every other shot..one to keep for once in a while use.

John: One of a number of shots I took, this one, 

with a fast lens to blur the background.

For this shot, I've made an off centre composition, with John to the left hand side. There are no hard and fast rules for photography, but it is often a good idea to move the subject away from the middle. A flash was used to remove shadows from the face. Flash is an important part of daylight portraits, this time I reduced the power of the flash down, so that it balances well with the ambient light. A soft background blurred by using a fast aperture, again helps to concentrate the attention to the person.

Ina: Using a reflector and flash set to low power,

removes shadows and looks natural.

For this shot I used a reflector to add some warmth to the skin tones, and a flash to fill in some shadows. Good flash technique can make a big difference to a portrait. Whist it's nice to use pure natural light, there is a time to use a flash. With a reduced output from the flash, there is just enough light to remove shadows, and importantly it adds a "catchlight" to the pupils. Portrait shots benefit greatly from that small light in the eyes. If you use too much flash, it can overwhelm the subject..and look artificial, and sometimes cause hot spots on the skin, which is to be avoided. Processing wise I have gone for a slightly lower contrast, as per usual, I keep my processing to a minimum. Good technique on the capture moment, is rewarding and saves time later on.

I very much enjoy taking portraits of people, and the challenge of making both individual and group shots is both interesting and a challenge. Making the most effective use of the light available, and trying different compositions, make it a fascinating subject for many photographers. Experimentation is both fun, and can yield some interesting results. Many folks assume flash  is for indoors. This is not always the case, and it can be very useful for outdoor shots. Good flash technique can work very well, whilst a poor one can give results that are unappealing and harsh.