How do I make a portrait by candlelight?

Howdy All,

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First of all, thanks Shawn for what looks like the makings of a terrific forum. My question, I would like to shoot a portrait by candlelight. This is for a class project. (Second class in a series of three Black and White). Where do I start? A grey card in front of my models face, meter off that and then bracket around that? Is there a rule of thumb that I can use or what? Another question, we have to use an alternative camera for a different project. Would I have a ghost of a chance getting a similar image using a Holga?

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Thanks again,

Keith

yep and yep. Grey card sounds good to me, and a fast lens/film combo

or if a soft image would be acceptable, just design it to be

graphically strong. You could use a tripod and have a soft

(mysterious) figure with a sharp set. Explore different gestures.

Watch out for streaky catchlights in the eyes, they will set the mood

of the image. The holga doesn't have much of a close focus

possibility, but it does have "B"... t

Me Again,

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Sorry, I had a brain fart when I entered my e-mail address on my

original posting. This one has the correct address. Thanks Tom. I

am going to try the shot tomorrow night.

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Keith

Why not just set up the tripod, and bracket a few shots off the

metered reading off the model's face?

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The grey card will just leave you more confused, IMHO.

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You can get a similar image using a holga, but it's not going to be

anywhere near the same.

Metering in very low light conditions may be impossible with a grey

card. You may be forced to use a white card and adjust accordingly.

Approximations: 400iso 1/15 sec f/2

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cheers,

...if you really want Holgaesqueness (you mean Richter, right? "Helga"

I thought--I'm not awake yet...) how bout long exposure under

flourescent

lighting? This would have to be done with colour film obviously, but

you could print in BW for your project, no?

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Or am I just missing Holga in my brain?

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Georgia? geOrgia? GeOOOrrrGia!

My Holga doesn't have "B". f/8 with two settings: sunny or cloudy. 1/100 s is the only time. the closest focusing distance is about 5 feet. Not very appropriate for close-up portraits in candlelight. But if you really want, pressing the shutter 100 times gives total exposure of one second, maybe enough....

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Metering is no problem - as usual, meter off the face and give one stop more exposure, if skin tone is caucasian. The same in sunlight or in candlelight.

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If you want the candle in the same picture, double exposure is the best method. Expose for the candle (meter off an area very close the candle, but not the candle included), overshadow the candle with a black card (or a hat...) in front of the lens and expose for the face. The result can be really nice.

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Sakari

<P>This has also been discussed on the photo.net Q&A forum, you

can find a thread <A

HREF="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0004vP">her

e</A>, while <A

HREF="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=000jCr">thi

s thread</A> discusses how to use fill-in flash without ruining the

atmosphere (but since you are doing B&W it might be less

relevant to you).</P>

<P>If you can't do Polaroids, then use a light meter. Bracket widely:

film is cheap, models are not.</P>

<P>Sorry, I have no clue what a Holga is...</P>

Holga is a plastic camera that takes 120 film. You can get them for

$12 to $18. Some folks thing that they are the cats pajamas because

thay are so flawed & you never really know how the images will come

out.... go figure....

Click <a href=http://www.slip.net/~harrisj/gall2.htm>here</a> for a

site with Holga photos. Not much in the way of people shots and a

few seem to be missing, but there's some good shots anyway.

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It's just another tool, an agent of seredipity.

if you decide to use 3200 delta with your holga make sure and wrap the

entire camera (except the lens) in gaffers tape to a thickness of

1/2"....then when you're finished take the camera outside and smash it

against the pavement to retrieve the roll.

<P>You are going to go through all the trouble of getting a model,

setting up the scene with candlelights and everything, and then you'll

shoot it with a plastic camera??? You must be a student. And

completely mad.

<P>(Ah! You said "class project". I guess you are. A student, that

is. <TT>:-)</TT>)

no Sakari....serious photogs use no less than 8x10 view cameras and

never under any circumstances use filters.

What's a lens? Pinhole cameras rule!

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Especially those that require a big truck to move around. (What was

the name of that woman who took portraits with a truck-mounted pinhole

camera one some silly film format?)

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(PS: I was only joking in my previous post.)

Yes Allan, I am completely mad!! No offense taken whatsoever. I

guess my original posting was a little confusing. The original shot

will be done with my Nikon. The Holga question was more of a

curiosity. This class requires a number of technical assignments

along with a final portfolio. One of the tech. assignments is to use

an alternative camera. My instructor specified a Holga, and since I

would already be set up with the candles and all, I just wondered if

it might work. By the way, the model becomes the Mrs. in May, so she

is getting used to being the subject of my photographic madness!

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Keith