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Archive 2023 · protocol for portraits?

  
 
Dirtmedic
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · protocol for portraits?


My background is as a paramedic and in that field there is a protocol to be memorized and practiced to make sure everything gets covered on an emergency call. I retired due to an on the job injury and am trying to turn photography into a profession. My goal is to do photography for Fire Departments, EMS, Law Enforcement, etc. Yesterday I did a photoshoot for a local Fire Department and overall it went great. While I captured images I am proud of, I also made a lot of mistakes. Is there a checklist you go through in your head or have written down of what you check for before you press the shutter? There were a couple of times my wife caught an unwanted shadow falling across someone's face or needed to adjust someone's bunker gear jacket. I was concentrating too much on the technical stuff and missed it. I also used the live view function and screwed up the focus on some of them. Fortunately I got enough shots and fixed that issue, but I still repeatedly forgot to adjust my focus points before the next shot.

I have noted I need to check for the edges of my frame to make sure it is appropriate, I need to check my focus points to make sure the camera is focused appropriately, I need to check the subject for anything out of place, I need to check for shadows where they don't belong and adjust accordingly, etc. What do you guys use for a list to make sure you are getting consistently good shots? As I spend today editing, I realized if I had taken more care yesterday, it would be saving me time during the editing process.

I also learned I need to carry a lint roller. I am spending a lot of time cleaning up debris on people's uniforms in the editing process that in person wasn't too noticeable, but under the studio lights are evident in the images.



Jan 22, 2023 at 07:19 PM
GoodEgg
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · protocol for portraits?


I'm glad to see you employ (well, I doubt you pay the wife) a VALS. What kind of lighting are you using?
Are you shooting environmental portraits, in the firehouse around equipment?

You should post examples.



Jan 22, 2023 at 08:34 PM
RustyBug
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · protocol for portraits?


Reminds me of my first formal event shoot (military Christmas ball) back in the '80s.

I had a light leak on one of my softboxes. Missed it on about half of the first roll. When I get the negs back there was this band of light that showed up across people. I had to have some hand retouching done on the negatives to correct them. Ate into my profits a fair bit, paying for the necessary retouching on a few of them.

So, welcome to the club ... you'll build on your experience (and develop your own checklist), but it sounds like you're off to a good start.

+1 let's see some pics.



Jan 22, 2023 at 11:47 PM
Dirtmedic
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · protocol for portraits?


https://adobe.ly/3iXpMHH


https://adobe.ly/3J7CNZT




Jan 22, 2023 at 11:57 PM
Peter Figen
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · protocol for portraits?


The best way to learn this is the way you're doing it, by noting your mistakes. If you get to the point where you can hire a hair/makeup stylist, that will help a lot. A good photo assistant as another pair of eyes that you can trust is almost an essential in my book. Each job you do will build on the last one and pretty soon you won't be thinking about it at all, you'll just be doing it.


Jan 23, 2023 at 11:55 AM
dmacmillan
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · protocol for portraits?


I agree with Peter. Having your wife there to check was really smart. If possible, get her to help every time.

Nothing beats experience. The more you do, the easier the technical part will become.

BTW, did you here of the two EMTs that went everywhere together? They wanted to known as a "pair-a-docs".



Jan 23, 2023 at 12:15 PM
DanielScott
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · protocol for portraits?


Dirtmedic wrote:
https://adobe.ly/3iXpMHH

https://adobe.ly/3J7CNZT



If I could make a suggestion on lighting based on the photo example, I would suggest that you position your light source a bit higher up so it's not at exact eye level, that way it has a slight downward sculpting effect on your subject's features. This will enhance their jaw lines and cheek bones, and prevent the nose from casting a shadow over part of the cheek, which to me is something that I feel isn't flattering unless it's the result of correctly applied Rembrandt lighting (which is also achieved through using a light source that is positioned above eye level). Just make sure that wherever you have it positioned that you are still getting catch-lights in the eyes.



Jan 24, 2023 at 12:14 AM
friscoron
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · protocol for portraits?



Agree with Daniel on the lighting positioning. The sample shot, lighting is too low.

It sounds like your issues has to do with how comfortable you are with your camera. By that I mean, you're focused on the settings, it seems, as opposed to focusing on the shot itself. And that takes years of practice. Now, after 14 years, I'm able to walk into a scene, and I usually have my settings and lighting correct, or very close to correct, on the first try. I make the necessary adjustments, and now I'm done. Now I focus on the shots. I look my subject over, fix anything that needs to be fixed. I look over my scene/setting, make any adjustments needed for that.

The main thing is, as others have said, just practice and build up your experience. It'll start coming together.



Jan 25, 2023 at 11:23 AM





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