Assignment #3 Environmental Portrait

An environmental portrait is a portrait of a person or animal in which that person's environment is included in the photo to help the viewer understand the defining characteristics of the subject.

Assignment:
Photograph two different people, each in their unique environment.  Make sure that the viewer can see how each of the environments relates to the subject.  Include at least 3 variations of different poses/compositions of each subject.  NOTE:  Photograph two people who are strangers to you, not your friends or family.

Some good examples of whom to photograph:
-Craftsmen   Photographed in their studios with their work
-Workers   Our careers often define who we are as a person
-Collectors  Photographed with their collections
-Musicians  With their instruments or other props

Due:
Due Tuesday, July 9th
At least 6 .jpg files of two different subjects in their environment (at least 3 files of each subject).  Files should be post-processed (cropping, color balance, sharpening, density/contrast etc.) for maximum quality.   See the file specs blog entry for the file size specifications.

Tips:
--Talk to the subject.  Ask them about their work, their environment and/or the tools they use.  This will help put the subject at ease making for a better photograph.  It may also help you come up with new ideas for the photo, such as the environment to shoot in, and tools (props) to use.

--Lighting.  You may use portable studio lighting.  Remember that sometimes the ambient lighting may be better, such as north facing windows.  You are the photographer and you are expected to make the best portrait possible, and that includes mastering the lighting.

--Choose an environment that adds interest to the photo and also helps "explain" the subject.  Remember that you can move around furniture and manipulate the light if needed.  You should "make" a photo, not "take" a photo.

--Composition.  Remember to look at all the areas inside the frame.  Think about the Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines, Symmetry, Negative Space, Repetition of Form eg. eg.  Remember to "Watch the Background!"