John - Promo Shot

Ann McRae

As I have mentioned (once or twice) I am trying to do more photo work, and trying to learn lighting and portraiture as well. My husband colleague required shots for some promotional material he is putting together. Needed them quickly, and he agreed we could do them at his home. He had second thoughts this a.m. but I missed that call. Turns out he had a small home full of many visiting relatives. The room we were able to use had about enough space for my two strobes w/ umbrellas, and then I crawled around among them!
So, he wanted headshots, I thought he wanted 3/4. Good thing he wanted head shots. He was wearing a long sleeve shirt with a check print going on. Happily he asked my opinion - and found a solid color. He wore jeans, believing they would not be part of the shot.
I did test shots with the dh in the chairs we used, but for reasons I do not get, I had horrible light fall off in the first few 'real shots'.
So, here is what I think is the best with the suit jacket (I don't think any of these suit ones are good):


And ones without:




So far, edits have only happened in LR. Many of the proofs are unedited, uncropped, until he tells me which ones he likes.

I am ready for C&C, and prepared to reshoot at my place using the red brick fireplace background.

ann

divamum

You said he wants these for marketing, and I think 2 and 3 present both a professional and approachable personality; of those, I'd say 3, since the smile is more genuine (depending on what his business is, the first one could look either cheeky and interesting, or shifty and untrustworthy - as in most things, context is everything!)

I definitely agree with you about the suit - doesn't quite work; the toned colours of the sofa and shirt work much better for me.

Are there any where his hands aren't cut off? It doesn't bother me per se, but some might find it distracting.

I think these have potential!

ChatKat

Too Hot
Hi Anne,

These are a good first attempt at a business head shot. The light on these is too hot on one side, he doesn't look too comfortable and the chair - a recliner doesn't speak professional. The light fall off tells me that the light was close to him.

Suit jackets should be buttoned with one button and you need to make the clothes straight in the frame. Definitely the hands should not be cut off at all.

Do you have a stool for him to sit on? Those seem to work best. Turn down the power on the camera left.

When you are shooting "seasoned" people, you want to mask the crow's feet or soften them in post.

Ann McRae

Thanks, divamom. The hands are not actually cut off any of the originals. But the jeans weren't supposed to show so this is how I've cropped to be rid of jeans.

ann

divamum wrote:

You said he wants these for marketing, and I think 2 and 3 present both a professional and approachable personality; of those, I'd say 3, since the smile is more genuine (depending on what his business is, the first one could look either cheeky and interesting, or shifty and untrustworthy - as in most things, context is everything!)

I definitely agree with you about the suit - doesn't quite work; the toned colours of the sofa and shirt work much better for me.

Are there any where his hands aren't cut off? It doesn't bother me per se, but some might find it distracting.

I think these have potential!

Ann McRae

ChatKat wrote:

Hi Anne,

These are a good first attempt at a business head shot. The light on these is too hot on one side, he doesn't look too comfortable and the chair - a recliner doesn't speak professional. The light fall off tells me that the light was close to him.

Suit jackets should be buttoned with one button and you need to make the clothes straight in the frame. Definitely the hands should not be cut off at all.

Do you have a stool for him to sit on? Those seem to work best. Turn down the power on the camera left.

When you are shooting "seasoned" people, you want to mask the crow's feet or soften them in post.

Hi kathy. Thank you - I appreciate your expertise.
So, on point 1 - light too hot - I see that, but the histogram does not register it as over exposed or even close. Thus, I gather this is a judgement rather than a measurement call. I am okay with that, and will watch for it in future.
The chair (and room) were definitely a challenge. The first was very 'comfy' and he didn't like sitting near the edge so that his legs were more closed. Leaning on one elbow helped him relax more, moving to the firmer chair helped a bunch more.

As I mentioned cut off hands are the trade for No jeans showing......

If we reshoot, we will do it here, but I am not sure what I can come up with for a stool. Will think on that. And I wondered about the crows feet. I haven't done any post, other than cropping in LR.

ann

Ann McRae

Well, whew! I have given John the feedback about the recliner not conveying professionalism, and he will let me reshoot at his office. So, I now have further need for posing and other tips. I'm all

ChatKat

Shooting in an office
I just got a contract with an ad agency to shoot headshots of attorneys in their offices for some advertising.

Some of the poses that I suggested would work for John assuming he has a desk and a traditional executive office chair:

Sitting in the chair - hands clasped on desk. Shoot from front of desk, on an angle to the desk. Have to watch for where window might be. Lens at forehead height or higher.

Sitting in a small low back secretarial chair so no back showing, using a bookcase as the backdrop - head and shoudlers only. Wearing a jacket.

Standing in doorway to office, a stack of files in his hands. Without files, hand in pocket. Jacket buttoned on standing positions or only bottom button undone.

dogwood

ChatKat wrote:

These are a good first attempt at a business head shot. The light on these is too hot on one side, he doesn't look too comfortable and the chair - a recliner doesn't speak professional. The light fall off tells me that the light was close to him.

Suit jackets should be buttoned with one button and you need to make the clothes straight in the frame. Definitely the hands should not be cut off at all.

Do you have a stool for him to sit on? Those seem to work best. Turn down the power on the camera left.

When you are shooting "seasoned" people, you want to mask the crow's feet or soften them in post.

And the tie-- I think something with less loudness would have been a little better. His tie was the first thing I noticed.

Also, for some reason, this kind of image seems to hint at more "power" for males when the lighting is a little more contrasty.

Scott_Quier

Ummmm .... yeah, the tie

The strobist has a lot on portraits, but I remembered one posting in particular that might help you a lot, especially since you are going to be doing a re-shoot in his office. Check it out here. After you get past his discussion about balancing ambient and flash - there's some good detail on environmental portraits - but you may have to dig for it a bit. At the very least, maybe it'll stir some creative juices for you so you can get away from the run-of-the-mill portraits that are so easy.

Ann McRae

ChatKat wrote:

I just got a contract with an ad agency to shoot headshots of attorneys in their offices for some advertising.

Some of the poses that I suggested would work for John assuming he has a desk and a traditional executive office chair:

Sitting in the chair - hands clasped on desk. Shoot from front of desk, on an angle to the desk. Have to watch for where window might be. Lens at forehead height or higher.

Sitting in a small low back secretarial chair so no back showing, using a bookcase as the backdrop - head and shoudlers only. Wearing a jacket.

Standing in doorway to office, a stack of files in his hands. Without files, hand in pocket. Jacket buttoned on standing positions or only bottom button undone.

Thank you Kathy! Very much.

ann

Ann McRae

dogwood wrote:

And the tie-- I think something with less loudness would have been a little better. His tie was the first thing I noticed.

Also, for some reason, this kind of image seems to hint at more "power" for males when the lighting is a little more contrasty.

Yeah, I know the tie is loud - I will try to ensure that next time he goes with more neutral clothes

And I will work on contrasty lighting - hopefully there is more space. I am very new to lighting so I tried to keep it simple.

ann

Ann McRae

Scott_Quier wrote:

there's some good detail on environmental portraits - but you may have to dig for it a bit. At the very least, maybe it'll stir some creative juices for you so you can get away from the run-of-the-mill portraits that are so easy.

Thanks for the link Scott - but, c'mon, go easy on me here - this was my first ever and I had 24 hournotice to prep! And no alternative places to pose the guy!

ann

Scott_Quier

Ann McRae wrote:

Thanks for the link Scott - but, c'mon, go easy on me here - this was my first ever and I had 24 hournotice to prep! And no alternative places to pose the guy!

ann

Ummmm .... yeah, I know you had short notice. I was trying to help you over the curve more quickly. You previously posted for help with the hands, from which I inferred you may have some small problems with portrait posing in general, especially this sort of thing.

I was trying to help; my post was not meant to be a slam in any way. I do sincerely apologize.

Ann McRae

Scott_Quier wrote:

Ummmm .... yeah, I know you had short notice. I was trying to help you over the curve more quickly. My post was not meant to be a slam in any way. I do sincerely apologize.

Oh, I know Scott, I guess I should have put the smiley in there - I was being tongue in cheek, ya know!

ann

Scott_Quier

Ann McRae wrote:

Oh, I know Scott, I guess I should have put the smiley in there - I was being tongue in cheek, ya know!

ann

I do now and I'm much much much relieved.:whew