Fifteenth # 15

by Irving Penn

by Steven Wai Lee

  The background

The background itself is very important in terms of photographing as well as the feeling toward interpreting the picture. The background can mean a lot when it comes to mood, the meaning to where or what the photographer is trying to tell. Even is a simple picture of a woman holding a baby can change a lot to the mood of the picture is telling or even the mood of the viewer whether is on the beach, in rural village, modern area, on the bridge or in the forest or in the wood. The mood is different and the location is different and the meaning. Things can be 180 degree reverse and that’s determine the theme of the story as the subject determine the plot.

Fourteenth # 14

by Irving Penn

by Steven Wai Lee

Why do I like portrait?

The reason is that portrait is one of the closest, realistic kinds of photography. Where the point the model and the lens once connected, there is not a thing that could hide. The feeling, emotion that once been capture on the black and white photography, there would be nothing can undo the expression. Thru the facial expression, body gesture, eye focus, the way of sitting, running, standing, that moment tell the truth where not even the greatest magician can remove or replace. Happiness sadness, boredom, furious, everything would be the trueness, most realistic fact that can’t be change.

Thirteenth # 13

by Irving Penn

by Steven Wai Lee

Seeing the gesture of the both ladies, I intend to focus closely to their eyes where I hope to see, to sense the feeling of being juvenile where world could be so peaceful and wondering the where about. Little bit of naive and sweet but also providing the curiosity through the eye risk of them which makes it adorable.

Twelfth # 12

by Irving Penn

by Steven Wai Lee

Group photographs

In fact, group photograph is a very serious issue, especially in the more importantoccasions. How can I make a good photograph?  Look at Irving Penn’s group photograph, I could see and understand that it really need a lot of knowledge.

In his group photographs and even only had eleven people, each person had his or her own expressions. That’s a very important thing that I really want to learn from him.

Eleventh # 11

by Irving Penn

by Steven Wai Lee

 Light intensity

In Irving Penn’s portrait, he produces a clearly visible dark shadow to cover up the facial expressions and highlight the wrinkles.

I prefer more light and do not cover up the resulting facial soft shadows. I don’t like wrinkles and scars. I like to display more subtle color and hue in my portrait.

Tenth # 10

by Irving Penn

by Steven Wai Lee

Children. In my mind,they are always innocent and natural, full of expressive. Howeven, it is difficult to capture or control them because we can’t guess what they think and it is hard to predict what their action or reaction.

Adult or teen are different because they are not easy to show their inner feelings.

Ninth # 9

by Irving Penn

by Steven Wai Lee

In fact, I think the most difficult in portrait photography is to make a good shoot to the eyes. The eyes can help a lot in portrait photography. I know the best performance characteristics can show in the model’s eyes. In Irving Penn’s portrait, I could see he made many portraits to the eyes. I believe that the eye’s direction is very importance to the images.

Eighth # 8

by Irving Penn

by Steven Wai Lee

Irving Penn posed her with one hand on the wall gently against her cheek and looking off camera, suggesting a slightly pensive mood. I was telling my model Jessie to stand and looking back to the camera. I like the pose and the her smile. Really gave me a pensive mood too.

Seventh # 7

by Irving Penn

by Steven Wai Lee

Indoor Portrait

Irving Penn’s style is to bring me close to a scene. He accomplished this by composing the photo as the modal was sitting with above eye-level angle shots that make the viewer an invisible participant. This was exactly what he did in his portrait photography. I really like this style and I shoot a similar pose in our school studio .

Sixth # 6

by Irving Penn

by Steven Wai Lee

Beautiful plants

Sometime, I think this is just a background plants but they can become a part of the portraits.