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MMS 173 Assignment 5b:
A quick glimpse...
Act 1. Headshot.
Act 2. Candid shot.
So... why self-portraiture?
I wanted to get to know myself better. Pretentious as it may sound, I really did pick this assignment option to step out of my comfort zone – because I’m probably the most self-conscious person I know. However, I think there’s an introspective aspect to the process given that I can reflect on who I am, or what I love, and conceptualize how I can visually represent that in a photograph. Also, honestly speaking, I’ve had multiple attempts at taking self-portraits before, creative and headshot, both to quite mediocre results. I’d like to take this opportunity to fully commit to the process, to learn what makes a decent self-portrait, and to be more dedicated.
So, self-portrait it is.
The following sections contain my narrations on the whole process for both photos, including the conceptualization, execution of the shot, and post-processing.
1 . Headshot
Details
April 14, 2025 // 9:42 PM // Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
Taken with iPhone XR
ISO 25 | f/1.8 | 1/15 sec
Cropped to 2:3
Post processing with Photoshop
Concept, inspiration, mood boards.
For the headshot photo, I took inspiration from the photography of Jack Bridgland. I have seen his work quite a lot recently on social media, through photoshoots of some of my favorite artists, mostly on magazines and other visual media. He has developed such a unique, distinctive style in his output, that, to the best of my photographic knowledge, I’ll describe as featuring harsh lighting and dynamic color grading. Beyond those, his photos also have playful compositions with all sorts of props and poses, given their editorial nature. However, as this photo is simply a headshot, the qualities of light and color are the ones I focused on emulating. I figured that this was a way to add a creative, referential twist to the first part of this project.
Knowing this, however, I knew to keep my expectations in check. Bridgland is a professional photographer, most likely working with all sorts of high-end gear and tools that I don’t have access to. I know that my output probably won’t be on par with the caliber of his work, but I also know that it wasn’t the point anyway – it was more of a way of conceiving a visual direction for the headshot. I also reminded myself not to be too critical of my raw photos, as the visual qualities I am trying to evoke are very post-processing-driven.
With that, I began making a quick mood board, then proceeded with the photo-taking.
Supplies, setup, styling, and settings.
Supplies.
Here’s a list of what I used for the headshot:
iPhone XR (camera, using the Yamera app)
Tripod
Lighting
Rectangular light
Desk lamp (bulb with customizable color)
Specific to the headshot photo, I also used:
Hanger rack
Blue silk fabric, for backdrop
Setup.
To be honest, I think I had quite a convoluted setup for this one. I only shot this within my room, so I had to make do with the space.
I sat on a short monobloc chair, then propped up the hanger rack behind it on top of two chairs to drape the blue silk fabric on as a backdrop. I then propped up my desk lamp on top of that rack, to give a light sheen to the fabric. Around a foot in front of me, was the tripod bearing my phone, while the bright rectangular light was to its left, propped up by my shoe storage boxes. These were the only sources of light in the photo – my room’s lightbulb and pin light were both switched off. Throughout the shoot, I rotated the light in small increments to see which one was the most flattering, and to get a variety of photo options. I also used my earphones as remote shutter (volume buttons) so I didn’t have to use the timer.
Below is a picture of the set, and an illustrated diagram for easier visualization.
Styling.
I also styled myself, though there probably isn’t anything remarkable about it. I put on a long-sleeved button-up shirt and did some quick hairstyling, to look presentable and professional.
Settings.
My camera exposure settings are as follows:
ISO 25 | f/1.8 | 1/15 sec
ISO. I chose the lowest ISO possible on my phone, as I wanted a crisp, detailed photo. My inspirations have a sharp, almost hyperreal quality that I also wanted to adopt.
Aperture. Aperture was something I had no control of, as iPhone cameras have a fixed f-stop. But, since everything was close together anyway, i.e., myself to the camera, and myself to the backdrop, I doubt that the aperture mattered too much, as I also wasn’t intending to have anything blurred.
Shutter speed. To offset the darkness from the low ISO, I went with a slow shutter speed. After setting the ISO, I tweaked with the shutter speed until I settled with 1/15 sec. I suppose that it was fine given that I am relatively still and I was working with a tripod.
Those were pretty much all the considerations for the photoshoot. Once everything was set up, I started snapping away. Throughout the shoot, I kept observing my posture and my expression on the photos, making little changes as I saw fit.
After about 30 minutes of continuous shooting and some strong photo contenders, I decided to conclude the shoot – I disassembled the setup, in preparation for the next one.
Post-processing.
After picking some contenders that I will use as the final output, I went on with post-processing using Photoshop. Below was my specific workflow for the headshot photo; I will try my best to explain them, and why I set each setting the way that is.
1. Raw shot
To begin, here is the raw photo.
2. Adjustments to the raw picture: cropping / aspect ratio, healing tool
First, I made initial adjustments to the raw photo: I cropped it to a 2:3 frame, then used the healing tool to minimize some of the fabric creases of the backdrop. However, I didn’t totally eliminate it altogether as I find that they still added some visual interest.
3. Camera raw filter
Once those changes were made, I used the Camera Raw Filter functionality to apply all changes on light and color. This way, I can turn the changes I made into a “preset” that I can just apply to all other photos I was also considering.
(a) Preset. To give me a place to begin, I picked a preset that I found closest to the effect I was trying to emulate. This was PE01, under “Portraits: Edgy.” Once picked, I further adjusted the individual settings.
(b) Light. Minimal changes were made: the only significant one being a slight increase in contrast. The preset already had the configuration I was going for.
(c) Curves. The specific curve I set on the point curve slightly made the shadows darker, and the highlights brighter. On the green channel curve, I slightly adjusted the topmost point to the left, giving the photo a hint of green tint.
(d) Effects. I slightly increased the clarity and decreased the texture to slightly smoothen my skin, and added a black vignette to strengthen the portrait feel of the photo.
(e) Color mixer. Most changes on each respective color were minute and was just due to the preset – the only significant change I made here was to even out my skin tone and make me look less yellow. Hence, the yellows’ hue was shifted to the more orange side, while I also increased the yellows’ luminance to brighten up my face. I also used the point color, which allowed me to pick a specific color to adjust, to brighten up the blue color of the backdrop.
(f) Color grading. This section took me the longest, as I felt that this was the crowning jewel of my creative inspiration. Studying Bridgland’s photos, I have observed that his photos generally have cooler toned highlights and warmer toned shadows. On the color wheels, I gave a green tint to the highlights and a red one to the shadow and midtones. This specific combination led to the effect that I was going for.
Light settings (b)
Point curve (c)
Green channel (c)
Effects (d)
Color mixer, HSV (e)
Color mixer, point (e)
Color grading (f)
4. Duplicating layer to adjust the “filter”
As a final step, I wanted to make the totality of these changes as a “subdued filter,” as I felt that the contrast was a little too strong. Using layers, I used the post-processed picture as a layer on top of the raw photo with a screen blending mode. I added a curve adjustment layer in between to compensate for the tonal changes.
After doing so, I wrapped up post-processing and arrived at the final output.
And so, we move to the candid shot.
2 . Candid Shot
Details
April 15, 2025 // 12:28 AM // Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
Taken with iPhone XR
ISO 25 | f/1.8 | 1/15 sec
Cropped to 16:9
Post processing with Photoshop
Concept, inspiration, mood boards.
I have to admit. This part of the project was the one that got me more excited. My creative vision from the beginning was crystal clear: I wanted a photo that was my love letter to films and music, taking inspiration from the cinematography of Wong Kar Wai movies. Like my previous inspiration for the headshot, director Wong Kar Wai and cinematographer Christopher Doyle have also developed such a unique visual style that results in a nocturnal and moody atmosphere. Visually speaking, the scenes are glowing with colors and almost disorienting in its motion. For the candid shot, I also wanted to emulate the lighting, colors, and some of the optical effects that are involved in his films. More specifically, observing his stills, lots of these qualities are characteristic of shooting on film, like the grain and glow. Additionally, the lighting does a lot to the visual, emphasizing atmospheric, ambient light. These were the focal points that I tried to emulate on this shot.
Like before, I also had to keep my expectations in check. Shooting on film and on a smartphone yields vastly different outputs, so I had to trust the process until I’ve finished the whole, edited photo. I also created a quick mood board, consisting of film stills from Wong Kar Wai.
Supplies, setup, styling, and settings.
Supplies.
Here’s a list of what I used for the candid shot:
iPhone XR (camera, using the Yamera app)
Tripod
Lighting
Rectangular light
Desk lamp (bulb with customizable color)
Specific to the candid photo, I also used:
Cellophane paper, to tint the light
Various props for set design including an Aiwa cassette stereo, a Depeche Mode cassette, a monstera plant, and other decorative things
Setup.
On set design. Mise en scene and set design were pivotal elements that I had to consider. If I wanted a retro-cinematic feel, I might as well commit to having a set that is evocative of that. My room couldn’t be any further from the visual aesthetic of Wong Kar Wai’s sets, so I decided to stage a set at the corner of my room. I looked for things around the house I could use as props, and saw our old, dysfunctional Aiwa cassette stereo from way, way back. Thankfully, it still lights up when plugged in, but it can’t play tapes anymore. I decided to make this the central prop of my set, and is also where the musical element comes into the picture. Additionally, I also looked for a tape I can perhaps hold in the shot, where I found a Depeche Mode cassette amongst my grandparents’ collection. To go on a slight tangent, I was getting into the band's music at that moment, and I didn’t even know we had that cassette, so I felt the need to mention that serendipitous moment. Finally, I also used my monstera plant, and other decorations like bottles and jars. I placed the stereo on top of a nightstand, with the previously used monobloc chair placed to its right.
Once I put together the set, I positioned the camera and lights. The camera was once again on the same tripod, this time around a couple of feet away in front of where I was sitting. I decided to do a front view perspective to add to that cinematic feel. I used the same lights I had used for the headshot, the bright rectangular light still positioned on top of the shoe storage. I changed my desk lamp’s color to a scarlet color, while yellow and blue cellophane paper was laid on top of the bright rectangular light to make green. The desk lamp was merely pointed at the wall to fulfil that ambience, while the green light was pointed to my right. Once again, all other lights were turned off. I positioned the plant close to the camera to give a framing element to the photo. Like previously, I also used my earphones to remotely snap the photos.
Here is a picture of the set, and an illustrated diagram for easier visualization.
Styling.
Nothing much can be said on my styling, I just built off of what I had done on the previous shot, but I changed to a long-sleeved collar shirt for a more casual feel to the photo.
Settings.
I had actually used the same camera exposure settings for this photo, as I find that it also worked well for the scene. They are as follows:
ISO 25 | f/1.8 | 1/15 sec
ISO. Once again, the lowest possible ISO was chosen for sharpness. The lighting setup, combined with some compensation from the shutter speed, was enough to ensure that the photo was still amply bright.
Aperture. Once again, I had no control over the aperture, but the fixed phone f-stop made for the effect where the leaf closest to the camera was outside the depth of field. I intended to have the background slightly blurred, but I was able to remedy this limitation with a blurring adjustment post-processing.
Shutter speed. On top of the light compensation for the ISO, the slower shutter speed was also perfect for capturing that motion blur on my hand, which is part of the visual I was trying to emulate.
Once set up, I started snapping again. The idea for the pose was to turn my face toward the stereo, with my right arm resting atop it, and my left hand moving to insert the cassette. Though I started with a portrait orientation, I pivoted soon after to landscape, as I thought that it could contribute to a more cinematic composition.
Afterwards, I wrapped up the photoshoot, and returned my room to how it was (begrudgingly, as I finished shooting past midnight). It was time to edit the pictures.
Post-processing.
I found the post-processing for this photo to be more intensive than the previous one, partly due to the optical effects of film photography that I was trying to emulate. Like previously, here is my specific workflow, with commentary on why I configured these settings.
1. Raw shot
To begin, here is the raw photo.
2. Adjustments to the raw picture: cropping / aspect ratio
Minor adjustments were made to the raw photo, specifically a cropping to a 16:9 for a movie-like effect, with small changes in perspective to polish the vertical alignment of the lines.
3. Color channels and adjustment
I then adjusted the colors of the photo. My idea was to lower the levels of green and make it warmer (more yellow) for a more harmonious color story, given the warm orange in the background. I executed this by doubling the layers of the raw photo, then using the screen blending mode on specifically only the red channel. This offsets some of the green areas, and consequently making it slightly brighter. The result is a more cohesive color scheme.
4. Halation, as a way of emulating film
The next thing I did was to emulate an effect called halation, a phenomenon on specific cameras where the intensely bright areas get a distinctive red glow surrounding it. This was achieved by applying threshold, maximum filter, and gaussian blur on a duplicated layer on top of the photo, with the screen blend mode. The idea was that threshold isolates the extremely bright areas to get the halation, the maximum filter controls the spread of glow, and the gaussian blur diffuses it.
(For this part, I followed this tutorial by Doron Studio.)
Above is a before (left) and after (right) of the halation effect.
5. Camera raw filter
This time around, only minimal changes were made, as the previous adjustments already laid a solid foundation for the photo’s visual appeal.
(a) Effects. I added some haze to the photo for a more ambient feel, while the grain helps to evoke the film look.
(b) Curves. This simple curve slightly darkened the overall tones of the photo.
(c) Color mixer. The most significant change here was some desaturating on the warm tones, as I felt that they had been a little too vibrant prior to that.
(d) Color grading. I find that the color grading didn’t need much work anymore following the color changes I made prior, but I still made sure to give the shadows a green tint, once again for a more film-shot look.
(e) Lens blur. As I didn’t have any control on the camera’s aperture, I added a lens blur effect on a low amount, to slightly blur the background.
Effects (a)
Point curve (b)
Color mixer, HSV (c)
Color grading (d)
Lens blur (e)
6. Chromatic aberration
Once the changes were set, the final optical addition I made was the chromatic aberration – an effect in certain cameras that causes slight colored outlines on objects. The changes were so minimal, that it was barely even noticeable, but I still went through with it to fully commit to that visual concept.
And finally, I had concluded the candid shot as well.
What are my final thoughts on the project?
Overall, I found the assignment to be more intensive than the rest, but it definitely was creatively fulfilling in the end.
I had fun conceptualizing the shots, taking inspiration from other visual concepts as a way of expressing myself. In a way, I became more appreciative of photographers who have developed a unique style. I liked the process of observing, and essentially, deconstructing photos to deduce what exactly gives them that specific visual identity.
Though I found it to be quite laborious, the process of actually executing the shot taught me a lot of patience. Trying to compose a photo and angle a camera without the subject being in the frame made the process longer. And in the context of actually shooting photos, being both the subject and the photographer means that there is a constant back and forth between the set and the camera, so I can check how a shot turned out. I’ll then incrementally change things, whether on myself or on the camera. But I suppose that’s just the reality of self-portraiture, and hard work is a requisite for an artful photo. And knowledge, of course.
I especially learned a lot about post-processing. Meticulously going one-by-one on the settings gave me new knowledge on what they actually do for a photo. Now, I feel like I can actually be more deliberate with the editing I make, rather than my arbitrary ways before. While I’m not totally confident in it, I think I can also study photos now and deduce what sort of adjustments were made with respect to light and color.
Challenging as it was, it still taught me a lot of things about myself, the camera, and the editing screen.
In the end, I’m glad that I picked and partook in this project.
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