Margarita, Columbus, Ohio. October 30, 2009.

All of the photos in my “favorite photos” folder for October 30 are portraits. It must be a portrait kind of day.

My favorite photo for today is a portrait of Margarita, a Russian model. I particularly like the shadows cast by her eyelashes. And I like her eyes. And her face. I like the way her hair cascades over her shoulders. I like . . . . . .

This is one of my all time favorite portraits.

As a general rule, most portraits should be taken with the camera a little above the subject’s eye level. That angle flatters most people’s faces. Most people photograph best when the camera is slightly above them. But there are exceptions to every rule, and Margarita is one of them. She photographs beautifully from a lower camera angle.

As you can see from the catch light in her eyes, the main (brightest) studio light is high and to camera right. The fill (dimmer) light is to camera left and just slightly above her face. It is back far enough not to create another catch light in her pupils.

Erin in the Park, Worthington, Ohio. October 30, 2011.

My other favorite photos for this date are two sisters.

Leah in the Park, Worthington, Ohio. October 30, 2011.

I have photographed these two young women (and their older sister) since they were all toddlers. Our families are good friends. Both of these photos were taken in a city park in soft light conditions. You can see all three sisters as teenagers in this post.

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Series: Favorite Photos by Date

Favorite Photo, September 2 – all three sisters.