Lianne+P+Portrait+A4

Mary Ellen Mark | Steve McCurry | Yousuf Karsh Portrait 1: In the first portrait, "Coney Island" by Mary Ellen Mark, I think I can assume that natural lighting is being used because the subjects are outside, on the beach. It's hard to tell if any other sources of lighting were being used because the photograph has been desaturated. There is a glare on the girl's swim cap, though, so you could probably assume that flash was used. This portrait uses the rule of thirds. The "L" shape of rule of thirds is created by the stature of the girl and the outstretched arm of the baby that she's holding. This compositional technique creates asymmetrical balance, which gives the portrait a more interesting perspective as opposed to having the subjects right in the middle of the photograph.

Portrait 2: In the second portrait, "Rangoon, Burma, 1994" by Steve McCurry, it looks as if some unnatural dramatic or studio lighting may be being used, based on the shadows and the brightness of the boy's face and the photograph itself. The photographer uses the fill the frame technique, placing the boy's head in the middle of the photograph, and filling the rest with the umbrella in his hand. You could also argue that the photographer is using the leading lines compositional technique as well, based on the lines of the umbrella that are all pointing in towards the boy's head, making his face the focal point of the portrait.

Portrait 3: In the third portrait, "Mother Teresa, 1988" by Yousuf Karsh, again, it's hard to tell specifically what type of lighting is being used because the portrait is in black and white. However, it doesn't look too bright or too dark, so I would assume that natural, available light is being provided. In this portrait, the photographer used the lines in Mother Teresa's head scarf to create the leading lines effect. The dark lines on the light material makes them stand out, drawing your eyes to them immediately. The lines lead up and wrap around her head, drawing attention to her eyes and face, which gives the overall melancholy feel to the photograph.

Sources: Portrait 1: http://www.maryellenmark.com/gallery/portfolios/new_york_street/404Y-022-007_new_york_street_520.html Portrait 2: http://www.stevemccurry.com/main.php (66 of 95) Portrait 3: http://www.karsh.org/#/the_work/portraits/mother_teresa/