Will Wohler |
Shooting Headshots A friend of mine who is pursuing a musical theatre career asked me to take her head shots. I am a college student, and photography is a hobby and a passion of mine; but time and money are limited. I have a Nikon N65 with a 28-80 Sigma lens and a 70-300 Sigma lens. I also have a small tripod and two metal lamps that I got at the hardware store with Reveal light bulbs. My question is: Is there any inexpensive lighting, poses, backgrounds, or advice that I would need before I begin this project? I would really like to broaden my techniques, and I haven't done anything like this before. Thanks
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John P. Sandstedt |
Go to the library and check out the Kodak Series book on portraits - it's printed on 9X13 (wide) stock and should be found easily. In it, there is a great discussion of the different types of portrait lighting and the use of one, two and four lights. John Hedgecoe also has a good book on portraits. There's nothing wrong with using "hot lights." I started with and still use them. Make sure that both of your reflectors are fitted with bulbs of the same wattage. Sit your model on a comfortable stool (to start). Set your camera on your tripod, the lens axis should be at about the shoulder height of your model (again, to start). Use a focal length between 90-135 mm. Then set the first light (Main Light)slightly to the left or right of the camera; adjust the height of the light a little above the model's eyes (again, to start). Set the second light on the side opposite your Main Light at a 45-degree angle to the axis of the lens. Measure (roughly) the distance of the light to the subject (it will depend on the wattage of the bulbs). The second light should be set at twice the distance of the Main Light. That will give you a 2:1 lighting ratio. Move the lights closer or further from the model, checking the viewfinder to see the effects of these adjustments. Keep the 2:1 lighting ratio; snap away. Then, go to a 3:1 ratio by moving the second light away from the subject. Snap away. From that point (the above is the basic stuff), you can move the model, lights and camera wherever to get variations. But, for theatrical head shots, the standard 2:1 or 3:1 is usually what you've seen in barn theatres, etc. Make sure you use the tripod. It may be that, even with two lights, your meter will call for a relatively long exposure (shutter speeds of, say, 1/25th sec. are not uncommon if you're using 250 watt photoflash bulbs). Also, you should use a cable release so that you're "away from the camera." The CR will also allow to you to snap the picture when you subject assumes a natural smile or terrific body position. Plan to take a lot of pictures in hopes of getting one or two. For my first sitting, I shot 2 36-exposure rolls over the course of 1 1/2 hours. Take your time, but remember a sitting is tiring for your model. Let him/her move/relax whenever s/he needs to. Finally, if you're shooting color film, you'll need an 80A filter (blue) for color correction. If you're shooting digital, I can't provide advice since I don't own a digicam. Have fun. Portraiture is very satisfying.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
Use reflected sunlight. You don't need much else for headshots, and many are done that way.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
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Will Wohler |
WOW! Thanks for the tips, John and Greg. I will try what you said and see how they come out.
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Bob Cammarata |
I agree with Greg. For headshots, use "God's" light. It's reliable ... and it's free.
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Leah Marshall |
EXample 1:reflector Example 2:reflector Example 3-very strong backlight-speedlight
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Kelli Campbell |
Leah, those pictures are awesome! I was curious about this subject as well, and it's nice to know that you don't have to own a lot of expensive equipment to get nice results.
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Norbert Maile |
"God's" light is the best, but not always there or reliable and not always inside your "studio". If you use hot lights, you can by daylight bulbs for it. Not expensive and you don't neeed to use special film.
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Will Wohler |
WOW! thanks for all the advice and examples they will really come in handy. Thanks again I didn't expect this much response.
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- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery |
You're still going to have daylight, so overcast or not, all you need is sunlight.
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Marta Azevedo |
I do portraits with available light and sometimes reflector. It works well.
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Maria Melnyk |
Make sure you know how to pose these head shots properly. I'm only guessing that, since photography is a hobby, you probably don't have training with posing. Please pick up a book on it. Remember to turn your theatre actress's shoulders one way, and her head the other way, and have her tilt her head just a tiny bit. This is far more flattering than having both face the same way. Whether you use studio lighting or natural (God's light IS the best), have a hair light, or have the sun backlighting the hair. Do the portraits outdoors later in the day when the sun is halfway down. Have it behind your model and/or off to the side. You can use either a reflector or on-camera flash as fill. White cardboard is just fine as a reflector. Use a large aperture to throw the background out of focus. The main and only subject in this case should be your model.
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