An environmental portrait is described as 'a portrait executed in the subjects usual environment, such as their home or workplace, and typically illuminates the subjects life and surroundings.' It shows the subject as they are, and surrounded by things relevant to their persona.
Because the subject of the photograph isn't just the person in it, but also their surroundings and environment, these portraits are often taken using a small aperture to ensure that the whole scene is in focus, and not just the subject as is the usual approach. Natural light is often preferred for this kind of photograph, to show the subject in the truest form possible.
It is a very popular style of portrait photography, and although the portrait of Isambard Kingdom Brunel by Robert Howlett is often credited as being the very first environmental portrait
the term was first coined by the American photographer Arnold Newman.
"Armaments manufacturer Alfred Krupp who allegedly used slave labour to make weapons for the Nazis, contacted the famous Newman for a portrait in 1963. Upon finding out that Newman was a Jew, Krupp refused to let him make the photograph. Newman insisted to have Krupp look at his portfolio before making a final decision and after seeing Newman’s portfolio Krupp accepted. So on July 6, 1963, the industrialist and the auteur went into a derelict factory in Essen which belonged to Krupp, where Newman decided to make Krupp look as evil as possible under the eerie demonic lighting of the factory.
When Krupp first saw the portrait he was livid. Newman was more tongue-in-cheek: “As a Jew, it’s my own little moment of revenge.”"
apart from this being an excellent example of environmental portraiture, i just find this very amusing!!
Another photographer credited with some of the first environmental portraits is Louise Dahl-Wolfe (1895-1989) but hers were specifically more fashion orientated-she photographed fashion models using natural light in outdoor locations.
With regards to my own environmental portrait, i wanted to originally photograph a tattoo artist i know at work, but he declined as he is very camera shy, so instead i will be photographing my friend Louise who is a piercer and body modification expert while she is working on a friend of mine in her studio.
I knew my friend Kate was thinking of getting a temporary corset piercing and asked her to let me photograph the process, and I specifically thought of getting some portraits of the piercer, Louise, as she was working.
Contact Sheets
the first picks of the shoot, showing Louise both working on Kate and also Louise with her work afterwards.
This is an shot of Louise doing the 2nd of the 16 piercings needed to create the corset. Fluorescent lighting.
A slightly more corporate-style of portrait, this shows Louise in the window of the tattoo/piercing parlour that she works in with the product of her work next to her. I purposely kept Kate's face out of the photograph on purpose to draw attention to Louise and the piercings. Mixed lighting (Fluorescent & Natural)
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