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Archive 2012 · Help with headshot please

  
 
supermarvin76
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Help with headshot please


I am looking for a bit of guidence. I am interested in doing a basic, no frills head shot. I have a speedlite, off camera triggers, a Westcott 28" Apollo softbox and a 30" x 60" reflector.

How / where should I position the softbox?



Aug 30, 2012 at 06:25 AM
Steve-Adoria
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Help with headshot please


I'd recommend starting out with the softbox slightly right or left of camera and slightly above the model then use the reflector on the other side to fill any really contrasty shadows a little. Take note of where the shadows are around the eyes and where the catchlights are in the eyes. Consider borrowing a few more speedlights if you can...

For this Hair and beauty shoot my wife recently did, a Canon 580exii speedlight in a Beauty dish was used as the key light, positioned as described above. A second canon 430exii speedlight on low power was used to fill some of the shadows on the other side. There was also a speedlight hidden behind the models to light up the white background. As it was a hair model shoot, we also had another speedlight in a barn door enclosure shining down from behind (just above the backdrop).
Triggering was via Phottix Odin for Canon system.

http://adoriaphotography.com.au/wp1/wp-content/gallery/036_botanika_gallery/img_2766_v2.jpg

Hope this helps with a few ideas.

Regards,
Steve - Adoria Photography



Aug 30, 2012 at 09:29 AM
sic0048
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Help with headshot please


You might want to look at some of the pictures on the One Light Group on Flickr. All of those pictures are suppose to be taken with just a single light. If you pay attention to the shadows and the catchlights, you should be able to figure out where the light was positioned. Not all of those pictures are great, but it should give you an idea of what can be done.

Personally the one light pictures I don't like are the portraits where the face is split into halves with one side of the face very well lit and the other side falling almost completely into shadow. This lighting works sometimes when the picture is designed to be more abstract than a portrait (and there are some good examples of that on the Flickr group), but I don't like it when the subject is standing for a normal portrait.

To prevent this, you can move the light in front of the subject more, or as already suggested, use a reflector to get some light into the dark side of the face.



Aug 30, 2012 at 11:46 AM
supermarvin76
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Help with headshot please


I will be using a speedlite in the softbox and the refactor.

How close to the subject should I place these? Just out of frame?



Aug 30, 2012 at 11:59 AM
Steve Wylie
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Help with headshot please


The closer the softbox is to the subject, the softer the light will be. Depends on what look you're going for. Want punchy? Pull back the light and/or pull back the front diffuser on the Apollo. Pull back the reflector a bit. Want soft? Move everything in as close as possible. Start with 45 degrees up and 45 degrees to the side, angled down toward the face. It also depends on the facial angle you're looking for. Straight on? 2/3 view? Either way, start from 45 degrees up and over, from the reference point of the facial angle. Or, you can simply go with a butterfly approach and put the light straight over the camera position, again approximately 45 degrees up, and the reflector underneath the subject's face (e.g. have the subject hold it underneath, just out of the frame.

As a starting point, you might want to check out www.strobist.com and watch Lighting 101.



Aug 30, 2012 at 01:53 PM
eSchwab
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Help with headshot please


Are these for an actor or just for some business?


Aug 30, 2012 at 02:58 PM
eSchwab
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Help with headshot please


If it's for an actor, nobody wants studio shots. They want natural looking shots with non-discript, blurry backgrounds. This doesn't mean you shouldn't use your strobe, but it should either be bounced or very carefully used for fill light. Take them outside and get some good natural light.


Aug 30, 2012 at 03:10 PM
supermarvin76
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Help with headshot please


eSchwab wrote:
Are these for an actor or just for some business?


These are for an actor.



Aug 30, 2012 at 04:08 PM
Steve Wylie
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Help with headshot please


Check out Peter Hurley. Your lighting approach will not be like his, but facial angles, engaging with the client, and other all-important aspects of the gig will be very instructive.


Aug 30, 2012 at 11:20 PM
jzucker
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Help with headshot please


Is hurley's dvd worth $300 ? I know "worth" is hard to quantify but I guess I mean in relation to the lynda.com and kelbytraining.com sites?


Sep 06, 2012 at 08:06 AM





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