New Media Level 1 semester 1

Multimedia Communication Design/Photography

Portraiture


Aims
To allow the exploration of photographic portraiture utiising the
variables involved in producing a photographic image.

Brief
Photographic portraiture.
Take portraits of another (New Media) student as well as self portraits,
in different styles determined by varying the factors involved in
photography as outlined below.

Assessment
Your final piece of work must consist of 3 portraits of another student
in 3 differing styles and one self portrait that you feel most
effectively conveys your personality.

You must also produce one portrait in the style of another photographer you have come across in your research, or already know of. Try to simulate thel ighting/composition and overall style of the photographer. Display your image with images by your chosen photographer to enable easy comparison.

All images will be put on your website. They must be a maximum of 500
pixels square, in jpeg format and optimised to ensure fast download
times. The maximum file size of each image is 50k.

You will find some useful websites to get you started on the Photography
noticeboard (in Learning Materials link from front page).

Consider:

Framing. Where is the subject in the frame (central, left, right, top,
bottom)? Does this effect interpretation of the picture? Is the image
'held in' by a physical frame or does the image 'bleed' to the edges?

Cropping. Does a portrait have to include the whole body? The whole
head? does a 'portrait' have to include the head at all?

Colour balance
A colour cast is defined as "An unwanted tinge or shade of colour
present in an image". However, a deliberate colour cast can affect the
mood of your photograph. What mood does blue/red/orange convey? how can
you introduce this colour cast (altering camera controls? In
Photoshop?). Can Black & White (monochrome) be prefereable to using
colour? what about Sepia toning?

Viewpoint. Is the subject a distance away from the camera or close up.
What effect do alternative viewpoints have on interpretation of the
image? Where is the subject placed in the frame - does it have to be
central?

Lighting. Does the light come from the side? Top? bottom? Why? Is the
light soft and diffused or hard and directional. Why would you adopt a
particular style of lighting?

Setting/Props. What is the subject's relationship to their environment?
Would props aid interpretation of the picture?

Documentation of this brief on your web site will be assessed as part of
your Contextual Practice unit.

Documentation of this brief on your web site will be assessed as part of your Contextual Practice unit.