While portraits at country houses, out in the fields, or simply in a studio setting, are all perfectly valid location for entirely pleasant portraits, it’s only when you head into the city that the environment lends a sense of drama, foreboding and danger to the mix. That’s what we’re looking at here, with a selection of urban portraits.
1 Look miserable
First rule of urban photo club is no-one looks happy. Subways are a great location, but they invariably mean that your subject will be backlit, unless it’s really dull overhead or actually night time. So, use fill-flash to light the subject. Even better, use a flash that you can position and bounce light off the ceiling or nearby walls. Use a wide aperture to lose the distant background.
Photo: 1/250 sec, f/3.5, ISO 100
2 Get low down
Take a low position, looking up, to give a distorted view, completely at odds with most portrait styles. If the subject has trendy footwear use a really wide-angle lens and get right down to ground level to shoot up. If you’re going to use colour, something that contrasts with a close background is a good idea.
Photo: 1/160 sec, f/4.5, ISO 1250
3 Use alleyways
Get the subject into narrow alleys and streets to emphasise the city bearing down on them. Use a slanted shot for a more dynamic result.
Photo: 1/80 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1250
4 Make use of decay
As well as graffiti, as seen in the first shot, look out for crumbling buildings, post-industrial decay, and soulless machinery. Here we have a grim, urban backdrop with fences and a gas storage holder. To keep all that in focus, an aperture of f/14 was used, as well as off-camera flash to the left and spot metering, as the subject was significantly backlit by the sun.
Photo: 1/250 sec, f/14, ISO 200
To shoot urban portraits you need a portrait lens, as well as a camera bag that doesn't attract attention. Also, why not consider travelling light and getting into a Micro Four Thirds system?
