There is so much detail to be captured in a face. Cicero (106-43 BC) said: "The face is a picture of the mind as the eyes are its interpreter." To capture a person's personality, there are many things to keep in mind, and the authors of FACES show us how to match up a personality with lighting, posing, and composition. Portraiture is truly an art, and this book dives deep into the details so that you end up with a gorgeous portrait that both you and your subject love.

Not only is this book the most comprehensive title available on portraiture, but it contains stunning images. Each image is paired with a lighting diagram, a description of why the type of image was chosen, and then takes you through postproduction to put the finishing touches on. The authors also showcase a gallery of portraits by renowned photographers.

Reviews

"Mastering portrait photography requires a lot of skill and time. Trial and error will get you there at some point. However it is always better to get on the right path at the start. The book Faces is a great resource to get started or to find new ideas. Not only it covers numerous fundamental and alternative lighting scenarios but also explains the psychology of interacting with your subject or a model."--Learnmyshot

Contents

Table of Contents

The Opening Gallery

A collection of twelve portraits by six of the most admired contemporary masters of portraiture.

Dedications

And whom do we appreciate.

Introduction to Book

Opening thoughts about portrait making.

Acknowledgements

And whom do we appreciate, once again -- but differently.

How To Use this Book

The importance of picking your way through the portraits in this book the same way you would through a bowl of delicious fruit.

Portraits From the Past

A collection of thirty-six portraits -- some happy, some terrible -- made from the beginning of photography through the 1960s.

Making Portraits< collection of TCL portraits and detailed explanations of how we made them. Most are accompanied by full-perspective diagrams.

Street Shooting

A series of suggestions and tips that have helped us during the many years we've spent making street portraits.

Getting Ready

Suggestions on how to prepare for portrait sessions, both big and small.

Modifying Light

Information about the many devices we use to modify, or control, light while making portraits.

And Finally

Some parting words on what the "art and craft" of portraiture means to us.

Appendix - Some Tools and Techniques

A look at four tips and techniques that we have found helpful -- compositing, black and white conversions, reading histograms and working with lighting ratios.

Author Bio

Steven Biver, Virginia, USA, Commercial photographer, former clients include Adobe, Mobil, Newsweek, Black and Decker
Paul Fuqua, Virginia, USA, started his own audiovisual...