Black and White photography - WH

Before and After Photoshop

Before:

After:

How I used Photoshop:

• First I added one new adjustment layer in gradient map.
• Then I set the colour swatches to default black and white.
• After resetting my gradient bar, I put both arrows 15% in either side.

Andy Gotts inspired portraits.

These are my photo's before using Photoshop to change any elements. The first one was taken using manual focus and second one was taken using auto focus.

I chose these two photo's out of the six I took because i thought they had the best focus, lighting and they looked the most natural. Our objective in this lesson, inspired by famous photographer, Andy Gotts,  was to capture our models personality, and thier natural reaction.

I learnt a lot from this lesson:

• How to correctly light a photo, using a studio light, and a blank peice of white paper to reflect light. We played around with the placement of our light sources, which often improved the quality of the photo and seemed to airbrush features on a person's face (e.g dark circles under eyes) if you held it underneath the person's face.  
• That the model is not in charge of the photo, the photographer is. Ultimately, as a photographer, you are in charge of what you produce, therefore you instruct the model. 
• In order to get natural reactions, I told jokes (in order to get my model to laugh naturally) and we experimented with throwing things at / around the model. My peers and I found both methods effective, and captured a lot more than our models simply smiling on command. I'm trying to step away from the typical "selfie" image in our photo's during this photography course and experiment. 
• I found that in order to both look proffessional and focus on my model, if the background is one singular colour. I chose black as it was accessable and I thought, as the model was wearing white already, it would contrast the colours nicely. 

Model: Annaleigh Gailbraith




Black and White Portrait:

MISE EN SCENE
 - Settings
 - Costumes
 - Expressions
 - Lighting
 - Props

(This is a low angle shot.)


The setting of this photo is by the window because then I would have natural light for the photo. the window is in our school, displaying the grounds, but from this photo you would not know this.


Costumes in this photo would be the school uniform, a hint, I suppose as to where the photo may be have been taken. this includes as school tie, blazer and shirt in this photo.


The model has a very neutral, natural expression in this photo as she looks out into the distance. Some of her face has been covered slightly by her hair, but no to the extent that someone could not see the expression on her face. I think this adds to the natural theme of my photo (natural lighting, natural expression, natural hair placement etc.)


The light source in this photo is coming from the right, a natural light from out of the window. I liked this lighting because the windows were very large, allowing me to capture all the features visible in the photo. I think it also highlighted her face and defined the focus.


There is no prop in this photo.