Environmental Portraits
Candid and Constructed
Problem Statment:
An environmental portrait is basically taking a portrait of someone within a specific environment. It is not a landscape or cityscape and not just a portrait. It is combination of the two. The environment helps define the person. These portraits can be planned or candid. In order to complete this art problem, you will need to consider the following factors for your photo shoot.
Idea Brainstorming
Sketchbook Specs: Do in order
1. 2 pages - Divide your page into 4 sections. Paint (5 Points)
2. Title each section with a person you have access to photograph (5 points)
3. Answer the following for each section: (10 points)
a. What is the most important thing you want your viewer to know about this person?
b. Why is this person important to you?
c. What environment makes the most sense for you to shoot this person in?
d. what should they be doing in that environment.
4. Draw 2 thumbnails / person (8 total) - 1 candid, 1 posed (20 points)
- Label with all of the photo choices (- 15 if you do not do this)
5. Print and put 1 inspiration photo / person (4 total). Write down how you are being influenced by this photograph (10 points)
Student Work
Professional Examples
Finn Ohara's Artist Statement:
O’Hara’s environmental portraits begin with the trappings of any given situation. The surrounding site is a significant player in his photographs, as are the experiences and the personalities who live or inhabit the space itself.
When composing his work he positions himself either at the eye level of the participants in his images or above and uses technical skill to capture the attention of the audience. O’Hara wants the viewer to be put in position relative to these narrative landscapes, masterfully directed by compositional and lighting cues into becoming an observer who know exactly where to look. He uses large-scale analog (film) or digital systems to be as precise as possible in retaining layers of the various elements of visual complexity, giving the viewer intimate and minute details of private encounters between the artist and his subjects.
Teacher Examples
Shooting Requirments / Specs
Key Points:
- The environment helps give the audience more information about who the person is.
- The environment should take up the vast majority of the composition.
- Take at least 1 posed photograph / person (where the model appears to be aware of the camera)
- Take at least 1 candid photograph / person (where the model "seems to be unaware of the camera"
-
--- Person needs to be 20% or less of the composition
Directions:
1. Select 2 different people to work with.
2. Shoot 12 photos on each person
3. Shoot both candid and constructed images
(you can change environments with the same person, However, you cannot use the same environment with more than 1 person).
4. Bracket your film and use the light meter --- Overexpose inside photos