Monochrome contemporary shots

[Zumbaqueen39]

Hi I'm not a photographer but would like to know if there is any way I can do the portrait shots like they do in the studios like VENTURE. In Uk there are a set of studios that make portrait shots but they are kinda abstract, arty and fun! I particularly like the black and white ones. Check the website images if anybody is not sure..they are white background which is light and bright. The whole look is quite contemporary. The reason why I want to do it at home is that they are very very expensive! And I'm talking average £1000-2000 for standard size photos! I have a 12 megapixel digital camera and I'd like to take photos of my two boys. I don't really want to buy expensive equipment but if I can get a little bit close to those sorta shots that'll be good! I've been looking at photo editing software photoshop and if I turn down the exposure and turn up brightness and contrast it gives a bit of the look I want to achieve. Any other software that will do a better job? Also I wanted to blow the image up into a canvas or photoblock etc.. Will it be ok to do so or is the image not suitable?
Please help as I really want to do some portraits. Thanks .

 

[PaulPhotography]

Hard to know what you mean exactly. Can you post an example image?

Need more info about the camera too - it's not just about megapixels! If they are studio shots then the lighting set up is key and can be extensive

For me Photoshop elements would be your best software option

 

[meonshore]

If you are not an experienced photographer, and you don't have a reasonable amount of studio equipment then no, it is very unlikely that you will be able to achieve the look and quality of Venture.

Even if you spent £1000+ on lighting, lenses and software you'd probably still struggle and so you really have two choices. Accept that Venture delivers what you want, and if you can afford or save for it then go and experience and purchase what it is you really want to own.

Alternatively, the Venture look is around 10-15 years old now. White background flatly lit portraiture is relatively easy to create if you are (a) experienced, and (b) have the equipment and that means that there are many high-street, business park and indeed home based studios that can deliver you that "Venture look" for 25-50% of the price. It might not be exactly the same experience but your end product *might* be indistinguishable. A quick Google in your area should throw up some photographers that will meet your criteria.

If you want to take good quality images of your children then you'll likely be more successful if you do that on location in a park or woodland where you have soft open shade. You don't need to worry about lighting white background and keeping detail in them at the same time and the whole environment is more forgiving.

 

[Bristolian]

Hi Shahina and welcome to TP

Others have already spoken to this but may have been a bit too subtle for a self-confessed non-photographer to fully appreciate. I'll try to be gentle here but you appear to be labouring under the mistaken impression that cameras take photographs, which they don't. It's the skill and knowledge of the person using the camera that makes the difference between the type of photograph you want to replicate and your average family holiday snap.

You could spend thousands of pounds on equipment - camera, lenses, lighting, etc. - and you still won't get that image without also investing time and effort in learning about the art of photography and how light works. By the time you've done all that the kids may well be all grown up

Any professional photographer worthy of the name (and many of the keen amateurs on this forum) can produce those high key images - although they're a bit old hat these days - for a hell of a lot less than Venture want for the privilage.

Hopefully, that wasn't too blunt for you ... no offense meant ... but I would hate for you to waste time and money on this

 

[Phil V]

Exactly what Steve said