1. 11/20/10 5:42 PMDocumentary Portraiture Lesson
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Documentary Portraiture
To make a documentary portrait of an individual that
has impact is not as easy as some people might think.
Numerous factors have to be taken into account. Of
course, the first thing that needs to be mastered is
exposure in order to provide a fine print for viewing. My
rule of thumb is to overexpose one f-stop, and
underdevelop thirty to forty-five seconds. This approach
will render a negative that is similar in nature to the
Zone System.
Putting exposure aside, since I'm mainly interested in
helping you capture a portrait that has impact, let's take
a look at four images from my 'Dyer Street Portraiture'
series: These images would probably fit the 'street shot'
category, but they are staged in the sense that the
subjects are posed in relation to their surroundings. A
20mm lens (extreme wide angle) is used to 'condense'
the view, and show the backdrop/background. The
subjects' posture and expression come across as
natural, but their 'look' is manipulated through constant
encouragement. They're not smiling, and in my opinion,
a documentary portrait should not include this kind of
expression. As soon as a subject smiles for the camera,
he or she breaks character. This action dilutes the
nature of the image, and it becomes nothing more than
a standard studio portrait.
DSP-1
DSP-1 shows a young woman wearing headphones, and
tuned-out to her surroundings, oblivious to what's going
on around her and possibly to the portrait session as
well. She is Hispanic, and stands in front of a wall
advertisement in Spanish. Her portrait is staged in front
of this advertisement to enhance the ethnicity of the
image. She's positioned right to allow the
backdrop/background to come through with this ethnic

2. 11/20/10 5:42 PMDocumentary Portraiture Lesson
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message. The words in the advertisement 'race' across
(left to right) the image to provide excitation. This
image is not just a portrait, but also a visual statement
about ethnicity and oblivion.
DSP-2
DSP-2 shows an old man in his failing nightclub. His
business has dropped-off, and he feels isolated. His
portrait is staged indoors, and he's positioned right-
foreground to show the emptiness of his club behind
him. He sits alone at a table that should be filled with
customers, and his hands-posture conveys reflection
and contemplation. This image is not just a portrait, but
also a visual statement about isolation and loneliness.
DSP-3
DSP-3 shows a young man in front of his 'Headstand'
shop. He's positioned low-center -foreground to allow
the shop sign (above) to overpower the image, and
convey the 1960s -1970s era. His posture, expression
and attitude are in direct relation to the word, 'Head' in
'Headstand'. He's making a stand as well, and the
advertisement signs to his left and right convey sales to
perpetuate a bygone era. This image is not just a
portrait, but also a visual statement about attitude and

3. 11/20/10 5:42 PMDocumentary Portraiture Lesson
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perpetuation.
DSP-4
DSP-4 shows a young man in a blood bank. He's
positioned left-foreground to show the advertisement
sign, 'This man is a paid blood donor.' He's down-and-
out selling his blood to survive, and his circumstance is
in direct relation to the sign. His posture and expression
convey a sense of concomitant pride and humility. This
image is not just a portrait, but also a visual statement
about survival.
A portrait is just a portrait, but a documentary portrait
makes a connection between the subject and his or her
surroundings. And this connection conveys a visual
statement about the social condition.
A response Chambers received from a reader: "Just
completed the Photo-Seminars series concluding with
your piece on Documentary Portraiture. The subject
content on the human condition presentation by your
Dyer Street Portraiture series was somewhat
disconcerting; these photos were definitely not the
cotton candy glamor queen shots. Assessing the concept
of creating a studio portrait vs an ageless portrait is
evaluating the selection of the appropriateness of one of
the facets of the gesture of a smile vs non-smile gesture
leans more depth and ambiance to the portrait. The
overall impression of your portrait lesson left the impact
of a haunting punch.
I Believe my preference is your masterfully delivered
jab of enlightenment. Perhaps with a slight upper cut (a
short swing blow from beneath to the opponents chin) -
your portraiture article helped me to condense and to
fine tune my portrait style into - in your face - defined
more precisely as close up and personal, simplify, crop
out the surrounding unnecessary clutter and to utilize
the look and non-smile gestures to the advantage of the
moment while seeking the authenticity of the moment

4. 11/20/10 5:42 PMDocumentary Portraiture Lesson
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being photographed. At the moment your e-mail was
being generated, I was reflecting upon the following
quotation: The so-called past is the top of the heart; the
present is the top of the fist; and the future is the back
of the brain. Zen saying."
Dyer Street Portraiture