Adding Context to Street Portraits

Any half-length street portrait (interactive or candid, see: Making Decisions in Tamil Nadu) is often, explicit or implicit, also an environmental portrait which typically illuminates the subject's life, culture and surroundings.

There are three different ways to include, to photograph and to inform about the subject’s context in a head shot and/or half-length portrait:

(i) the relevant background: the photographer uses relevant areas or structures of the subject’s natural and/or cultural surroundings or background in order to convey interesting context information about the person being photographed; e.g. an artist in her atelier, a villager in the mountains, or a market woman at the marketplace. The background might be blurred, but relevant structures are still identifiable or discernible.

(ii) the significant detail: the photographer includes distinctive elements from the subject’s life, culture and surroundings, which can often be quite small but still significant and meaningful, especially if they are (a) parts and details, (b) symbols and logos, (c) contrasts and contradictions; e.g. the tribal nose jewellery of an Indian Adivasi woman, the masterpiece of an artist, or the camera type and lens of a street photographer. Those accessories can provide plenty of information about the subject’s context.

(iii) the facial features as such: the photographer takes only a close-up photograph of the subject’s face (e.g. an outdoor head shot in front of a neutral, heavily blurred, or even a pure black background) and acts under the assumption that the subject’s facial features and expressions, his or her gender, racial and cultural characteristics, age, wrinkles, facial tattoos, facial hair and beards, hair style, make-up, scars, etc. are sufficient clues for the subject’s life.

Below are three examples for (i) adding context by using relevant background structures:

Below are three examples for (ii) adding context by including meaningful details of the subjects’ personal lives:

Below are three examples for (iii) adding context by focusing on the subject’s facial features:

Of course, the transition from one described approach to the other is gradual, and two or all three of them can be combined within one photograph:

"There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept."

(Ansel Adams)

High-res portrait photographs with full exif data, geotags and technical details in Matt Hahnewald's

Flickr Album 2016-03a Snapping Street Photographers

Ignoring For Eyes Only

Eye movements and eye contact provide important social and emotional information. Eye contact, a major channel of nonverbal communication, is the instance when two people look at each other's eyes at the same time; it is the primary nonverbal way of indicating interest, attention and involvement. This includes the duration of eye contact, actions of winking, movements of pupils and eyebrows, and the dilation/constriction of pupils. Generally speaking, the longer there is established eye contact between two people, the greater the intimacy levels. However, the customs and significance of eye contact vary between societies, with religious and social differences often altering its meaning greatly.

More portrait photographs with exif data, geotags and other specs in Matt Hahnewald's

Flickr Album 2015-04b Ignoring For Eyes Only
Flickr Album 2014-03a Facing Face Masks in Taiwan

Prettifying Taiwanese Faces

Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a state in East Asia. The island of Taiwan was mainly inhabited by Taiwanese aborigines before Han Chinese began immigrating to the island in the 17^th century CE. The cultures of Taiwan are a hybrid blend of various sources, incorporating elements of traditional Chinese culture, attributable to the historical and ancestry origin of the majority of its current residents, Japanese culture, traditional Confucianist beliefs, Taoist and Buddhist influence, and increasingly Western values.

Bold and colourful painted face masks from the Peking opera are one of the most visually arresting features during Taiwanese temple festivals, Taoist street parades and cultural shows. These masks date back to the ancient tradition of face-painting among warriors and, as with war paint, the colours and patterns bear symbolic meanings. The spirit and personality of each character is effectively colour coded.

The exaggerated paints on a Peking opera performer's face, which ancient warriors used to scare the enemy, are a common occurrence during Taiwanese temple festivals, Taoist street parades and cultural shows. Each colour has a different meaning. They are used to describe a character's emotional state and general character (colour psychology):

• White represents sinister, evil, crafty, treacherous, and suspicious behaviour. Any performer with white painted face usually takes the part of a villain of the show; the larger the white painted area, the crueller the role.
• Green denotes impulsive behaviour, violence, and lack of self-control.
• Red indicates bravery or loyalty.
• Black means boldness, fierceness, and impartiality.
• Yellow symbolizes ambition, fierceness, and intelligence.
• Blue implies steadfastness, for someone who is loyal and sticks to one side no matter what.
• Pink typifies sophistication and cool-headedness.
• Additionally, gold and silver stand for mystery and aloofness.

The various types of facial makeup from the Peking opera can be seen during many Taiwanese temple festivals and Taoist street parades in Taipei, Tainan and Kaohsiung. All the historical characters of the traditional Peking opera are provided with different types of facial makeup and reflect the identity, status, and personality of the characters.

High-res portrait photographs with full exif data, precise geotags and technical details in Matt Hahnewald's

Flickr Album 2013-12a Prettifying Taiwanese Faces

Flickr Album 2014-03a Facing Face Masks in Taiwan

Facing Face Masks in Taiwan

A surgical face mask aka procedure mask is intended to catch the bacteria shed in liquid droplets and aerosols from the wearer's mouth and nose. Surgical masks are also popularly worn by the general public in East Asian countries to reduce the chance of spreading airborne diseases, particularly during winter time.

In Taiwan, it is common to wear a face mask whilst ill or even during a slight cold to avoid infecting others in public settings, as a show of courtesy and consideration for others and social responsibility to prevent spreading their own infections. Contrary to widespread belief, these masks aren’t worn to protect the wearer - they are worn to protect others.

A recent trend in some East Asian cultures is the use of face masks for fashion or for utility. Since face masks have become ubiquitous, women have begun wearing them to avoid having to put on make-up before hitting the streets. If they just need to run a couple errands or down to the 7-Eleven or Family Mart convenience store, it’s easier to slip on a face mask and blend in than it is to spend an hour or more applying make-up.

In Taiwan, as well as in many East Asian countries, it has become very common to see girls and women wearing all kind of face masks on public transportation, at work, in stores, and walking around the city. These face masks come nowadays in different colours, shapes, and have unique designs (e.g. stripes, cartoons, cute pandas, and even the ever ubiquitous Hello Kitty). Taiwanese girls love their kawaii-ness!

Even though the face-mask craze originated in Japan and Taiwan, nowadays masks are widely used also in South Korea, Hong Kong, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Thailand.

High-res portrait photographs with full exif data, geotags and technical details in Matt Hahnewald's

Flickr Album 2014-03a Facing Face Masks in Taiwan

Flickr Album 2015-04b Ignoring For Eyes Only

Flashing the V Sign All Over Asia

The popular V sign is a hand gesture in which the index and middle fingers are raised and parted, while the other fingers are clenched. It has various meanings, depending on the cultural context and how it is presented (e.g. victory, peace; insult).

In China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, the V sign is a popular pose in photographs. It is used in both casual and formal settings. For the most part in these countries, the gesture is divorced from its previous meanings as a peace sign or as an insult; for most the meaning of the sign is "victory" or "yeah", implying a feeling of happiness. It is used in both directions (palm facing the signer and palm facing forward).

High-res portrait photographs with full exif data, precise geotags and technical details in Matt Hahnewald's

Flickr Album 2014-02 Flashing the V Sign All Over Asia