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Create a menacing mood

A successful portrait evokes emotions from those who view it – and that does not always mean positive feelings. An atmosphere of fear and menace can make for a powerful image, too, and although you will rarely want to make your subject look scary, creating a feeling of edginess and intensity can make for a very strong portrait, particularly of a man. Creating an image with any type of mood is usually dependent on skilful use of lighting in the studio, and this is particularly true when you want to create a menacing effect. Thankfully, although this requires sound knowledge of how to set up your lighting, the actual arrangement is a simple one based on a single light. Using one source and ensuring that the light is small and directional ensures that the contrast is high, the effect is at its hardest, and the result is as strong as possible.

Because the light is so directional, you will find that relatively small areas are illuminated while wider areas are cast in shadow. By changing the position of the light (as well as the subject) you can dramatically change how the subject will appear. Using reflectors (white, silver or black) will help you control where highlights and shadows appear. Of course, the person you are photographing has an important role to play. You must ensure that not only their expression but their entire body language fits the menacing mood. Choosing an appropriate subject (i.e., a frightening character) instantly helps add some threat to the scene, but with the right lighting and expression, even a young child can be made to look menacing!

KIM

A single light (with brolly) was positioned high and angled to illuminate the top right of the subject and the background. This set-up also had the effect of throwing the eyes into shadow, which raises unease and anxiety in the viewer. To avoid the whole body being cast in shadow, a triflector was positioned low down to the left of the subject to throw a small amount of light back on to the neck and torso. With most of the face thrown into shadow, the boxer needed only to assume a typical fighter’s pose to round of the effect of strength and masculinity.

Canon EOS 10D, 28–70mm lens at 47mm, 1/60 sec at f/8, ISO 100.