"Simply Beautiful"

"Simply Beautiful"

©David A. Ziser

I made this image during a family portrait session a few weeks ago. During our sessions, I photograph the entire family and then break the family into smaller groups. Those groups could be dad and the boys, mom and the girls, mom and dad, and each of the children individually. Of course, we would accommodate any additional requests from the parents as well.

That's pretty much what I did at this session too. I blogged the image of the four sisters last week link. After photographing the four sisters, I then photographed each young lady individually trying to capture something special and unique about each one of them.

The young girl in this image is the oldest of the four sisters and at that stage in her life where she reflects her own self confidence and independence. I think it shows in this image.

This is the simplest of all portraits to take. She is positioned in the middle of the frame looking right back into the camera. No rule of thirds in this composition, no special placement - just in the center of the frame with her looking right back at me.

That is really only the beginning of the portrait. The long lens and wide aperture soften the background bringing the viewers attention directly onto our subject. The soft light on her face coming from camera left – my assistant holding the Quantum through Zumbrella -further completes the easy look I wanted in this image.

Think of this portrait as "softness all around" - soft lighting, soft background, and soft expression. All these elements came together in a wonderfully simple and beautiful portrait of this young lady.

Camera specs: Canon 7D fitted with 70-200mm IS lens at 150mm, F 4.0 @ 1/200 second, ISO 100. Enjoy! - David