Magazine

Unveiling the inner soul: emotions in portraits

By Editor Marius Cinteza
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 19th of April 2024

Have you ever looked at a portrait photograph and felt an instant connection with the subject?
That's the power of emotion in portrait photography! It's not just about technical perfection, it's about capturing the raw, authentic emotions of the subject and conveying them to the viewer.

A great portrait photography goes beyond the technical perfection: it's about capturing a glimpse into someone's soul, a raw and unforgettable spark of emotion. Technical perfection alone is not enough to create a compelling portrait; it is the emotion conveyed to the viewer that truly makes a portrait stand out. In fact, a portrait that captures strong emotion can successfully compensate for a lack of technical perfection.

'Sara' by Tomek Dyczewsk

As a portrait photographer, it's your job to establish a trust relationship with your subjects and to be patient. Give them time to let their guard down and reveal their true selves. Allowing the subject to behave naturally in front of the camera can often reveal the most genuine emotions. Engage in dialogue, ask questions and bring up topics that evoke emotion. Be mindful of the lighting, focus and background and use the best equipment available. But most of all, trust your instincts and be led by what you love to see as a human emotion. In addition, it is important to note that capturing emotion in portrait photography is not just about the subject's facial expressions. Body language, posture and even the environment can all contribute to the overall emotional impact of the portrait. A skilled portrait photographer will be able to use all of these elements to create a powerful and emotionally engaging portrait.

For an authentic emotion to be captured the photographer should go beyond the surface and use the intuition to understand their thoughts and feelings. Can you spot a forced smile or genuine joy? Trust your gut to discern authenticity and let your fascination with human emotions guide you.

The most compelling subjects are those who captivate you with their inner world. Eyes speak, they are windows to the soul and a powerful tool for conveying emotion. The other elements – posture, hands, light and background – all support the story the eyes tell.

'The sea inside' by Mohammadreza Momeni

Portrait photography is about capturing genuine expressions and revealing the inner personality of the subject through the emotions conveyed in the photos. Next time you look at a portrait photo, take a moment to spot and appreciate the emotion conveyed. And if you're a portrait photographer, remember the power of emotion in creating a truly compelling portrait.

Successfully photographing people happens only when the photographer is able to capture and reveal their authentic emotions, thus creating a portrait that stays with the viewer and is unforgettable.

'The performer' by Marc Apers

Untitled by Petko Petkov

'Angalamman Festival @ Kaveripattinam, Krishnagiri, Tamilnadu, India' bySaravanan Dhandapani

'***' by DAVID MINSTER

'Looking for a future' by Sergio Pandolfini

'Tanya' by Zachar Rise

'Captivating Eyes' by Rana Jabeen

'| \' by Svetlana Bekyarova

'Amelia' by Tina Signesdottir

'dream' by Hari Sulistiawan

'Man from the crowd' by Waldemar Szmidt

'Pensive' by Stefan Eisele

Myriam' by Nico Pakvis

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ademkarabal

Great!!

Hamidreza.M PRO

I was happy to see this collection! Each photo can be seen several times and looked at again!

Heike Willers PRO

Wow! So many beautiful pictures/portraits. My very best compliments to all authors!

Stefan Eisele PRO

Thank you for allowing me to be here with a picture. Your article speaks to my soul and the selection of images is wonderful. Thank you Marius!

Bogdan Bouşcă PRO

I love this editorial! Congratulations to authors, writers, editors and who’s had the idea and vision for this. Respect ! Portrait is the most beautiful and DIFFICULT photo section … chapeau!

Fine Art - Architecture by Helena Garcia Huertas

by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 18th of April 2024

I cannot insist enough to catch your attention on the importance of the unique feature 1x provides to set up and create expositions in no time.
See 'How to make exhibitions' here.

'Exhibitions' is a powerful tool to create online exhibitions with your photos.
You can add quotes, change the order of your photos and align them in different ways and change the size. Just like a gallery curator arranging prints on the walls of an exhibition you can do the same. The landing page on your profile is an exhibition which you can customize, you can also add more exhibitions and decide which one should be your landing page.

A succesful exhibition will be published in the magazine on a regular base.
You can present some of your favourite exhibitions by adding text – stories or quotes – to make them even more attractive and to be selected. Maybe the next one will be yours.

In the spotlights today, the exhibition 'Fine Art - Architecture' by Helena GARCIA HUERTAS

'hemisferic - 2023'
Silver winner 2023, New York Photo Awards, Muse Awards

To introduce her exhibition, Helena quotes:
'I love Fine Art architecture in black and white, with it I can convey feelings and my mood at every moment. A simple building that you never noticed before becomes something extraordinary with this kind of editing. I decided on this type of processing a few years ago and it really got my creative juices flowing. Here I want to present you my award-winning photographs in different international photo contests, some of them, winners of the year in their category in different contests. I hope you like them.'

See here the complete exhibition : [3] FINE ART - ARCHITECTURE by Helena GARCIA HUERTAS (1x.com)

To trigger your curiosity, here is a compilation of a few great shots.

'Warrior helmet'
Awarded a third prize in Paris and Tokyo 2022, the Palacio de las Artes Reina Sofía is a futuristic building designed by Santiago Calatrava
and located in the City of Arts and Sciences of Valencia, Spain

'Fish eye'
WINNER OF THE YEAR 2022 (serie) (New York p.awards), platinum winner . Futuristic architecture in the City of Arts and Sciences in Valencia, Spain

'New York streets'

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jordiegeatorrent PRO

Excel·lent mostra de la teva genialitat arquitectònica, el teu món interior expressat en matisos, llums, ombres i volums. Felicitats Helena.

Helena GARCIA HUERTAS PRO

Muchísimas gracias, un abrazo grande

Jeffrey Wong PRO

Excellent artworks and I enjoy fine art architectural photos. Your creatives' artistic details and interplay of light and shadows captivate me.

Helena GARCIA HUERTAS PRO

Thank you very much for your words

'Thorns' by Kovács Levente

Tutorial by Kovács Levente
Published by Yvette Depaepe, the 17th of April 2024

Canon 6D . Canon EF 135mmf/2L . f/2.8

Every portrait needs an atmosphere that completes it; otherwise, it would just be an ordinary shot. In this particular case I told Tímea to play with her hair in a sensual way, and this introduced motion to the image, which always creates some kind of atmosphere. A thorny bush, the setting winter sun and unusially warm weather in Translyvania were also useful element.

Tímea is an old friend of mine — a beautiful young lady, full of energy with a photogenic face. We've known each other for a few years now, which helps a lot because she is able to completely relax during the photo shoot. This particular image was created spontaneously. I was in the mood to shoot, and it wasn't hard to convince her to make a great portrait with me. I knew that I wanted motion in the picture with lots of flowing hair, and we had already discussed the clothing and makeup, so the image was roughly thought out prior to our session.

Other shots from the session

"With practice, anyone can come up with hundreds of possibilities using a simple bush as a prop."

I usually take portraits near my home, mostly outdoors, using forests, large bushes, rocks or old buildings as a backdrop. I've found it's most important that I know what kind of light to expect in a specific place at a specific time. With practice, anyone can come up with hundreds of possibilities using a simple bush as a prop. After you've walked around a location enough times and have completely familiarized yourself with the area, you'll know precisely when the sun will hit certain spots, creating the perfect atmosphere and setting for your photos.

The view from our set

"That lens is a beast! It has beautiful bokeh, and it's tack sharp at its widest aperture of f/2."

When I shoot portraits, even outdoors, I typically use off-camera lighting. My choice is the Elinchrom Ranger Quadra portable strobe with a 100cm Rotalux Deep Octa. For starters, this combination is so easy to carry around, and I only need one basic, sturdy light stand to set it up. Also, the Octa produces a wonderful soft light, there's a modeling light built into the strobe, and the batteries are powerful and long lasting. I shot this image with a Canon EOS 6D and a 135mm f/2 L lens. That lens is a beast! It has beautiful bokeh, and it's tack sharp at its widest aperture of f/2.

I literally shot through the thorny bushes to create a soft, out-of-focus foreground. The setting sun behind the model created a beautiful rim light, and my strobe provided just enough frontal fill light. We, of course, had to take a lot of pictures until we got her hair looking the way we wanted. It could have been better, but I had other ideas in mind that I wanted to capture before the sun set, and we were running out of time.

Diagram of setup

Post Processing

The image was processed in Photoshop, Nik Software's Color Efex Pro 4 and Sharpener Pro plugins and Lightroom, using some film emulsion presets that were both custom-made and purchased. You can find many presets from OnOne Software, Mastin Labs, Rebelsauce, and the list goes on, or with a bit of study, you can make your own. This way, not only can you move sliders in the basic sections just the way you want to, but you can also adjust Camera Calibration, HSL, Color and Tone Curve settings. Anyone can use these filters; you just need a lot of patience in the beginning so you can learn how to match them to your style.

I have experienced an interesting behavior of presets: some of them work differently, depending on the type of file (RAW or PSD, for instance) that I apply them to, so I use this to my advantage and try them on both.

If a preset in Lightroom is too strong for me, I take the picture into Photoshop and adjust it with and without the same preset I applied to the RAW file in Lightroom. I then copy-and-paste the layers into the same document and play with each layer's opacity to see which one I prefer. In some cases I even apply two different presets to the same picture with the following trick (as I did in this case):

1) I opened the RAW file in Lightroom and made some basic corrections to Exposure and Contrast, and then I cropped the image.

2) I tried some presets on it, but none of them worked out, so I changed the file to a PSD and tried the presets in Photoshop. I have some old favorites, although I don't recall where I found them. I edited and renamed them long ago, but they match my style. Two of them looked great: one was warm with strong contrasts, while the other was cold with a hazy feel, so I put fire and ice together. I opened the previous PSD file again, applied both of the presets and copied the layers to one file, ending up with three layers in Photoshop.

3) I played with the layers' Opacity settings a bit too.

4) Next, I exported the image to Nik Color Efex Pro 4 and applied the Darken/Lighten Center filter to make the face pop out even more. I also applied a bit of the Skylight filter to enhance the sunset mood. Back in Photoshop, I adjusted each layer's Opacity.

5) If the makeup is strong, you'll have to pay attention to the neck and hands in post-processing. In this case I had to correct the color of the hand to match the skin tones of the face. I did this by sampling a color from the face and painting it onto the hand, using the Brush tool set to Color mode. I corrected this by adding a Curves adjustment layer and a layer mask, and then painting on the mask to shade some areas until I liked the result.

6) Finally I set the image to LAB color mode (Image > Mode > Lab Color) and added some final touches to the colors using the Curves tool (Image > Adjustments > Curves). Don't forget to set the mode back to RGB Color when you're done with Curves. Also, I sharpened the eyes and lips with Nik's Sharpener Pro plugin; it's easy and fast.

RAW image, Cold preset, Warm preset and final image

Tips

1) When I use strobes I always set my camera to Manual mode and try to underexpose the environment by â…” stop. This will ensure that it isn't too dark, but dark enough so the strobe can illuminate my subject without blowing out any areas. Sometimes I go below â€“â…”; it depends on the kind of atmosphere I want to create.

Once you have achieved the desired exposure on the unlit areas, experiment with your strobe's power until you get the optimal light on your model. With practice you'll know by heart what power to use for any setup (my Ranger Quadra was set to 12 watts and positioned one meter away from the model.) Do not place the light too far away from the subject because it will be harsh and poor quality.

2) Environmental light: What does your meter say?

a) Is the scene too bright?
If your camera and flash allow syncing with shutter speeds faster than 1/180 second, use them. Decrease the ISO (even to 50 if your camera has that capability) and increase your aperture a bit. (For me, increasing the aperture from f/2.0 to f/2.8 or f/3.2 doesn't make a big difference as far as the background is concerned.) If these settings are still not enough to correct the exposure, use a good quality ND 4 or ND 8 filter on your lens.

b) Is the scene too dark and your strobe's minimum power still too much?
Move the light a bit further away from your subject, but keep in mind that doing this will deteriorate the light's softness. Instead of moving the light, you can try adding more diffuser material to your softbox, but watch out for colored diffusers. It's your choice; sometimes you have to make small sacrifices if you want to use strobes outdoors.

3) Always experiment with post-processing. If you are looking at your image too much, take a break, do something else, step back from the monitor and look at the image from further away and from different angles. Most importantly, plan on making the final adjustments to your image another day. You will see your mistakes or the adjustments you need to make much more clearly with fresh eyes.

Biography

I am a freelance photographer currently living and working in Transylvania, Romania. Portraits have been my favorite from the beginning, but I also enjoy documentary, wedding, conceptual and some landscape photography. The way I see it, the most important thing in every picture is the mood — that world in which I imagine the set, indifferent to the meaning of the photo. My dream is to make a living from portrait and conceptual photography.

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Phil Lewenthal PRO

Thanks for this - the balance between artificial and natural light is delightful.

Adrian Popan PRO

Do you have a shot with her eyes open? :)

Yvette Depaepe CREW

The first shot - at the beginning - 'other shots from the session' is with open eyes, Adrian ! Your preference may go to that one, of course ;-) Greetings, Yvette

Adrian Popan PRO

Yes, but it is so small and she has such beautiful eyes... :) Thank you Yvette.

Yvette Depaepe CREW

Unfortunately, I cannot reach Kovács Levente to ask for a bigger picture with open eyes. ;-( Greetings, dear Adrian.

Miro Susta CREW

Very interesting Article with practical TUTORIAL TIPS, many thanks Levente and Yvette

Yvette Depaepe CREW

My pleasure, dear Miro!

Gabriela Pantu PRO

Congratulations/Felicitǎri for this wonderful portrait and thank you for the tutorial!

Susan Beausang - Photography as a reflection of her soul

by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 15^th of April 2024

Susan Beausang's work is very diversified and covers several photographic categories. Her journey on 1x has blossomed into a path of self-discovery and artistic growth. She views it as a learning experience. Susan considers every photograph she takes as a reflection of her unique voice and her life’s unexpected journey. She quotes Ansel Adams : 'You don't take a photograph, you make it'.
Let's listen to her story and learn more about this fine lady artist.

'Three is Company'

Introduced to 1x.com by my good friend and fellow photographer, Jane Lyons, I found myself in a world where esteemed photographers from all over the world showcase their extraordinary work. Initially, I was unsure that my work could measure up to the talent that surrounded me however I decided to view 1x.com as a source of inspiration and motivation.

My photography journey started as a necessity but soon blossomed into a passion. Life has a funny way of testing you. When I developed a rare disease that causes hair loss, I chose to turn this adversity into something positive. I designed a patented fashion forward scarf intended specifically for women and girls with medical hair loss which I sold all over the world. Initially, my photography journey was driven by a means to photograph the new fabric choices for my scarves, and so what began as a business necessity soon transformed into a lifelong passion.

Determined to understand more about the art of photography, I committed to a two-year photography program at the Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL. My personality is dominated by a competitive spirit and an insatiable hunger for knowledge. Photography was not just an art form for me but a competitive challenge waiting to be conquered.

My initial days of my photography journey found extremely diversified interests. To some extent I am still that way and find it freeing not to be confined by one genre or style. A myriad of interests allows me to explore new horizons and challenge myself to the fullest. I view all genres as a means of storytelling with endless opportunities.

Several years ago, the two “big C’s” entered my life almost simultaneously – Cancer and COVID which profoundly affected my work. This altered the direction of my life and affected my freedom to shoot anywhere, anytime. Once again, in the face of adversity I refused to be confined by circumstance. I turned my garage into a makeshift studio and began to explore the world of still life, water photography, macro photography, creative composites, imaginative lighting techniques, and artistic editing.

Living with cancer produces a sense of urgency that affects many aspects of my life including my photography. At times, it may appear that I am fixated on a single subject but it’s more a burning desire to achieve success, find new outlets for my creativity by exploring and mastering new techniques and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

I’ve always been a Nikon shooter but recently I sold all my DSLR equipment and only shoot mirrorless with a Nikon 711 and a Nikon Z8.

My mother is by far my greatest influence in my photography journey – a talented photographer whose passion and skills remains with me. Despite her best efforts to ignite my photography interest, my initial pursuits were elsewhere. It wasn’t until she had put down her camera that I picked up mine and ventured into the world of photography. Even though she was no longer using her camera, my mother remained my biggest influence and my staunchest critic. Her constructive criticism challenged me and pushed me to see the world from behind the lens.

My journey on 1x.com has blossomed into a path of self-discovery and artistic growth. This has not always been a straight line, but I view it all as a learning experience. I consider every photograph I take a reflection of my unique voice and my life’s unexpected journey.

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it”
~Ansel Adams~

'Bloom By Night'

'Just Plain Pretty'

'Crazy Hear Day'

'Hey Mom'

'A Tender Moment'

'Preening'

'Reflective Run'

'Dancing Tulip'

'Dandelion Hearts'

'Strawberries and Cream'

'Strawberry and Kiwi Splash'

'Dancing Calla Lillies'

'My Mama.'

'Equine Family Portrait'

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Arnon Orbach CREW

Wonderful gallery, images that provoke emotions. Love it dear Susan, my best compliments.

joanaduenas PRO

Wonderful images, very creative work, love tones in your images!!

Jeffrey C. Sink PRO

Your image of the orang and her baby is one of the most beautiful animal images I have ever seen. Wonderful. Be well

Susan Beausang PRO

Thank you so much.

Yi Pan PRO

Beautiful art from a brave and creative woman, congratulations Susan!

Susan Beausang PRO

Thank you for your kind words

Wayne Pearson PRO

Seriously outstanding, dynamic and creative work Susan. Thank you for sharing your story and wish you all the very best that life can offer you.

Susan Beausang PRO

I thank you.

Wanghan Li PRO

Wonderful and inspiring! Appreciate very much your story and your excellent works.

Susan Beausang PRO

Thank you so much

Yvette Depaepe CREW

I fully agree with Jane, dear Susan. You're an example for many of us! Yvette xxx

Susan Beausang PRO

Thanks Yvette. I appreciate your giving me the opportunity

Heike Willers PRO

My very best compliments, Susan. Thank you for sharing your work and your story.

Susan Beausang PRO

You are so welcome

Jane Lyons PRO

Congratulations Susan, on such a fabulous and diverse portfolio. Also, sharing your battle with cancer at the same time you are pursing your photography and art is both courageous and inspiring. It's seems that the joy and satisfaction you get from "making" your art is helping you win the battle with cancer. Thank you for sharing your story and your wonderful photographs and for your courage.

Susan Beausang PRO

Thank you jane

Savas Sener PRO

Great achive

Susan Beausang PRO

Thank you!

The Art of The Blur

by Editor Kimberly
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 12th of April 2024

'Faces in the street' by Adrian Donoghue

In the world of photography, where sharpness and clarity often reign supreme, there exists a captivating realm where motion blurs the lines between reality and artistry.

The art of blur in photography goes beyond technical perfection, embracing movement, spontaneity, and creative expression. In this article, we embark on a journey into the captivating world of motion and blur, exploring how photographers harness the power of movement to craft images that evoke emotion, energy, and intrigue.

Blur photography allows photographers to capture the essence of movement in a way that transcends mere documentation and creates an otherworldly, ethereal effect. Crispness and precision are set aside. Intentional blur may seem counter-intuitive however, it is precisely this departure from perfection that gives blur photography its allure. Imperfection invites the viewer to see the world through a different lens—one that celebrates the beauty of mystery and fluidity: a powerful tool for storytelling, emotion, and creative expression.

Beyond depicting physical movement, various blur techniques have the power to evoke a wide range of emotions in viewers. A blurred image can evoke a sense of mystery, inviting viewers to fill in the gaps with their imagination. It can also convey a feeling of urgency or excitement, drawing viewers into the heart of the action. By manipulating blur and composition, photographers can craft images that resonate on an emotional level, leaving a lasting impression on those who behold them.

There are many ways to inject blur into your images. Manipulating shutter speeds, creating long exposures, introducing intentional camera movement or camera shake, or panning techniques. The skill in creating captivating images is becoming masterful not just in the technical elements but in the creative elements, subject and composition are equally important.

The art of blur opens up a world of creative possibilities for photographers eager to push the boundaries of traditional photography. From experimenting with different shutter speeds to incorporating unconventional techniques such as zoom blur, multiple exposures, or kinetic photography (camera tossing), the possibilities are limited only by one's imagination and creative expression. Blur photography encourages photographers to embrace spontaneity, take risks, and explore new ways of seeing the world around them.

Take inspiration from the master of the ethereal, Russian photographer Alexey Titarenko. His collection “City of Shadows” are haunting and compelling; his style is not focused on capturing a moment in time….. but capturing time itself. http://www.alexeytitarenko.com/cityofshadows

And for more inspiration, here are some inspiring images from our own members on 1x.

'the cellist' by Roswitha Schleicher-Schwarz

'A Girl and Bear grass' by Shenshen Dou

'Spring morning' by Huib Limberg

'Ultimo giro # 2' by Lou Urlings

'Winter Walz' by Yvette Depaepe

'fiery autumn' by Gilbert Claes

'Snow Day in the Park' by Kimberly

'Blury memories' by Petar Boskovski

'Lovers in Venice' by Vito Guarino

'Wandering away' by Cecy Jup

'Sailing 3' by Greetje van Son

'elegance in white' by Milan Malovrh

'the Brothers' by Carmine Chiriacò

'yellow spot' by aRRO

Fencing' by Larry Deng

'Boulevard of dreams' by Martin Steeb

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Izabella Végh PRO

Bellissimo articolo, con fotografie eccezionale. Complimenti.

Miharu PRO

What beautiful and heartfelt works! The author's thoughts are conveyed not only through the wonderful technique but also through the beautiful light, colors, and scenery. Thank you very much!!

Miro Susta CREW

wonderful very interesting article accompanied with excellent photographs, many thanks Kimberly and Yvette

Heike Willers PRO

Beautiful collection! Thank you for sharing!

Larry Deng PRO

Great collections. Thank you Kimberly and Yvette +++

Greetje van Son PRO

What a lovely photo's you have choosen Kimberly! I'm proud to see one of my pics toghether witt those other beauties. Thanks a lot for sharing this Kimberly en thanks to Yvette to publice it!