Black and white photography tip: Capturing a character portrait

Thursday 30 May 2024, 12:06 by Elja Trum | 3,058 views | 2 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Black and white photography is ideal for capturing a character portrait. A character portrait is a portrait of someone whose personality leaps off the screen.

Ron - f/9, 1/160s, 100 ISO @ 115mm
Often with piercing eyes and a weathered face full of lines. Usually a somewhat older man.

You usually photograph a character portrait low-key. Place a softbox close to your model at the side, and possibly a hair light from the other side to separate your model from the dark background.

Make sure there are catchlights in the eyes to really draw attention to them. In your black and white conversion, add contrast and possibly extra texture or clarity.

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About the author

Elja Trum is the founder of Photofacts and online photography course website Photofacts Academy. He has been writing about photography since 2006. Elja is also the author of (Dutch) books on composition, black-and-white photography, flash photography and portrait photography.

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2 comments

Kees Verwaard wrote on Tuesday 4 June 2024 at 11:19 | reply
A question that has been on my mind for a long time. Why is such an enormous contrast between the left and right half of the face so often chosen for these kinds of portraits?
Translated from Dutch.

Elja Trum wrote on Tuesday 4 June 2024 at 11:54 | reply
Because this kind of light creates harsh shadows. This makes grooves in the face more apparent. If you also light the other side of the face, you soften the shadows again.
Translated from Dutch.

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