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PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
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Phototography Tip #15:
It's Not a Mugshot! (Stay Away From Walls)
It's Not a Mugshot! (Stay Away From Walls)
Whether you're creating an artistic portrait of your child or a shot of Aunt Martha at her 85th birthday party, you need to avoid posing your subject while positioned in front of a wall or simliar flat surface. Although very common, this practice results in significant problems such as the "mugshot" look, sharply defined shadows on the wall cast from a camera flash, and a generally unnatural and contrived appearance. If that weren't enough, using walls or flat surfaces that are close to the subject's back is a bad idea because it tends to remove depth from the image.
If you are bound by walls due to the size or design of your event location, try at least, to move your subject closer to the lens and farther from the wall. By all means do NOT use your zoom, as your subject will, of course, need to move farther from your lens (and consequently, closer to the wall).
If you don't like the mugshot look, try for more depth in your photos. Think about shooting diagonally down a longer path. Don't worry about objects or structures that may be in the frame behind your subject - if they don't fight for attention, they will give context to the location and will help establish that this is a normal and expected happening (as opposed to putting someone in front of a wall and saying, "One, two three...").
If possible, always look diagonally, find more natural settings, look for depth in the background or find other alternatives.
 This model's mysterious and somewhat sinister appearance is accentuated by the wall directly behind her. Posing your subject in front of a wall or similar flat surface occasionally serves an artistic or necessary purpose, but more often represents a risky photographic practice. The potential pitfalls include a shallow appearance, with your subject appearing trapped, agitated and/or overly posed or contrived. Authentic moods can be covered-up or changed. The whole idea of putting someone up against a wall also shows a lack of imagination or creativity on the photographer's part. Amateur photographers tend to rely on walls for backdrops or backgrounds because they are safe; little can go wrong in terms of unexpected content, distracting elements or the like. As well, less can go wrong with focus. But these are not good reasons to stick your subject to the wall. |
 The wall behind this subject engenders a sense of anxiety and concern. If the background had, instead, some depth, he might appear less apprehensive and more pensive. Don't forget that when people say that, 'he has his back against a wall,' it means the person is trapped. The photographic symbolism may linger if we're not careful when we pose our subject. |
While the image below is an obvious exaggeration, portraits taken in front of walls also run the risk of looking like line-up or booking photos. This demonstration is meant to remind the photographer how important it is to move away from walls, if at all possible!
Consider the family portraits below. This in-home style of portraiture is trending very high these days, with young and talented photographers the world over moving out of the stodgy, cold, unnatural and overly-controlled studio and, instead, into clients' homes. The warmth, familiar surroundings and casual nature of indoor and outdoor home photo shoots lends itself to an unprecidented comfort level and less contrived (more genuine)appearances.
But when today's photographer spends an afternoon at the client's home, interior walls, bookcases and other vertical surfaces become, collectively, a nemesis to avoid. Look at the difference between the two family portraits below. Which one would you rather pay for?
But when today's photographer spends an afternoon at the client's home, interior walls, bookcases and other vertical surfaces become, collectively, a nemesis to avoid. Look at the difference between the two family portraits below. Which one would you rather pay for?
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BOTTOM LINE:
If your subject is standing in front of a wall, bookcase or any other flat vertical surface you run the risk of creating a flat, 2-dimensional look; setting the stage for a mugshot theme; casting shadows from a flash; and having a rather contrived appearance.
If your subject is standing in front of a wall, bookcase or any other flat vertical surface you run the risk of creating a flat, 2-dimensional look; setting the stage for a mugshot theme; casting shadows from a flash; and having a rather contrived appearance.
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