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The photographic news
- Bandzählung
- 35.1891
- Erscheinungsdatum
- 1891
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- Englisch
- Signatur
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- Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
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- Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst Leipzig
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- Bandzählung
- No. 1717, July 31, 1891
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The photographic news
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Band 35.1891
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542 THE PHOTOGRAPHIC NEWS. [July 31, 1891. SHADOWS IN PORTRAITURE. BY XANTHOS SMITH. There is so much attention given to the subject of lighting in photographic portraiture—so much talking and writing about where the light should come from, and how much there should be of it, and in what way it should fall upon the features—that it seems to the writer that the very important subject of the shadows is being entirely over looked, and he humbly begs leave to offer some remarks upon this, as he considers it, very important factor— namely, shadow—in the art of making a good likeness and an agreeable picture. Shadow is the repose of art, the sentiment of art, and the web of setting, as it were, for our lights. It gives us our contrasts and our relief. It is by the breadth and depth of our shadows that we get the true values and brilliancy of our lights, and those forcible effects which are so sought after by great painters. All who have read about or paid any attention to the subject of art know that the secret of the great painter Rembrandt’s success was his skilful mastery of the principles of shadow. He subordinated all else to it, and it is in consequence of the very large proportion of shadow in his works that his lights stand out with such marked effect. While many painters considered one-fourth a sufficient amount of shadow for a picture, Rembrandt often reduced the amount of light in his works to one eighth, and, although it would not do for all to venture so large a predominance of shadow—for what with Rembrandt produced brilliancy, with imitators resulted in sombreness and heaviness—yet, by a careful study of shadow and its proper management, we may expect to attain some of our finest effects. Mystery is an important quality in art. The inquiring and inventive faculties of the mind are occupied by it. When all is spread before us at once, under a brilliant illumination, the eye passes over the subject, takes in all with quick comprehension, and is as quickly satisfied ; but when much is subordinated, obscured, in a measure hidden, then do we search and build up in our fancies ideas in harmony with the subject and agreeable to ourselves. Poets and lovers of nature, and painters as well, love to dwell upon her in the early morning or in the evening hours. Why do they treat with indifference the brilliant glare of noonday sunshine ? Simply because it is in the morning and evening that they find that predominance of shadow which gives nature its repose and sentiment, and, we may further add, its solemnity and impressiveness. It is then that the fancy may have full play in the broad passages of quiet repose, and the eye be gratified by the sparkling lights; it is then that nature gives us her pictures, instead of yielding up her every separate feature. Shadow is the great modeller, the moulder of form. By its judicious use in portraiture we round up our heads, produce the overhang of our eyebrows, cause our noses to protrude, and give shape to our mouth. We have only to pose a sitter in front of and directly facing a large window, and photograph him thus, to be fully convinced of the just value of well-cast shadows. The head and face will be amply lighted—no one can dispute that; but who would be satisfied with such a miserable, pale, flat repre sentation of themselves as would result from such a picture ? Under the eyebrows, under the nose, and under the chin would we have the same illumination as on the forehead, cheeks, and, in fact, all the other prominences ? Instead of an intelligent countenance we would have a pale, glaring stare. Now let us obscure the lower half or two-thirds of our window and try another picture, and see what a difference we will have wrought. A high, soft lighting is undoubtedly the proper one for the majority of sitters. Occasionally we see individuals, more generally ladies and children, possessing some pecu liar piquancy of expression, who will make taking pictures in almost any pose or lighting. Such heads are apt to find their way into the show-cases, provided permission be obtained to exhibit them. These pictures are well because their excellence is founded on the intrinsic sym metry of the face. It is when we come to deal with the average man and woman that our greatest difficulty arises, because, being neither picturesque nor beautiful, they drop into the common-place. People do not generally admire themselves treated in a common-place way. They all want to be made to look handsome, and with more dignity than they possess. Like the young fellow who volunteered to pose to his artist friend for the head and figure of Brutus, and, being aware of his very insignificant appear- arance, said : “ Now, Brush, you will have to throw in all the dignity of the noble Roman, you know.” The safest way with this large class of sitters is a good bestowal of shadows just where they are wanted. Not too strong and black, but full and soft, and the lights soft also. It is only in the heads of marked character, and when the individuals themselves permit it, that very vigorous shadows may be allowed, and then we have good pictures of a higher artistic order, which may be characterised as picturesque. We sometimes see in show-cases photographs of indi viduals taken under some trick treatment, which, though rather attractive at first glance, will not bear analysing and study, and which, if we have occasion to pass the place frequently, become excessively disagreeable and annoying to us. One of these tricksis obscuring the face in shadow with a harsh line of light on one side. If you have a lean, hatchet-faced man or woman with a very prominent nose, and treat them after this manner, especially large, you will have something attractive, certainly, but you won’t find its charms lasting. We all know that we may have too much of a good thing, and, indeed, with many things the better they are the sooner we surfeit of them, and so we may have too much shadow. We must remember that a countenance may be overwhelmed with shadow. The shadow is to be used to develop the features, and not to obscure them. We must make shadow our servant, and not allow it to become our master. We too often see in the show-cases at the entrance to prominent photographers’ galleries, and where there is a display of an abundance of elaborate work—work which has called forth the greatest knowledge and skill in technique to produce—a universal misconception of the true use of shadow. In many instances, in fact, shadow seems to be the aim and end, as if shadow should be the picture, instead of the means of producing it. How disappointing it is, for instance, to see a series of fine, large heads wherein the sitters have been posed against an even half-shadow background, and the entire face thrown in shadow, or rather half-shadow, except one temple and the nose, the light having been kept well back. Of course the back of the head, ear, and back of the neck are in strong light. This, with a well up-turned face, three-quarters, or nearer profile, and as complacent an expression as can be got, is a favourite mode of treatment, and very absurd when looked upon as
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