Help with portrait technique!

[AleksanderLoesch]

Hi, I am doing A-level photography, and I am trying to do some portraiture. I am trying to have a go at taking photos like this one of Sir David Attenborough:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/portrait-of-a-living-tv-legend/2008/03/08/1204780133324.html

(its on the page with the news).

I have once taken something like this by accident of a lampshade against the ceiling, but I have not been able to re-do it since.

Would anybody mind explaining to me how to achieve this?

Cheers,
Aleksander L.

 

[fletch5]

Looks Like A Single Light Placed To The Right And Slightly Above Him, But I Could Be Wrong

 

[AleksanderLoesch]

cheers! I will give it a go, on unappreciative family members! Its also getting the black background that I am trying to do, it doesn't help having nothing that I can put up behing the subject that is dark, but if I managed it with a white ceiling once, im sure I can do it again eventually!

 

[Craikeybaby]

How about practicing it on a smaller scale first? Use a black piece of A1 card on a desk/work surface, tape the top to the wall and the bottom to the desk to give an infinite background, then when you've worked out the relative positions of subject/camera/light it will be easier to recreate.