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Inspiration


5 years 5 months ago - 5 years 5 months ago #610885 by Troponin
I have decided to venture into portraiture while we go into the colder months. 90% of my photography has been macro, mostly small animals, insects etc, but it will obviously become slow mid winter. I’m using this time to learn portraiture and perhaps I can one day supplement my income with a variety of skills.

All that said, I was curious as to how y’all draw inspiration for your ideas. Sure, I can look at other photographers and mimic their styles, but that’s just copying more than inspiring. I have clearly developed a style of shooting for macro, and eventually I will get there with portrayed as well, but I’m having some trouble finding inspiration and coming up with anything that I feel is original.

Up until now, my portrait otography has been more of a “shoot from the hip“ style. This can sometimes produced some very cool results, but I have no consistency. Unlike macro, where I can just walk in the woods in find my subjects, I need a bit more planning and ideas in advanced.

If there is one piece of advice that you could give me, or anyone interested in this area of photography, what would it be?

some recent photos...
Make: SONY
Model: ILCE-7RM3
Lens: FE 50mm F1.4 ZA
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/1.4
Shutter speed: 1/200 sec
Captured: Mon, 15 Oct 2018 19:27pm
Make: SONY
Model: ILCE-7RM3
Lens: FE 50mm F1.4 ZA
ISO: 100
Aperture: f/1.4
Shutter speed: 1/320 sec
Captured: Sat, 13 Oct 2018 10:45am
Make: SONY
Model: ILCE-7RM3
Lens: FE 50mm F1.4 ZA
ISO: 200
Aperture: f/1.4
Shutter speed: 1/250 sec
Captured: Mon, 15 Oct 2018 14:53pm
Photo Comments
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5 years 5 months ago - 5 years 5 months ago #610891 by Nikon Shooter

Troponin wrote: …using this time to learn portraiture

There is not much worth learning there but some basic do's and
don't's but what others do.

Troponin wrote: I’m having some trouble finding inspiration and coming up with anything that I feel is original.

That's normal… and most will get to learn how to reproduce well
known recipes to get to faster results but none will think of shar-
penning their eyes.

Troponin wrote: “shoot from the hip“ style. This can sometimes produced some very cool results, but I have no consistency. 

Normal too… until you find something that really belongs to you!
From that point on, you will have to find new ways, new styles…

Troponin wrote: If there is one piece of advice that you could give me, or anyone interested in this area of photography, what would it be?

— Hunt, hunt and keep hunting… you will learn more about people
as subjects and even more about yourself.
— Use 200mm or more at an event, a market place, a bus stop etc.
Look closely at people of all ages, races, genders, fashion or lack of!

Explore your world, yourself, and have a good time!
Light is free… capturing it is not!
Photo Comments
The following user(s) said Thank You: Troponin
,
5 years 5 months ago #610898 by Ozzie_Traveller
G'day mate

Unless you are dealing with professional models, your models are just as 'new' to the game as you are ... so you both are nervous at the same time.

I find that asking the subject to become involved with something of interest starts to relax both of you - a child can play with toys, a person can read a book, a gardener can prune some roses so to speak.

Then via that distraction, you can gently get them used to the camera and during those moments. your assistant / parent / whomever can talk to them and you can get extra shots of the person both looking away from the camera and into the camera - without the person becoming over self-concious about being on display, as it were

Hope this helps
Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/
Phil from the great land Downunder
www.flickr.com/photos/ozzie_traveller/sets/
The following user(s) said Thank You: Troponin
,
5 years 5 months ago #611580 by Marinan
Keep an eye on kids, they are so winsome and often are inspiration itself, IMHO. No performance, no artificial poses, just wonderful natural shots. They will be perfect models for a warm-up. :)
Photo Comments
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