Classic Portraiture

I just completed my Classic Portraiture class and I am relieved. I learned a lot about posing in the class which some times can make your subject feel a bit awkward. There is only so long a subject can sit in a statuesque pose without losing the expression in their face. I'm not one to restrict myself to guidelines while shooting which made it somewhat frustrating to have to stick to the parameters of the poses. As you get better at posing and guiding your subject it becomes a natural process. An important part of the class is to recognize facial lighting patterns and have control of the main light to create them. Now I find myself thinking "Rembrandt!" as the light falls over someone's face in such a pattern.

So here are some of my final portraits for the class