Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Photography and portraiture - What lens is good for photography?

What lens is good for photography?

Outdoor portrait is one of the favorite shooting contents of film friends, but it is not easy to shoot an outdoor portrait that is both pleasing to the eye and embodies certain connotations. Success will come only if you know what you want before lifting the plane and master the art of arranging topics. To this end, I would like to exchange the following 10 points with my friends.

1. Equipment selection

Camera: AF or MF35mm SLR camera; Digital cameras with more than 3 million pixels (120mm medium format SLR camera, digital SLR camera and digital back medium format camera have the advantages of large frame and high pixel, which can ensure the image quality, but the price is higher, which is the choice of filmmakers with better economic conditions).

Lens: The image display of a portrait depends largely on the lens you choose when shooting. In principle, any shot can take a portrait. For 35mm SLR cameras, sometimes, in order to get dramatic pictures, even 20mm, 17mm super wide-angle lenses or even fisheye lenses are used, while 200mm and 300mm telephoto lenses have special functions of blurring background and concise pictures, which can often play an advantage in this respect. Most people like standard lenses to be the most suitable; Shoot the head with your shoulders, and the lens with 100mm is the best, and the lens with 135mm or more is handy for close-up of the head.

In many years of shooting practice, I realized that the preferred lens for portrait shooting should be a fixed-focus portrait lens with the range of 85-135 mm. Several famous defocused portrait lenses, such as Nick AF DC 105mm/ 1∶2, have special performance, and the defocused image is extremely attractive, but the price is higher. The lens selection of 120mm medium format camera and digital camera is similar to that of 35mm SLR camera.

Image storage medium: film below ISO 100 for traditional cameras or positive and negative film for portraits. Digital cameras use their own matching storage media.

Others: an independent exposure meter (which can be replaced by the built-in exposure meter), a hot shoe flash and a reflector to improve the light contrast, and a stable tripod.

Step 2: Lighting

Photography is the art of light and shadow, and lighting naturally occupies an important position, which is the first problem to consider when shooting. When the sun shines directly, the light quality is too hard, which will bring unpleasant shadows.

The following lighting methods can be considered:

Scattered light

(1) Thin clouds block light. Shading with thin clouds can produce the same effect as indoor diffuse reflection. No matter where the subject faces, the illumination is always balanced. This is one of the most ideal light sources. When taking a photo, the reflector is used to fill the light, which is helpful to strengthen the three-dimensional sense of modeling and shape the eye light of the characters.

(2) cloudy days. Similar to thin clouds shading, but the light quality is slightly worse at this time. Choosing a shooting location is the key, and a wide and bright scene is better.

(3) The sunshine is bright after treatment. One of the treatment methods is to choose the shooting location in a shady place with a roof and let the light filter naturally. For example, in the porch or under the tree, the light will become softer, but due to the reflection of the sun's light, the illumination is still good. The second is to shoot in shadows, such as shadows cast by buildings or walls, but pay attention to avoid the shadows cast by objects with top light intensity. It is best to have a wide sky or bright lights behind the camera, and the background should be tight and seamless, so that there will be no light spots that distract the theme.

B Generally speaking, in order to take a particularly attractive portrait, the light should come from the back or side of the subject (pay attention to the use of a hood to prevent the light from directly entering the lens and being reflected into the lens by the lower edge of the hood or other planes). Therefore, before the sun rises, the evening is the best time to shoot outdoor portraits. At this time, when the sun is low, rich backlight images can be taken, and the vast sky in front of the subject provides natural auxiliary light for the shadow, so there is no need to worry about the interference of light from the top or other directions.

C avoid strong sunlight and uncontrollable midday sunlight (commonly known as top light). In particular, the midday sun makes the lower eyelids of the characters form a shadow. Solution: (1) Try to avoid direct sunlight on the face, otherwise the subjects will be unable to open their eyes or frown. ⑵ A reflector can be used to overcome the unfavorable factors caused by shadow, a baffle can be used to cover the sun so that the sun does not form a shadow on the face, and a piece of white or light-colored paper can also be used. (3) Implement flash fill light. In the bright sunshine, when the light and shadow fall on the face of the subject, you can use the flash to fill the light and eliminate the shadow of the face.

In the unfavorable lighting environment, sometimes we can skillfully use the dynamic modeling of the environment or characters to achieve unexpected results. For example, when Madonna, a famous American singer, held her head high, the annoying overhead light turned into a wonderful side light.

3. Clothing and background

In an environment dominated by white, high-profile pictures of wedding dresses are ideal. Wearing a bright red dress will immediately attract your attention and form an exciting point of view. If color is emphasized, clothes and environment must not be beaten, and complementary colors may be the best choice. For example, the environment is dominated by blue, and yellow, red or green clothes may be more suitable.

Portrait background does not need chic and elegant buildings, halls and mansions. If you wear casual clothes, sportswear and jeans, you can use a tree, a bush and a stone wall as the background. Background selection should follow a basic principle-simplicity.

Also pay attention to, don't let the background grab the "lens". The background is flowers, so you must not compare with portraits. The background should not be too messy and dazzling.

Outdoor portraits have a lot of choices, and they can use different landscapes as the background to produce images with different colors. Bright sky as the background is easy to form a high posture; The indoor and outdoor light ratio of filming in front of the door is easy to keep a low profile; In front of a group of rough and natural leaves, you can also shoot an unreal mini background. You can use the reflection of the water surface to create a bright background and form a high-profile portrait; Sometimes imperfect light, such as the top light, can also make something vivid.

4. Exposure control

Correct exposure is the technical key to get a good image. Although most cameras have metering and automatic exposure systems, independent hand-held exposure meters are more conducive to measuring ever-changing outdoor light sources. For example, backlight, exposure value is determined according to the shadow. By properly increasing the exposure (increasing 1/2EV to 2EV), people's skin texture can be better expressed and artistic charm can be added. Of course, under normal circumstances, the built-in metering system of SLR can completely occupy this position, but in some cases, it is necessary to avoid false measurement, such as wearing all-black and all-white clothing in a large area of bright or dark background, which can implement positive and negative fill light or partial metering and spot metering on people's faces.

Write a composition

There are many rules about composition, and the best rule is to break through these rules to get creative portraits. As a rule, don't put people in the center of the picture (this often makes the picture dull and uninspired). A better composition is to tilt the protagonist slightly up and down or left and right, which can increase the spatial depth of the picture. The most ideal composition ratio is the "well" word line which is divided into three parts in the vertical and horizontal picture. This subtle picture balance can give full play to the organizational role of the main characters on the picture, produce excellent visual effects, and make the main body more distinct and prominent. Take a close-up of a person so that the eyes of the subject are in the top third of the picture. Avoid the eyes in the middle of the picture, as long as the eyes are "correct", don't be afraid to cut off some hair or something. Of course, these are general rules. You can create conditions and use your intelligence to break through.

6. Shooting angle

The so-called shooting angle is the angle of the camera lens to the subject. Usually take the same horizontal line as the human eye, that is, head-up shooting. The camera position should not be too high, otherwise the head and thighs of the character will be short. It is best to make the camera flush with the shoulder, and the close-up of the head portrait should make the camera flush with the eyes and avoid being lower than the nose and chin.

Sometimes you look up for special effects, and you need to use a wide-angle lens at this time. Wide-angle lens from top to bottom often gives people a top-heavy feeling (except for the pursuit of comedy effect), so it is not suitable for use. Close-ups Close-ups are sometimes shot overhead to gain special visual impact.

In a word, the choice of shooting angle, like other laws, has no fixed pattern, and should be flexibly grasped according to the actual situation, performance content and composition.

7. outdoor portraits at night

Taking portraits at night only depends on the flash as the main light source. Generally, onboard flash (hot shoe socket) and off-board flash are used. A camera with front and Hou Lian synchronous flash function can conveniently shoot outdoor portraits at night. In order to make people and the environment have clear images, metering should be based on the exposure value of the environment (adjust the combination of aperture and shutter speed). You can also use the flash lamp with synchronous induction flash function to realize the flash lighting of two or more lamps.

8. communication

This is the key to taking good photos. The relaxed environment of outdoor portraits provides a good foundation for this element. However, in order to fully express the feelings and demeanor of the characters on the screen, the key point is that the photographer and the subject communicate in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, and fully mobilize the passion and true feelings of the subject as much as possible. Only when the happy mood is unified with the natural expression, and the melancholy mood is coordinated with the ups and downs of life, can we shoot outdoor portraits full of personality and appeal.

9. A small rule

Let the photographer have a gaze point, which can be the camera lens or the fist you raise, so as not to be in a daze.

10. Two small taboos

First, shoot more than two people and don't let them see different "points". Second, in addition to the complete silhouette and the pursuit of special effects, don't let the subject's head go too far to avoid the nose flowing out of his cheeks.

Generally speaking, when playing DC games, the first rule is not considered, except DSLR.

Outdoor portrait photography

Composition mode

1, the composition is determined according to the number of people.

When taking portrait photos in places without scenic spots and commemorative significance, people should be given priority and the composition should be based on the principle of highlighting people. When the number of people being photographed is small, composition is more convenient and flexible. When shooting a bust, the viewpoint should be on the person's chest; When shooting a full-length portrait, the viewpoint should be at the waist of the person; When shooting a full-length and bust of a single person, you can't let the characters be in the center of the picture, let alone near the edge of the picture. When shooting portraits with less than three or five people, the space allocation of the picture can be determined according to the body orientation of the characters. Generally, there is more space in front of the body than in the back. Never interfere with the natural posture of the subject, or the photos will be embarrassing.

2. Composition is based on the requirements of the subject and the basic principles of framing composition.

If the client asks for a full-body photo, we will take a full-body photo; Ask for a bust, and we'll take a bust; Ask for close-ups, big close-ups, and we'll take close-ups, big close-ups. Whether taking a full-length portrait or a bust, you should take all the hands and feet of the person being photographed. You can't shoot the standing person askew. When taking close-up photos, generally do not cut off a piece of the head of the character, and pay attention to leaving a gap around the head of the character.

3. Composition according to the environment around the portrait.

For example, there are several backgrounds to choose from in the shooting environment at that time, so choose the background that is most conducive to expressing and highlighting the person being photographed. People often wear light-colored clothes in summer, so they choose a deeper background to shoot; In winter, people often wear dark clothes, so they can choose to shoot in a light background. If the shooting environment is messy and there is no other choice, you should follow the basic composition principles when shooting. Just determine the depth of field first, and then try to blur the messy objects; If there is a foreground in front of the person, be careful not to let the foreground block the person being photographed.

4. Try to make the subject bigger.

When shooting portraits in tourist attractions, we should try to be as close to the camera as possible in order to make them big enough, which highlights the principle of "people-oriented" composition. If people are photographed as small as matchsticks, they will become companions of tourist attractions and become veritable scenic photos.

5. When taking a group photo, the composition scheme should be drawn up according to the number of people taking a group photo.

When there are a large number of people, it is advisable to use horizontal composition, pay attention to prevent the horizon from being skewed, and there are buildings on both sides or one side to block the light, because the camera can record subtle light changes more accurately than the naked eye. For large and medium-sized group portraits, it is best to use a photographic table with a row spacing of about 40 cm and a height difference of about 35 cm. In addition, you can also use the existing steps of the building. In actual shooting, in order to enlarge and increase the success rate, it is best to use two or three 6 12 or 6 17 medium format cameras to shoot at the same time. If the weather is fine and the light conditions permit, let the front light and the scattered light under the thin cloud shine on the group photo; When you look at all the people taking pictures on the focus screen, there should still be some gaps around. Finally, when you press the shutter, let all the photographers look at the camera. It's best to take 4 negatives for each camera, so there is room for choice when making.

1. Choose the location carefully.

The choice of location must be based on the requirements of human photography creativity and conception. The background environment is second only to the subject in outdoor human photography. Background environment is a special modeling language, which can highlight the theme to the maximum with the help of some background environment or hints, and play a role in setting off the deepening of the connotation of the works. There are two methods that can be used for reference in actual creation:

First, decide the expression form and creative theme of photographic works. Then, according to the needs of conception, I deliberately look for the background environment that serves the theme. Another way is to determine the location first. According to the environmental characteristics of the shooting place, we can develop creativity and choose the location to shoot the human body. It is best to choose the scenic spots that you are familiar with and have experienced on the spot. If you haven't been there, you must find relevant information in advance, so that you have a clear idea and a clear goal.

2. What kind of light is the best for photographing human body?

Sunlight is the only light source for outdoor photography and plays a vital role in outdoor human photography. Sunlight not only plays the role of illuminating objects and shaping images, but also plays the role of rendering atmosphere and expressing characters' feelings. Only by knowing the changes of illumination and color temperature of sunlight in different time periods of 12 hours can it be accurately and reasonably used in human photography creation.

In addition, we must master and understand the different effects of various lights; Such as the integrity of smooth light, the three-dimensional sense of side light, the brightness of backlight, the softness of scattered light and so on. Of course, all these are subject to the needs of theme creation. I am used to shooting in the time range after 8 am and 4 pm, when the light is soft and the contrast is moderate. According to the changes of spring, summer, autumn and winter, the shooting time can also be adjusted accordingly.

3. Composition art of human photography

Composition is the concrete embodiment of formal beauty, and the law of formal beauty exists objectively. In the science of composition, people have roughly summarized the following laws; Symmetry, balance, golden section, diversity and unity of contrast, harmony and rhythm of change, etc. A work can conform to several composition rules at the same time, but it must be expressed in a composition way based on the basic composition principles. Another principle of writing is conciseness. Outdoor body photography should determine a performance theme, so that people who look at the work can find the key points you want to express at a glance. If the line of sight is covered by a lot of fancy flowers, then the work must be a scrap. There must be no two or more key points on a picture, which will not only lose the proper visual balance, but also lead to disorder of the picture. The solution is to take it away by composition, which is a test of a photographer's aesthetic orientation.

4. The most reasonable equipment configuration for outdoor human photography.

Human body photography is different from other disciplines, especially outdoor photography, because of the influence of site, environment and human factors, it is very complicated. In the choice of photographic equipment, in addition to the photographer's own creative style and shooting purpose, we should also consider photographic equipment that is easy to carry and operate quickly. In order to avoid repeated recording, it is not advisable to use multiple cameras to shoot people at the same time.

The commonly used equipment for photographing the human body is a medium format Hasselblad camera. The purpose of taking pictures with a medium format camera is to ensure the picture quality. Shooting with a camera is to concentrate. Different lenses can produce different spatial perspective effects. In order to obtain richer spatial effects, wide-angle lenses are also widely used in outdoor human photography. I like the 40mm and 50mm wide-angle lenses of Hasselblad camera. Using the deformation and tension of the wide-angle lens can not only increase the strong visual sense, but also show the transparent scene of the blend of people and scenery.

The innovation of human photography art lies not in how many strange picture effects appear, but in exploring and opening up the thinking space to express human emotions. Only when a photographer has a lofty perspective on his own ideas and spirit can he enter the world where he expresses his feelings.

Correct exposure is the technical key to get a good image. Although most cameras have metering and automatic exposure systems, independent hand-held exposure meters are more conducive to measuring ever-changing outdoor light sources. For example, backlight, exposure value is determined according to the shadow. By properly increasing the exposure (increasing 1/2EV to 2EV), people's skin texture can be better expressed and artistic charm can be added. Of course, under normal circumstances, the built-in metering system of SLR can completely occupy this position, but in some cases, it is necessary to avoid false measurement, such as wearing all-black and all-white clothing in a large area of bright or dark background, which can implement positive and negative fill light or partial metering and spot metering on people's faces.

Write a composition

There are many rules about composition, and the best rule is to break through these rules to get creative portraits. As a rule, don't put people in the center of the picture (this often makes the picture dull and uninspired). A better composition is to tilt the protagonist slightly up and down or left and right, which can increase the spatial depth of the picture. The ideal composition ratio is the "well" word line which is divided into three parts in vertical and horizontal pictures. This subtle picture balance can give full play to the organizational role of the main characters on the picture, produce excellent visual effects, and make the main body more distinct and prominent. Take a close-up of a person so that the eyes of the subject are in the top third of the picture. Avoid the eyes in the middle of the picture, as long as the eyes are "correct", don't be afraid to cut off some hair or something. Of course, these are general rules. You can create conditions and use your intelligence to break through.

6. Shooting angle

The so-called shooting angle is the angle of the camera lens to the subject. Usually take the same horizontal line as the human eye, that is, head-up shooting. The camera position should not be too high, otherwise the head and thighs of the character will be short. It is best to make the camera flush with the shoulder, and the close-up of the head portrait should make the camera flush with the eyes and avoid being lower than the nose and chin.

Sometimes you look up for special effects, and you need to use a wide-angle lens at this time. Wide-angle lens from top to bottom often gives people a top-heavy feeling (except for the pursuit of comedy effect), so it is not suitable for use. Close-ups Close-ups are sometimes shot overhead to gain special visual impact.

In a word, the choice of shooting angle, like other laws, has no fixed pattern, and should be flexibly grasped according to the actual situation, performance content and composition.

7. outdoor portraits at night

Taking portraits at night only depends on the flash as the main light source. Generally, onboard flash (hot shoe socket) and off-board flash are used. A camera with front and Hou Lian synchronous flash function can conveniently shoot outdoor portraits at night. In order to make people and the environment have clear images, metering should be based on the exposure value of the environment (adjust the combination of aperture and shutter speed). You can also use the flash lamp with synchronous induction flash function to realize the flash lighting of two or more lamps.

8. communication

This is the key to taking good photos. The relaxed environment of outdoor portraits provides a good foundation for this element. However, in order to fully express the feelings and demeanor of the characters on the screen, the key point is that the photographer and the subject communicate in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, and fully mobilize the passion and true feelings of the subject as much as possible. Only when the happy mood is unified with the natural expression, and the melancholy mood is coordinated with the ups and downs of life, can we shoot outdoor portraits full of personality and appeal.

9. A small rule

Let the photographer have a gaze point, which can be the camera lens or the fist you raise, so as not to be in a daze.

10. Two small taboos

First, shoot more than two people and don't let them see different "points". Second, in addition to the complete silhouette and the pursuit of special effects, don't let the subject's head go too far to avoid the nose flowing out of his cheeks.

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