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Making a portrait with a crown
Give a crown or chosen headpiece room in a portrait, then explore a closer view and a comfortable change of angle.
Proposed character for Adventure Time · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2013:09:14 13:19:18
A crown can be an enjoyable part of a portrait: a small outline above the face, a bright detail within a costume, or a shape that changes as the person turns. Making room for it gives you and your portrait partner another choice to explore together.
These Anime USA 2013 photographs suggest three possibilities: a whole view, a closer portrait and a comfortable turn. They are examples for a new exercise, rather than a record of instructions given during the original session. Begin with a headpiece your partner enjoys and a portrait you both feel good about.
Give the crown a place in the whole portrait
The first portrait includes the whole figure, gown, garden path and crown above tall hair. The open space above the headpiece lets its outline sit clearly within the frame. The portrait gives the small bright shape a place within the larger costume and surroundings.
Look at the crown first, then let your attention move down through the person and clothing. Notice the background immediately around the headpiece as well as the room above it. Those relationships can be useful to check before you make a closer photograph.
With a willing partner, start from a comfortable position and review the whole frame together. A small change in your camera position may change the background behind the headpiece. There is no single amount of headroom to aim for: choose what serves the portrait you are making.
Look more closely at face and headpiece
Proposed character for Adventure Time · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2013:09:14 13:17:12
The closer photograph brings the smiling face and sparkling crown forward. The crown remains fully visible, while some of the tall hair continues beyond the original frame. That is a particular framing choice, rather than a complete record of the hairstyle.
Compare what the closer view adds and what it leaves outside. Expression and the crown become easier to study, while the whole gown and much of the garden no longer appear. A separate wider photograph can carry those other details.
Try a closer portrait if your partner would enjoy it. Decide together what you want to include, and check the edges before making another variation. Keep the whole original files; this exercise is about choosing a new framing at the camera, not altering these archive photographs.
Explore a comfortable turn
Proposed character for Adventure Time · Photograph: Yenra
Captured: 2013:09:14 13:20:18
In the third portrait, the person turns back toward the camera. The crown remains recognizable above the face, while the shoulder angle and sheer decorated cape offer another view of the costume. The headpiece connects this image with the preceding portraits.
Look at how the crown meets the background from this angle. Then compare the face, shoulders and visible cape. One small change can reveal a different relationship between familiar parts of the portrait without needing a new location or an elaborate setup.
Invite an easy head or shoulder turn only if it feels comfortable. Let your partner manage their own hair and headpiece, and pause whenever they wish. A crown, a simple paper version or another chosen accessory can all work; the useful result is a portrait you enjoy making together.
Look back with curiosity.
- How does the crown sit within the whole frame?
- What changes in a closer view or a comfortable turn?
- Which variation would you and your partner keep?
Keep exploring
Exploring a portrait with a hat · Photographing the details that matter · Exploring gaze in a portrait
Browse the complete Anime USA 2013 gallery. Return to a photograph that interests you, follow its original neighbors, and see what else you notice. Your next useful experiment can begin with a small detail that catches your attention.