Photography 1: P & P, Proj 6: The Best of a Sequence

Project 6: The best of a sequence.

For this project I set up a portrait session in a formal structured way to give a consistent setting and framing.  The only variables between the series of pictures was the expressions and gestures of the subject.  The subject changed clothes part way through to add variety.  The lighting was changed slightly during the shoot by using a silver, gold or white reflector.

I concentrated on the person's expression as the main element of the photographs.  I assessed it from frame to frame in order to select the best of the sequence.  This on-the-spot assessment helped to direct my subject and the moment I chose to make each exposure.

Immediately after the shooting, I wrote down the frame by frame progress of my subject's expression, noting which I felt at the time were the best.  I took a total of 34 images.  I then stopped as I ran out of ideas for poses/expressions.

I then opened the sequence of images in a browser and reviewed the images a second time.  I rated them as a) not good, b) acceptable, c) good and d) the best single shot, according to my judgement.  This later review differed from the way I saw it at the time in that slight differences in lighting could by discerned better when viewed in the browser.  I downgraded some images to acceptable rather than good when viewed again.

The two images rated as good are shown below:

8154; F5.6; 1/30s; "Good"

8176; F5.6; 1/40s; "Good"

The image that I judged to be the best single shot is shown below:

8168; F5.6; 1/40s; "Best Single Shot".

What have I learned from this exercise?

When setting out to create a portrait it is worthwhile taking a large number of images in order to explore all the possibilities and fine nuances of expression.  It is best to assess the person's expression (and gesture or pose if they vary), from frame to frame.  This on-the-spot assessment will affect the photography in the way you talk to and direct your subject, and in the moments you choose to make each exposure.  It will also affect the way you review and edit the sequence of images later, on the computer.