Shooting Portrait Head-Shots at Home – Made Easy With Simple Step-By-Step Instructions
The essential expectation of shooting Portrait Head-Shots at home or in a hired studio, is made simple with these step-by-step directions to help you.
Getting Ongoing It's really quite simple and after having read this article and with some experimentation, you'll be shooting like a pro...
What You'll Need, To Start From a Simple Beginning:
1. CAMERA, 35mm. SLR., (single lens reflex), Film or Digital Camera will be fine if possible with a 28-80 zoom lens, or separate prime lenses 80mm., or 100mm., for head shots and 50mm., or wider for fashion shots.
EVEN BETTER, a 'MEDIUM FORMAT CAMERA' such as:-
Bronica SQAI, or Hassleblad 501CM, or Mamiya 6, (format size 6x6cm.), with a 150mm. or 200mm., lens for head shots and a 80mm., lens for fashion shots. NOTE, using a medium format camera, will give you a better IMAGE Quality, BUT MORE Significantly, it will slow you down and:-
MAKE YOU Reckon LIKE A PROFESSIONAL!
2. TRIPOD, use a solid heavy duty one. Check out the second hand market.
3. FLASH. (Studio Flash), a separate studio flash unit. Start by read-through the used photo equipment stores, trying to find excellent second hand studio flash units.
4. FLASH METER. Visit your photo suppliers and check out the new and second hand stock. Question for advice, it's better to find one that you feel comfortable with.
5. DIGITAL or FILM STOCK: If your using film then 100 ASA film speed, or equivlent ISO digital camera background will do just fine in most situations. At this stage you have to choose if you want to shoot with color print film, color transparency slide film, or black and white film.
SIMPLE LIGHTING SET UP For Head Shots.
SEAT YOUR MODEL: On a stool, one or two meters in front of a plain social class, talk to her, she's nervous too. (Read that line again!) It's Vital. Keep a excellent 'rapport' with your model, she will work much better with you. Did she fix her hair and her make up OK. If possible it's a excellent thought to have a make up artist and hairdresser on hand to help you, the more attention to detail the better will be the results.
SET THE CAMERA: On a tripod, at the same height as the models head, borrow a stand in model to sit in for a few minutes, while you 'GET TO GRIPS' with the lighting set up. At this stage, you will realize what an advantage it was, you spent your 'hard earned cash' on a new or used studio flash unit, with built in modeling lights, to give you some thought of your lighting things.
REMEMBER YOUR STUDIO LIGHTING: Should be set up and ready to use, long Before your model walks on the set.
Spot YOUR 'BROLLY' FLASH: About 45 degrees angle to one side of the camera spot and also about 45 degrees angle above the models head. The space between the Flash and the subject's head, (for head shot's), should be about one meter flash to subject space.
PLACE A LARGE WHITE REFLECTOR: To the contrary side as your flash unit, as close as possible to the subject. Sometimes it's a excellent thought to place a flash unit bounced into the reflector as fill in, taking care not to over power your 'Key Light'. Next, place a small white reflector under the models chin, to bounce light up to the shadow area under the chin.
FLASH METERS: Now, check out what exposure you should use and set the f. stop, (gap), on the camera. The shutter speed is not so vital in the studio, as long as it's no quicker than the camera's recommended flash sync' speed, or slower.
IT WOULD BE a excellent plot to do a test run the day before, allowing you time to administer your test shots and check your exposure and lighting. Many professional photographers use a medium format camera in the studio, which can be fitted with a Polaroid camera back, allowing them to make second tests on the spot. Also some Pro Photographers use medium format cameras which have been fitted with a special digital camera back, allowing the images to viewed on screen at once.
OTHER LIGHTS: It's also a excellent thought to add two or three other lights to your studio set up, (if the budget will allow).
A HAIR LIGHT: At the back of the set and to one side, fixed about two meters high, clipping the models hair. This should have a 'snoot' or 'honeycomb' fitted to the front of the light, to prevent stray light diminishing on the camera lens.
Social class LIGHTS: Can also be place to excellent use, to light up, or make things with the social class.
IT'S REALLY A MATTER of experimentation to renovate your own practice, until you have perfected a pleasing effect and you are more or less satisfied with your results. In the meantime you can drive your acquaintances and members of your family crazy in trying out your new found skills... And then...
SET UP YOUR own small portrait studio in a spare room or garage at home.
JUST KEEP ON TESTING until you have mastered the art.
Author: Roger Lewis
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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