Exterior shooting skills of portrait photography in urban scenes

Exterior shooting skills of portrait photography in urban scenes

First, look for feature elements.

At that time, it was already night in Hong Kong, but the night scenes in Hong Kong are world-famous and dimly lit, so we really shouldn't take some pictures. So we came to the most famous temple street.

When you are shooting a roaming location in a city, it is best to know what is the biggest feature of the city, and then find this element to add to the shooting, so that the film will be grounded and different.

This is based on the minibus with Hong Kong characteristics, with various big signs at the back. Although it is a night scene, there is plenty of light around. Pay attention to the light field when shooting night scenes, and the light source shining on the model's face should be as cold as possible. Because if the face is a warm light source, there is not much room in the later period.

Lan Kwai Fong is one of the most distinctive but not the most famous bar streets in Hong Kong. Because it is so landmark, it is necessary to shoot here. The back is crowded, which is in sharp contrast to the static model in front. The contrast between cold and warm light increases the layering of the picture.

Second, get as close as possible and look for foreground occlusion.

This is the barricade fence next to Lan Kwai Fong. At first glance, the environment is chaotic. In fact, we just need to get closer and closer. Didn't Capa also say that you didn't shoot well enough because you didn't shoot close enough? This statement does not apply to all situations, but it makes sense. In this film, the lower right is a semicircle of fuzzy light, which occupies most of the picture. Behind the lamp is a miscellaneous scene, so it is cleverly blocked by the lamp. This foreground is in harmony with the background behind, and the lights in the foreground, the people in the middle scene and the road behind the scene are very clear.

Third, how to shoot in the city crowd

When shooting in a crowd, the mood of the model will definitely be influenced by passers-by, so what we have to do is to communicate with the model in advance and let her vent as much as possible. Anyway, the shooting time is not long, and I don't need to care too much about the silent pressure of others, and it's not very obstructive.

The theme this time is Lost in Hong Kong. In fact, there is another meaning behind it. This film was shot with reference to the feeling of Wong Kar-wai's Chongqing Forest. The background light is turbulent and people are shuttling. When shooting, I turned the aperture to the maximum to prevent the background from grabbing the subject. If you have a tripod, you can also try to slow down the shutter to create the effect that the subject is still and people around you are surging.

Fourth, the angle is different.

The next day, during the day, I went to take the old double-decker Tintin car in Hong Kong, which is also a symbol of old Hong Kong, as mentioned above.

However, during the filming process, I suggest that you don't follow the trend. You can use this idea to shoot other venues. This is just a special case. Because I want a different perspective, I thought the whole person would shoot out of the window, because it was too monotonous to shoot only in the car.

At this time, the light ratio should be mastered, but the most important thing is to find a model who is willing to go crazy with you. Shoot with a rope. I really suggest not to follow the trend, because even if there is no danger, it will be very troublesome if the Hong Kong police see the consequences! In the same way, we must pay attention to the safety order when shooting elsewhere. )

Fifth, compress the scene with telephoto.

This is on the ferry building at Star Ferry Pier, with Victoria Harbour as the background. Tell the model to stand on the edge of the corridor, and I will stand on the overpass 40 meters away. Compress the whole background with telephoto. The advantage of telephoto shooting is that its oppressive feeling distorts the visual effect very little. Telephoto shooting is not easy to shoot. You need to find a suitable scenery to make sense. Observe as many possible places as possible, and try when you see them.

Sixth, select the screen in a restricted environment.

This was on the ferry, because it happened to be cloudy in Hong Kong that day, and the ambient light in the cabin was darker than that outside, so we simply overexposed the outside part and knew how to choose when shooting. In fact, it's too explosive outside, and the white highlights can increase the contrast of the film from another angle. Of course, in this case of relatively large ambient light, you can also try different exposure value, each with its own flavor.

;