Shooting portraits in an office

vangogh · January 8, 2006

I need a bit of advice about shooting in an office environment, (which I had to do yesterday afternoon). I used one main flash on a stand with a white brolly reflector to my left & then, because of the way the office desk was, used a small fill in slave unit to fill in behind the sitter. The difficulty I had was, I couldn't get the light to balance without light from the fill in flash either showing up as flare behind the sitter or a glow/reflection on the desk. I had to put it on a shelf over my right shoulder, but this then caused shadows to fall on the wall behind the subject as it too was in front of the subject.

How do I get the balance right when I can't put a lighting stand behind the desk as its next to a window & if I do it then shows up in the photo? :scratch

Thanks
Nicola
Iconic Creative
iconiccreative.smugmug.com

Andy · January 8, 2006

Most office portraits I've done - have had the same problem. I've moved the desk away from window on more than one occasion! Alternatively, get the exec to move from behind the desk, and pose him/her sitting/leaning on the front of the desk... or at the bookcase, or ...

I've found that they don't mind, not at all. Act like you own the place, but politely, of course

Hope this helps!

vangogh · January 9, 2006

Thanks for the advice Andy. That's what I ended up doing for some of the portraits in the end. I got them sitting next to the bookshelves but the light wasn't quite right, again due to the same problem of not being able to get behind the desk. I shall remember that for next time though. Brilliant!

Thanks
Nicola

Shooting portraits in an office

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