In the Chris Orwig presentation, he discussed the 6 types of indirect lighting. They are Backlight, Dappled Light, Side Light, Open Shade, Window Light, and Garage Light.
Backlight is created when the subject is facing away from the sun, the light is behind the subject.
Dappled Light is created when light comes through trees, some shadows are also casted from the trees.
Side Light is created when the light is casted from the side.
Open Shade is created in the shadows of large buildings, trees, etc. but a light source still illuminated your subject.
Window Light is created when light comes through a window, making the light not too harsh.
Garage Light is created in doorways, warehouses, etc. and is when the subject is against a wall, or something in that category, creating a darker background, but the space is closed off. In front of them is an opening, like a garage door opening, which allows much light upon the subject to create a highlight.
We want subjects to feel re-centered for the portrait in order to get the most genuine photo of them possible. To re-center them we can ask them questions or get a convo started. By getting them to talk to us, we can create a more comfortable environment for the subject. We can also get the subject to move around, stretch, move their shoulders, and walk around to relax them. You can ask them to take deep breathes in an attempt to calm them. Lastly, close their eyes and capture the photo at the moment the subject opens their eyes for a honest photo.
Ways you can reduce and simplify the background of an authentic portrait include cropping out all distractions in the photo and using a low aperture in order to create a blur in the background to keep the focus on the subject.
This displays how one can crop out distractions to create a portrait.
This is a prime example of how having a shallow depth of field creates an overall better portrait.
