استفد من البيئة .. الشخصيات .. كيف تلتقط أجمل الصور .. كتاب التصوير الضوئي

Take advantage of the environment .. Characters .. How to take the most beautiful pictures .. The book of photography

Take advantage of the environment

The old photographers loved to place their models in front of decorations painted in a way that deceives the eye and has a romantic character because they felt instinctively that a person far from his surroundings seemed to lose some dimension. The studio background wanted to imitate the decorations of the theaters while the expressed feeling indicated the feeling of time itself. Indeed, the early photographers were strongly influenced by the traditions of painting on the easel where the character was usually represented in front of a background surface representing a natural scene or a building perhaps to prove that he was its owner. Indeed, the environment provides useful information about the person being photographed and teaches us about his social class, profession, tastes and all the things that he is deprived of in the studio.

When you photograph a person in his environment, try not to let the latter dominate the image, knowing that the presence of a living being in a picture usually arouses the viewer's interest. The image becomes more important if the character is found in a position relative to his environment, even if it is exaggerated. For example, the image of the sculptor Henry Moore appeared through the complex decor of his studio. I could have added some sculptures in my frame without destroying the desired effect or distracting the viewer from the center of interest in the picture, which is the artist himself. Don't forget to leave a dominant place for your character. If you want to photograph a person in his natural surroundings, it is better to place him at a medium distance. For example, it is not recommended to photograph a farmer at the far end of his field. Place him halfway in front of his wheat or in front of his farm. You can suggest this background surface by making it obscure and unclear by lending the camera to the character, and thus your picture will be more convincing.

How the environment tells the story

All the elements of the above picture - taken without preparation - tell us something about the man: The back surface A may indicate that he lives in an industrial environment or environment from which he escapes to the nearby countryside where he can practice his favorite hobby, which is raising pigeons. Surface C I adopted a slow shutter speed to translate the movement of the birds' wings and the flapping of their wings, without which the scene would be still and frozen.

Rolliflex 1/30 sec Ectachrome EX

Working environment

The artist Henry Moore's work completely dominated his environment with his sculptures and tools. His workshop resembled that of a craftsman: a carpenter or a shoemaker. The character is placed in the strong center of the picture amidst a beautiful group of details that the eye can see.

Hasselblad Very wide angle 1/30 sec Aperture 16 Ectachrome HS

Simplified environment

The two people and their dog walking sideways in this sad desert called the Simpson Desert in Australia. This picture was taken through the window of an old house. The curtain on the first level gives depth and suggests the staircase. It also enhances the frame by focusing the gaze on the man, the girl and the dog. The uniform, dusty tones suggest a melancholy and depressing atmosphere.

Leicaflex 1/60 sec f/11 Actachrom EX

Unprepared environment

This family has no idea I am photographing them through the open door (except for the little girl in blue who notices me and looks at the camera). The position of the table draws the eye inward.

Contax Wide Angle 1/200 f/8 Actachrom HS