Quick And Easy Corporate Portrait

Bryce WilsonBryce Wilson Registered Users Posts: 1,586 Major grins
edited January 9, 2014 in People
I've gotten tired of hauling studio equipment to location shoots. Because this one was on the third floor of a large office complex and only involved four subjects, I decided to try going completely "portable" for the first time with this type of shoot.

Two speed lights (Main and Hair) and a reflector were used. I may have set the hair light a bit too hot and positioned it a little too far forward though because of the slight light bleed onto her chest.

All in all, for ease of travel and set up, I don't see too much wrong or different with it compared to hauling around studio sized equipment for this particular application.

See any nits?

11844801904_9ec7a9f438_o.jpg

Comments

  • michaelglennmichaelglenn Registered Users Posts: 442 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2014
    This picture definitely fits the corporate vibe, and you nailed it aesthetically. My only nit would be to lighten up the right side of her face a tad (and I really mean a tad!). Good job :D
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  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2014
    ^What he said :)

    I do this for pretty much every location headshot set I shoot - speedlights are da bomb! thumb.gif
  • Bryce WilsonBryce Wilson Registered Users Posts: 1,586 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2014
    This picture definitely fits the corporate vibe, and you nailed it aesthetically. My only nit would be to lighten up the right side of her face a tad (and I really mean a tad!). Good job :D

    Thanks. Hmmmm Camera right or subject right?
    divamum wrote: »
    ^What he said :)

    I do this for pretty much every location headshot set I shoot - speedlights are da bomb! thumb.gif

    Certainly are easier to transport. Only drawback for me is that I don't have as many "widgets" to go along with them.
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2014
    For me, camera right, which is what i presumed he meant.... :)
  • HackboneHackbone Registered Users Posts: 4,027 Major grins
    edited January 8, 2014
    Nice classic pose and lighting.
  • D3SshooterD3Sshooter Registered Users Posts: 1,188 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2014
    Works fine for me. Light and shadows goes together and created depth. I know the issue of dragin a full studio with you. mwink.gif That is why I moved to the broncolor "move" kit with the Para 55. Great stuff and great light quality. Speed lights tend to have harder light and less quality light. But then again most people do not notice it. The only issue that I ran into with speedlights is the ambient light. If there is too much of it, the speedlights will have an issue as the T.5 pulse lenght will restrict your shutterspeed and force you to smaller lens openings. A studio light has a much better t.5 and provides as such more possibilities, especially f you shoot with a leaf shutter lens.
    A photographer without a style, is like a pub without beer
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Big grins Louisville, KYPosts: 1 Big grins
    edited January 9, 2014
    Great picture. Maybe lighten the left camera eye socket, but I wouldn't lighten that cheek. In fact, I'd tone down the cheek on camera left a bit. I've had problems settling on a portable kit, so appreciate hearing about yours. Did you shoot off the ceiling or use umbrellas on your lightstands? Also, did you have someone assist with the reflector or did you have it on a lightstand arm? And what background are you using? I really like it.

    I only do portraits for non-profit organizations and friends, so hate to invest much more in equipment. I own strobes with triggers, one 580EXII, and a large reflector, but like you mentioned getting the heavier equipment to the spot you need it can sometimes be difficult. Not needing to take the strobes would be a lot easier, so maybe I should be saving for another speedlite.

    I've learned a lot from what you've posted over the years, probably more than from any other contributor, so thank you so much for sharing your talents.
  • Bryce WilsonBryce Wilson Registered Users Posts: 1,586 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2014
    Hackbone wrote: »
    Nice classic pose and lighting.
    Thanks Charles...

    I like classic. It's a nice way of saying "old".:D
    D3Sshooter wrote: »
    Works fine for me. Light and shadows goes together and created depth. I know the issue of dragin a full studio with you. mwink.gif That is why I moved to the broncolor "move" kit with the Para 55. Great stuff and great light quality. Speed lights tend to have harder light and less quality light. But then again most people do not notice it. The only issue that I ran into with speedlights is the ambient light. If there is too much of it, the speedlights will have an issue as the T.5 pulse lenght will restrict your shutterspeed and force you to smaller lens openings. A studio light has a much better t.5 and provides as such more possibilities, especially f you shoot with a leaf shutter lens.

    Thanks for the input and info, which brings up another drawback of using speedlights. The lack of a modeling light.
    KYLady wrote: »
    Great picture. Maybe lighten the left camera eye socket, but I wouldn't lighten that cheek. In fact, I'd tone down the cheek on camera left a bit. I've had problems settling on a portable kit, so appreciate hearing about yours. Did you shoot off the ceiling or use umbrellas on your lightstands? Also, did you have someone assist with the reflector or did you have it on a lightstand arm? And what background are you using? I really like it.

    Thanks for the kind words.

    Good advice on the eye socket. I too like the falloff on the camera right face, but on looking again, that camera right eye could be brightened a bit.

    This was done with a shoot through umbrella as a main, a reflector on a arm with a light stand and a small softbox attachment for the hair light. I am using a cloth carry bag from a portable background stand that was retired some time ago to put the light stands in. Very portable and easy to carry.

    The background is a Westcott Illuminator. It's kind of like a really big reflector with background material on it and folds up the same way a reflector does. It attaches to a single light weight stand with a clip. They come in various colors. I like the old masters look for "classic" portraiture. Only drawback is you are really limited to photographing a max of three people size wise.

    Thanks again.


    divamum wrote: »
    For me, camera right, which is what i presumed he meant.... :)

    Gotcha!
  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2014
    Nice business portrait. She will like it.
    Since you asked...
    maybe bring up the shadows just a bit to reduce the contrast. Frame right clean the shadow under her eye. Clean up the splotchy areas on her chest. Bring up the highlights in her eyes a bit for just a bit more sparkle. Her front teeth look a bit brighter maybe even her teeth out. Soften the cheek shadows just a bit.
    Just some nitpicky ideas...actually looks fine as is.

    Main thing is she looks great and that is the hard part with coorporate shots. Light position and background look good to me.

    Nice work.
  • divamumdivamum Registered Users Posts: 9,021 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2014
    Speed lights tend to have harder light and less quality light.

    Once you have a modifier on a modern speedlight I'm not sure that's the case at all. There may have been limitations at one time, but thanks to David Hobby and the strobist movement there are now sooooo many flash choices and so many great - and large-surface - modifiers which can be used with speedlights that it really isn't a big deal. Umbrellas, softboxes, brollyboxes, strip boxes, parabolic umbrellas... etc etc. Yes, I have used studio setups; it is nice to have the extra power when needed and for certain applications the larger lamps are invaluable, but inside the studio I found that had them turned down to minimum most of the time anyway. Doesn't mean they're not a terrific tool, but I'm not sure that one can "knock" modern speedlights on the grounds of poor quality light and lack of modifiers any more. And they score BIG TIME on portability :D
    It's kind of like a really big reflector with background material on it and folds up the same way a reflector does. It attaches to a single light weight stand with a clip.

    Bryce, I LOVE my "popup" backgrounds. Mine isn't the Westcott, but same idea; they are GREAT for location (and in small spaces)! Mine will even prop up against a flat wall/surface indoors if need be although I usually use work clips through the loop at the top of mine and connect it to whatever is handy. I've used bookcases, picture rails on the wall.... whatever works thumb.gif
  • anonymouscubananonymouscuban Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 4,586 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2014
    This is such a timely thread. I was just emailed this morning, by the CEOs admin, about shooting corporate headshots for a few of the executives. Although this is for the company I work for, they will be hiring me to do the shoot and 1099 me.

    I was planning to use a two light + reflector setup and this just confirmed it. :)

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  • Bryce WilsonBryce Wilson Registered Users Posts: 1,586 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2014

    I was planning to use a two light + reflector setup and this just confirmed it. :)

    Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

    Cut my load, unload and set up time in more than half. Course, if I had your guns, I most likely wouldn't worry about it. :D

    Did a rework of the original with some of the suggestions presented within the thread. This is the black and white version of the rework. Is it just me or does the B and W make her look five to ten years younger than the color version?

    11862903595_44673eb308_o.jpg
  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,948 moderator
    edited January 9, 2014
    I think you did a great job. Classic look and lighting. I agree with the comments about the hair light. The b&w looks great! Especially the processing of her face. If I had a nit to pick, it would be with her blouse. Needs to be flattened a bit camera right.

    How did you light the background? Also, did the client specify how the images would be used and did you offer a variety of looks so that they'd have some choices depending on need? Like magazines, conferences, and executive profiles.
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  • jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2014
    The retouch is better, there is more light in her eyes. The b&w conversion seems to have smoothed her skin some, which makes her look younger. I think in any good portrait it is important for the whites of the eyes to pop. They don't really in the original.

    Great hair light.
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
  • Bryce WilsonBryce Wilson Registered Users Posts: 1,586 Major grins
    edited January 9, 2014
    ian408 wrote: »
    I think you did a great job. Classic look and lighting. I agree with the comments about the hair light. The b&w looks great! Especially the processing of her face. If I had a nit to pick, it would be with her blouse. Needs to be flattened a bit camera right.

    How did you light the background? Also, did the client specify how the images would be used and did you offer a variety of looks so that they'd have some choices depending on need? Like magazines, conferences, and executive profiles.

    Thanks for chiming in! Good catch on the blouse.

    The background was close enough to the subject to catch light from the main. The "lighting effect" on the background was created with adding a black vignette in post.

    I have several different looks and expressions from this traditional "classic" portrait session that they will see. We are doing an "environmental" shoot for the items you mentioned next week.

    Thanks for taking the time to give input. It's appreciated.
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