Environmental portraits are assignments that keep me on my toes… and some of my favorite. Some days I have time to plan for a portrait, others are short notice at best. Variables include the location, amount of time with the subject and cooperation of the subject among others. To be honest, I have formed a serious habit to reach for artificial lights when photographing a portrait, and have to remind myself natural light is very nice too. Above, King County Library System director Bill Ptacek lit with natural window light amongst the stacks at the Bellevue Regional Library on August 23, 2011. More photos and information after the jump…

The following demonstrate a variety of people, locations and lighting styles from recent portrait photo assignments.

Above left, one light was used to augment the library’s mix of natural and florescent light. The portrait of Ptacek at right utilized to lights.

Above, Penny Vrachopoulos, founder and artistic director of the Eastside Lyric Theatre, with production pieces from “La Vie Parisienne” and “The Sorcerer” at her home in Bellevue, July 22, 2011. This image for The Scene was 90 percent natural light, with a little fill flash to bring up shadow detial from camera right.

Totem football captains Austin Lee (10) and Acie Black (33) at Sammamish High School in Bellevue on Monday, August 22, 2011. Artificial lights to the left and right, highlight the players for the Bellevue Reporter prep football season preview.

Knights captains, from left, Spencer Bursek, Isaac Dotson and Neil Hones at Newport High School in Bellevue on Wednesday, August 24, 2011. All artificial light on this one, with maybe just a bit of the locker room’s overhead florescent light leaking into my exposure.