Music Portraits

Portrait photography or portraiture is photography of a person or group of people that displays the expression, personality, and mood of the subject. Like other types of portraiture, the focus of the photograph is usually the person's face, although the entire body and the background or context may be included.

When portrait photographs are composed and captured in a studio, the photographer has control over the lighting of the composition of the subject and can adjust direction and intensity of light. There are many ways to light a subject's face, but there are several common lighting plans which are easy enough to describe.

In a studio, there are basic lighting plans. There's three-point lighting, which is basic lighting which uses three (sometimes four) light to bring out the details and features of the model. The three main light used in this light plan are as follows:

Key light - also called a main light which is usually placed to one side of the subjects face. It is also between 30 and 60 degrees off centre and a bit higher than eye level.
Fill light - this is placed on the opposite side of the key light, this softens the shadows on the opposite side of the face. This mimics natural lighting.
Back light - also called a rim or hair light, this light is placed behind the model out of frame and this is often higher than the key light.This highlights models shoulders and hair.
Kicker - this is the fourth light in the three-point lighting which is a small light, often made directional through the use of a snoot, umbrella or soft box that adds a bright edge light on the fill light side of the models face. This is enough to establish the jaw line or the edge of an ear.

This photo is really elegant, I think that they have used a key at the front and slightly to the side to hit the highlights in her hair.

I really love this photo, I love how they have put a back light with a gel colour over the top of it to give the illusion that she has pink in her hair.