This is a different kind of photo for me. I’ve taken mostly real-life photos and it’s time to stretch myself and look for ways to create some emotive or expressive photos.
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The more I learn about photography, the less I feel I know. There are so many styles of photography and each has it’s own techniques, equipment, and knowledge requirement. Here are some I can think of:
- Street photography – candid
- Street photography – extemporaneous portraits
- Studio portraits with lighting
- Outdoor portraits with lighting
- Outdoor portraits with natural light at defined locations
- Architectural photography
- Landscape or waterscape photography
- Natural light general photography of things you happen to see
- Stock photography
- Underwater photography
- Event photography
- Journalistic/documentary photography
- Night photography
- Macro photography
- Creative photography, including mixed media
- Sports ph0tography
- Product photography
- Travel photography
- And a new type: Drone photography
I found this useful resource for lighting to best suit particular facial features on this page.
| Model Issue | Resolution |
|---|---|
| Round or Fat Face | Pose model 3/4 to the camera, use short lighting, raise camera angle slightly |
| Thin Face | Pose model facing the camera |
| Wrinkly Face, Deep Lines | Use softer, frontal lighting |
| Blemishes or Scars | Shadow problem areas, or reposition |
| Big Nose | Raise chin slightly, pose nose straight into lens |
| Small nose | Pose nose at an angle to camera |
| Square jaw | 3/4 pose, higher camera angle |
| Multiple chins | Stretch neck, lean head toward camera |
| Different sized eyes | Largest eye close to camera, other in shadow, largest eye away creates evening effect |
| Deep set eyes | Light into eyes |
| Blinkers | Time shot after subject blinks |
| Large Ears | 3/4 pose, only show one ear, shadow second ear |
| Eye Glass Wearers | Shoot with empty frames, position glasses away from lights, bring lights in from high or bounce off ceiling |
| People with Dark Hair | Check to make sure that background doesn’t show through hair, restyle if necessary. |
Kaori and I went to the Japantown area of San Jose to celebrate the Obon festival with the large Japanese community in the Bay Area. Obon is a Japanese festival that celebrates the spirits of family ancestors.
Each of the lanterns hanging from the wires across the street has a name of an ancestor hanging from it.
There was a lot of slow Bon Odori dancing where anyone who wanted to walked around in an oval dancing to the traditional Obon music.
The dancers took their cues from the ladies on platforms in the middle of the dancing “circuit”.
The colours of the costumes were fabulous.
Older Japanese ladies are so elegant and dignified. The Japanese have such pride in, and reverence for, their culture.
There were lots of kids dressed up.
And quite a few gaijin having a great time too!
Kaori wore her summer kimono for the event and joined in the dancing.
