I am trying to work mostly in natural light, though supplementary lighting is unfortunately required in many indoor situations with 4x5, unless a well-supported pose allows a shutter speed of 2 seconds or longer. I am finding my way into several means of achieving animated expression with a speed down to 1/2 second, perhaps 1. I am often in awe of the expressiveness of some 19th-C. portraits by Brady and others who had to pose their subjects with head clamps, yet managed to achieve remarkable animation in some cases (e.g., Jack Hayes).
Yesterday I conducted a session with an old -- in both meanings -- friend. In one setting, with him seated at his dining room table, I tried for the first time the following: with the camera set, slide pulled and shutter cocked, I sat beside the tripod with a 2-foot cable release in hand on my lap, and we engaged in conversation. At various points I would say "Hold," meaning he should freeze just long enough for my 1/2-sec exposure, and then we continued speaking while I reset the camera. I made 10 exposures, not yet proofed to see results, but the negs look good.
What I learned from my initial experience yesterday:
A visual signal -- raising my free hand to a "stop" gesture -- helped. I can probably improve how I do this to make the reflex faster.
As in small-camera work, such as 35mm photojournalism, anticipation is key; otherwise, the expression is gone, due to the time-lag between seeing my the expression, effecting the signal, my subject perceiving the signal and then freezing. It's similar to what one learns in driving lessons about why tail-gating is a poor choice.
Obviously, this will not work with everyone. Even if the photographer is successful in engaging the subject's ready cooperation, a subject who stiffens in anticipation of freezing on time, who speaks very quickly and has eyes darting around, who is uncertain or shy, will probably not suit this approach. My subject yesterday, in addition to being a friend, is a also a photographer as well as a veteran of many battles, so our conversation was relaxed as I asked him about some of his travels and experiences photographing. I'll be please if one of the images turns out well; most are probably "just after" the expression I wanted. In any case, the approach can certainly work.
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