Black and white portrait photography

Here are two photographs that I produced this year. They both tell very different stories but they both tell exactly the story that was requested. They were both designed to be produced as black and white images.

The first image was photographed to be used as a professional profile image, on platforms such as LinkedIn etc. The brief was to show an engaging, professional and approachable person. I lit my subject very simply, choosing beautiful summer evening soft natural lighting and contrasted my clients features against the dark background. It is a very classic type of image, but her dress, hair and simple makeup give it a beautiful contemporary feel.

The second image was designed for an editorial feature on the “new” Irish in Ireland. My subjects journey to his new home had not been easy and this affected how I both lit and directed the photograph. A single flash angled at about 45/55 degrees to the right was used with an additional unit lighting the background. My subject is a very highly educated man and I positioned him to look directly into the camera and tell me his fascinating story. It was then up to me to choose the right moment to press the camera shutter. I think that the image worked really well.

While most of my work is in colour, black and white photography can say so much about the person being photographed, as well as about the skill of the photographer. This is why choosing a professional and briefing them thoroughly is so important, as is making sure that the photographer actually understands what it is that you, the client, wants and needs the photograph to achieve.