# portrait photography ideas?



## nicholaslawson (Oct 6, 2011)

I've got a college assignment and its all about portraits. I've got an idea involving someone blowing glitter towards the camera face on. In my head it seems good but I can't think of any other ideas... :-( I can handle PhotoShop a bit so that could be interesting as well... Just wondering if there is anyone out there that can give me a few ideas  thanks!


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## Derrel (Oct 6, 2011)

U&#8203;se a DARK background, and aim a bit of diffused,controlled light from the rear of the set and forward, toward the subject, so that the glitter is illuminated from behind and off to the side, and seen against a DARK background.


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## Big Mike (Oct 6, 2011)

Portrait photography is all about lighting.  I'd suggest concentrating on that rather than props or Photoshop.


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## nicholaslawson (Oct 6, 2011)

Thanks for such a fast response guys much appreciated. The glitter was always going to be the hardest part of my idea. But I'm sure it will turn out fine. I might try a few outdoor portraits as well. But I think they would be more effective black and white personally. 

Thanks :-D


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## dakkon76 (Oct 6, 2011)

I think the glitter idea sounds neat. Would be even cooler if maybe you actually focus in front of the model's face so she's slightly OOF, then have the glitter in focus out in front of her. Just make sure you do it somewhere it's going to be easy to clean up... and try and get some really coarse (large-grained) glitter, otherwise it would probably just look like a weird colored cloud in front of her face. Look forward to seeing the results. You'll also need to be sure to hit the glitter with a flash or it won't have the effect you're hoping for - it won't be "glittering" with just ambient light.


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## DiskoJoe (Oct 6, 2011)

the glitter trick has been done. So has pieces of paper and junk like that. Think about the whole project and a theme to tie everything together. 

Here is project I am working on where I take pictures of random people I meet. 

100 Strangers - a set on Flickr


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## nicholaslawson (Oct 6, 2011)

I get what you mean by making the whole project kind of work together, and i've not seen any other photographs using glitter in a way I'm imagining. Photographs can be pretty tricky sometimes. Trying to tie a series of photographs together. I'll go back to the drawing board and give you a guys a message on another idea. I usually choose an idea that is way out of my league anyway


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## Derrel (Oct 6, 2011)

nicholaslawson said:
			
		

> I usually choose an idea that is way out of my league anyway



Well, you might as well set your sights high. Shoot for the stars! Swing for the fences! Aim high, not low! Dream big, not small. Go hard, or go home! 

You get the idea...there are more cliches about it, but I cannot think of more right now.


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