Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/02/02

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Subject: [Leica] David Degner in sylvan paradise
From: "Don Dory" <dorysrus@mindspring.com>
Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2002 07:22:20 -0500

I changed the subject line as we are no longer discussing Karst.  This was
help with informal portraits eh?  Informal portraits can pay your way
through school if you are good and actively market your ability.

People use trees because:
1) Under trees there is nice soft open shade that is flattering to most
people.

2)Trees frequently grow together in forests so that the background can be
much darker than the foreground forcing the eye into the subject area.

3) Trees if large enough become a prop that the subject can lean against,
hold so their hands aren't dangling around foolishly, or a background of
interesting texture.

4) The Druids were right, there is something about trees that attracts
humans.

So the 50mm APO ASPH Summicron was too sharp.  Now you understand why
Summarit's still hold their value.  You can compensate by shooting much
later in the day(or much earlier) so that the light is low enough you can
use F2.0 or so.  Shooting with horizontal light also gives you the advantage
of  directional light outside much like window light.  You can pose your
subject in 3/4 light to get modeling just like the soft boxes do.  See the
Karst portraits or any good museums portrait gallery.  If you are ever in
Washington DC the National Gallery has hundreds on display at any given
time.

What others have said about seeing the light leads into the next list of
suggestions.  Once you have thought through what effect you want then you
will know what to look for.

Scout whatever area you live in(you will be out of Augusta in a few months)
for possible portrait sites.  Things to consider would be buildings that can
serve as soft boxes.  Large light buildings orientated so light bounces off
them to fill your subject in open shade. The corollary is dark buildings
that suck light out. Interesting locations where the subject is in open
shade but the background is interesting.  Walkways with repeating columns
are good.  Public places with large windows are good.  The old Carnegie
libraries are great.  Many turn of the century buildings are great as
architects needed to use available light to light their rooms.

Hmmm, sounds like homework for me and next weeks PAW.

Don Dory
dorysrus@mindspring.com

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