Dramatic Portrait Photography

Often regarded as one of the leading lighting experts, Joel Grimes, is sharing a wealth of his knowledge with the general public in a two hour long workshop which is available free of charge to anyone wishing to further their understanding of photography. Grimes, a photographer of 30+ years, is well known for creating dramatic portraits uses a variety of technical lighting techniques, many of which he covers in the workshop. Watch his presentation in full, right here:

Things To Remember:

• Move your light source farther from the subject or use a smaller modifier if you are trying to get a hard light. Conversely, a soft light can be created by moving the light in close or using a larger modifier.
• When selecting a modifier, keep in mind that its shape will directly affect the quality of light it produces.
• When shooting, if you move your light source up or down, move your camera placement with it.
• Use your intuition to decide what looks best. Photography is very subjective!

Using these techniques along with a few others, Grimes was able to produce looks such as these:

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“I’m drawn to how light strikes a face. I love it. I love how light models a face. I believe everyone has a look. Yes, we have attractive people, but I love bringing someone in and going, ‘What can I do with this person to create a portrait that stands out?’ So lighting is very important to me.”

For further training, Joel Grimes has a couple courses here on Portrait Compositing: Kelby Training

[via PictureCorrect Photography Tips]