Betty sat quietly in her living room on a chair pulled close to the door where I’d positioned her in the light. An artist, Betty understood my requirements of her for a good portrait. She slowly moved through varied arrangements of her face and hands, turning slightly into and out of the light listening to my camera and spoken instructions.
The portraits, two of which you see here, are among my favorites and speak to the simplicity of good light and a model who understands that a story is being told.
The light was natural, coming through the open door of her condo. The door faced north, the light funneling itself through the relatively narrow 42-inch space, bouncing off the adjacent wall and filling the shadows on face. The room light then fell on the wall behind her with enough power to brighten the wall so it didn’t go dark. It was dumb luck, or Betty’s sartorial skills, that her sweater matched the color of the wall.
The color and tone of her skin and the bright contrast of lipstick blended into a near perfect pallet of color for her.
There are a couple of interesting elements that help make this photo successful. Note the shadow along her nose. It’s just soft enough to be barely noticed yet dark enough to narrow her nose.
The catch light in her eyes is large, the shape and size of the door.
The curve and size of the sweater on her left shoulder helps to counter the much large hand for a more balanced composition.
The crop is tight. Many portraitists would say too tight. Her fingers and the top of her head have been cropped off.
What was great about Betty is that she didn’t mind me showing her wrinkles and dark spots. In her 80s, Betty still embraced life, painting and acting, holding down a job and enjoying the friendships she’d accumulated.
Betty has bright eyes. Eyes that, even surrounded by wrinkled and weathered skin, invites you to participate in her life. Hopefully these portraits helped tell that story.
