What should be paid attention to when shooting portraits with a cinematic feel? Gaoen Portrait Photography Company believes that most portrait shoots appear relatively dull and tasteless, with almost no content expressed except for the models inside. Unlike portrait photography, portrait shooting focuses not on the models themselves, but on the models and their environment. The environment provides the possibility of a story, making the overall picture look like a movie. Shooting portraits with a cinematic feel is the best way to look.
For cinematic portrait photography, attention should not only be paid to lighting and composition, but also to the selection of lenses and post-processing.
Movies should tell stories, and cinematic portrait photography should also express the story through the representation of the environment, allowing viewers to associate things related to the characters in the picture. Therefore, the selection of elements in the environment is particularly important. When taking photos outside, it is impossible to encounter a perfect background. If there are elements in the background that affect the subject's expression, try to remove them from the background by changing the shooting angle or other methods. After all, the expressive power of the subjects we are facing may not be strong enough to tell stories through facial expressions or body language without background assistance.
In order for the subject to express the story we want to convey, the choice of lens is also important. Many cinematographers like to use telephoto lenses, which can compress space and allow the content in the background to appear within the frame to a limited extent. Moreover, telephoto lenses can easily create blurring.
However, not all virtualization is meaningful. Sometimes we need to find a balance between complete virtualization and partial virtualization, so that the background cannot interfere with the subject's expression while also expressing the meaning of the environment to the subject. In situations where the environment is not so abundant, a 35mm lens would be a good choice. Firstly, it allows us to get closer to the subject, and the characteristics of 35mm can be applied to more scenes. However, 35mm can still partially blur the background while getting closer to the subject, so as not to completely blur and deprive the background of its meaning.
During the filming process, try to find different angles. The first angle that comes to mind is usually the one that most people would try. Imagine what kind of angle a director would use to express a story telling image.
For light, different types of light can express different emotions, and the angle at which light is projected onto the subject can convey different feelings. Positive lighting can highlight the character's positive image, while top or bottom lighting can make the subject more mysterious and highlight a terrifying atmosphere.
Not only the direction of light, but also individual and multiple lights, even different colors of light, can evoke different emotions in Zen City. Cleverly utilizing the style of lighting can also enhance the uniqueness of the story.
The choice of lighting style depends on what kind of story you want to express. High contrast black and white lighting style will make portraits more dramatic, while soft lighting will create a more romantic feeling.
Finally, the most important thing for Gao En Portrait Photography Company is to take more photos and think more. During the shooting process, we should seek inspiration and find settings that are suitable for the current scene and character. Different photographers have their own styles, such as Du Kefeng's handheld perspective, Xiao Tian Sheng's strong color style, and Vittorio Storaro's use of light to shape characters. These are all worth our reference and learning.
