How To Frame Your Environmental Portrait Photography

Welcome to day 2 of an entire month of free online photography learning here at the Photography Campus Blog. This month it's all about Environmental Portrait Photography.

Today I'm going to talk about framing your photographic portraits.

All photography is ultimately contrived - because at some point the photographer frames a slice of life and shoots. Items are excluded and elements deliberately included.

You are telling people what you want them to see, and one of the most influential techniques you can use is framing.

I have to confide straight up, my style of framing in this type of photography (which I love)  is almost always horizontal (landscape). I grew up inspired by great Australian cinematographers & directors, who gave us 'Man from Snowy River', 'Phar Lap,' Mad Max and Sunday Too Far Away (to name a few). These films captured Australians in the Australian landscape -  sunburnt country, far horizons...you get the drill. I then went on to major in cinema studies at Uni and thus was inspired by all types of film and how do we watch film?

In wide angle.

The benefit of this angle of shooting in environmental portraiture,  is  of course that it allows for so much else to be in frame.

Never has the rule of thirds been so handy. You can pop the subject to the right and put the room, landscape, streetscape or whatever to the left.

Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with this approach to environmental portraiture, but seeing as thephotography campus is all about online photography education, I figured today we could push ourselves to think a little differently about framing.

What if we were to turn our cameras the other way? Is shooting vertically a valid way to engage in this photographic genre?

To get our answer we need look no further than some of the ripper Instructors we have right here at the Photography Campus.

In particular, Marcus Thomson and Jim McFarlane.

I'll be interviewing them seperatly later this month but it pays to have a sneaky preview at some of their work, and particularly some of their framing.

Today we'll talk about  Marcus. Marcus teaches "Introduction to Environmental portraits" here at PC. In it he drags us (I mean invites us) to Mentone beach at a bracing 5.30 am one winter's morning. Mentone is a city beach here in Melbourne and winter is not the time to go swimming there. Unless you're one of the brave souls known as the Mentone Icebergers. People who swim 365 days a year in Port Philip Bay no matter what the weather. Marcus had approached them to be photographed and they were happy to oblige. He spent some time with them going through the steps we talked about on day one of this course and was set to go when we headed down there that chilly morning.

Marcus Thomson

Mentone Icebergers by Marcus Thomson

I would have never considered going vertical but once I saw the shot I could never have imagined a better representation of this guy.

Remember on day 1 we said there are 3 things to consider when shooting environmental portraits.

1. The subject.
2. Their environment. 
3. And  their relationship with that environment. 

This wonderful man (my apologies I do not know his name) was happy, enthusiastic and most of all proudto be a Mentone Iceberger. His relationship with his environment was one of pride and endearment. Being an iceberger made him stand taller. Literally.

As soon as the camera was on him he puffed out his chest and grinned like a cheshire cat. Not once buteverytime Marcus took a shot. Here was the perfect representation of how our subject interacted with his environment. With love and integrity.

Now imagine if Marcus had taken the shot horizontally. What would have been missed? Sure there would be more beach, but no spirit or relationship between our subject and the landscape. The key, the storydemanded the image be taken vertically. 

I asked Marcus afterwards if he had intended to shoot vertically all along and he said yes. He had observed our hero subjects body language the first time he met him. Without a camera, doing his pre production.

The point of today's lesson? Step outside of your own comfort zone when you walk in to someone elses. Sometimes thinking outside the square might just be a case of turning that square on its head.

How about you guys? How do you feel about framing? Are there any tips you have for us?