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Lesson Info

Shoot: Headshots

question from fashion to be in Singapore. Eddie, you mentioned that you love shadows and your images. In your opinion, how do you define nice shadows? In what situations will you create a shadow with your lights and what works? E always light from a higher angle. So let's talk about your shadows. Shadow's love Shadow, Shadow create shaping an image and I love long me and my shadows and my images. I love short shadows. I mean, there's just as I set up the shot here. I'll be looking for the shadow when I said lights. Usually I look at our four of the shadow, especially when it's just one like, but it's the angle. It's the angle of the light that creates the shadow. Of course, sometimes shadows can work against you if the shadows in the wrong place Very true, but I have one from letting glass and kittens end bubbles on and they ask, You ever shoot natural lights? Oh, is this for me to use or stand on? Don't trip over things. Natural light. Well, Judy hoses and natural light specialist and...

I've been shooting natural light my entire career. But when she started teaching me more about light. My natural light photography became so much more like lighting. I create. It's amazing. I love using natural light. And if you look at my images now, create a slide show tomorrow afternoon with more images that our mind and must have more natural light. But I would say 95% of all Judy's images are nothing but natural available, like so. I love that. I love being able to see that to me. It's It changes your life when you can see that light and make it work for you. So yes, good. Good questions. All right, we got a lot of questions for you. One from Digital Echo when you said you were when you were shooting Jenna over there and when you said you were shooting bellybutton height. Is that because you want to be shooting slightly up at her face? Or why was that? So I'm really good question. When you look at a full length image, the higher the camera angle, the more dwarf E. The model lugs, the lower the camera angle. The taller and thinner model looks so that's what shooting fully the closer you come in the higher the camera angle can be. So just think of it that way. So I'm doing fashion. Are trying to try to shoot it. Bellybutton height. So the model looks tolerant dinner, and occasionally you'll see me get on the floor and shoot from that angle as well. Great questions. We've got one from Ron Jon in Kolkata, India. Way over there, he asked. Here. She asked, What kind of post processing thoughts to find the shoot. So, are you thinking post processing as you're doing the shoot and what you need? Todo half the shots here. I'm thinking post processing because the lights a little bit overwhelming, so but that's probably 80% of the time. I'm not thinking post processing. Sometimes I have a filter in mind or effect. Like in just a few minutes. Judy's gonna shoot for design, and she has designed. She may or may not have a design in mind, but she'll work that out post process. So some of the shots we've done today I'll do a cookie lighting or something like that post just for the fun of it to get that more effective. Look, great questions. All right, so in setting up the light. Jomana this lights gonna have to be about where I'm standing and we can forget that life for now, Just for time's sake. So what I'm doing with this honey grid pretty con grid in this head. I'm just wanting to create kind of, ah, Hugh on the background. And, um, this will be my main light, and I will use the reflector for the fill light. Let's see. Yes, Thank you. All right, so let's bring this out. I don't know how to say this, except I'm a left light photographer. I like my light coming in from the left side. Now, when you analyze the face, you might shoot from the left or right side. But I always start out this way. So I'm gonna put the light bank right here. It's gonna be in the way of you guys if you want to move over, please do. But I'm gonna have to set this right up here. And, Ben, if you will come in, please. Do you have a seat here? This is just a head shot, and we are gonna have toe. Okay. This is when I really like to see the light and working with. So we have a little testing. I'm gonna set the light pretty close. We have to take the power all the way down. And if you will help me, let's take this all the way down, okay? And Oh, my goodness, I need to be a little bit taller. Is there something? Oh, perfect. Just think. And let's move the light a little bit closer end. So the main part of the light is folks behind you. Thank you very much. You know, I should a head shot. I'd like to shoot down rather than shoot up for In effect, I like to shoot down for head shots and look how close. I'm probably a little bit too close, because second, it's in there. I love shooting with the 300 millimeter lands for headshots. Strangers that might sound to you. Just one of the things I've learned to love and grow with. So and yes, it's not. It's not hope. I mean, it's hooked up, but it's not responding. What is it about the 300? Because certainly when you pull that out, people are like, 0 300 not just someone needed 200. I used to have a 28 to 300 lens and, of course, out of 72 202 different ones of the F to A D and F four, which are great lenses loving their sharp. But this particular lens of 72 300 isn't as sharp as those lenses, but I love having that extra 100 millimeter to shoot a variety of things with. So with that being the case when I started shooting headshots with the 300 I mean that Zoom it all the way into 300 on my But I'll go beyond 200. And if I get far enough way to shoot 300 it's still it's a great perspective. Is it that compression that, yes, the compression perspective. Have a good test shot, Just a test that and Okay, so we need to get our exposure, sit down and because of the way the lights here is that all the way down here? It's all the way down, you know, do a test flash. I think a I want money. 81 25th. Let's go to 1 25th at FAA. Another test that I'm just doing a light test here and completely blown out. So can we re do that? Yes. 1/60. I went 60. I s O okay, OK, It's what it says. So I think my battery's gone down here. That's a little bit brighter. Anything. So let's use the old fashioned digital method of closing it down and doing a checking the history. Graham, it looks a bit more like it. Preview. Is that my preview up there? Yeah. Oh, there we go. Here we go. His grandma. It's good. Okay, then what I would have you do is turn to your right and bring it light back for me. Just a three or four inches. Right there is too much right there is great. Tilt the top of your head down. Bring your shoulder back to me. They're good, and I'm gonna do the rest. So you might notice that I'm actually tilting the camera a little bit myself. This way gives you a great had checked trying to get your eyes right into them. The 1/ portion of the composition. And give me that great expression of yours. A good smile. Gorgeous. Great shot. Great shot. Right there. Let's take a look at the slight. So when I'm looking at this preview on the screen, I am thinking about post processing my fill lights a little bit dark. So I guess I could bring this card in a little bit more. Good night. My fact, let's do that because when we get to the post processing part today, you'll see where I find an image of that section and then batch process the images the same way. What I don't want to do is over, Phil. The light. I'd rather do it posted. If I had my choice than toe over light it. One more test out here, then you're doing a great job ready. Bring your shoulders a little more just like that. Great. Now, the lighting ratio between this shot and the next shot is about one stopped difference in the shape in the shadow. Yeah, Now you see what I'm talking about there. Can you explain for people who aren't familiar with what does that mean when you say the lighting ratio lighting ratio, if you think about the main light and a fill light surely is a 3 to 1 ratio of brightness. So the main lives three times brighter. Then they feel like and using the card. It is just that ratio. When it was pulled back free feet over the lighting ratio is more like six or 7 to 1. And now it's more like 321 right? Just so it's even to me, it's what becomes the important thing. If I'm doing a business head shot, that's an excellent ratio right there in doing a head shot for an actor or a model, probably a little more dramatic shadow, more ratio. And with that being said, let's pull the bank back just a little bit more, not right there. Compromise, and we'll do a few more. Bring your shoulders a little bit more. Been very good. Bring your nose bets this way until the top of her head, and I'll tell the camera a little bit more and got a great smile there. Good eyes, beautiful eyes, great shot. And one thing that we're doing that we didn't talk about is the glow in the background is caused by this light, Um, and if we turn that to the left, just a touch and tilt it down just a few inches Good. That's good. Great shot. We got it. It's like choosing these images. They're gonna be so difficult because he looks great and every single one of Okay, right? What do you want for Mom? And this new? Real close here. I'm at 300 millimeter now. Now close your lips. Good shot. One more just like that. I love that show. Love that. Look. All right. No, I'm good with this. If the girls want a head shot, I'd be happy to do one real quick with him. If they're available. Here they come. Okay. Thank you. Great job. And then we'll switch over for Judy. There's someone do a few headshots. Come on. We'll we'll do him individually. But we'll do this quickly. So time to move right on. Good. Now I don't have to get up in the chair now because I'm at the right angle here to get what a beautiful, beautiful look at that. How beautiful that is. And I can tell just by shooting it. Let's see what it comes up on the screen. 321 It's a little contrast. So with the females definitely wanted more vague. Tighter ratio. 31 even 2 to 1. And let's bring the light towards me. Do you know, just straight towards me. And now that's perfect. Right there. Great shot. Good shot. Beautiful. Look. And now I want you to turn your knees this way and turn your head back this way, Just like that. I'm gonna tilt the camera a bit more to get a dramatic angle here. You want a beautiful shot, That is. Yeah. Great. Great smile. Great. Look, OK. And it's just a couple of close ups. Beautiful. And turn your head back toward the light. That is beautiful. Let's do a horizontal side here. Great. Look. Okay, now back to Vertical. And I love this type of composition. Would look at this when we get in post. That's the compositional lines in the image. Doing more back to 300 millimeter right here. Let's do no smile this time. Beautiful. Look, have a gorgeous, gorgeous left now, with just a slight hint of a smile. And that would do it for mine. Okay. In the mess for grandma too. Thank you. Thank you so much. Okay, good. So here's what would like to do for the lighting. The two soft boxes on the background will use the beauty dish for the main light. Right. And I'm gonna unhook here so Judy can get set up. Is it possible to create another folder for her? Yes. And then we would love to do a little bit of Q and A with you. Eddie, let's do that. All right. Fantastic. We have a new Dubai, and he asks, Do you give importance to catch light when setting up the angle, or do you manage it while post processing the catch light? Yes. In the eyes. Yes. Were used. Basically want to see that when you're shooting. And the only reason I might manage that and post it if it's missing and actually have a project that I'm gonna go over later today where I've got great light, a great shot. And I've got to catch light in one eye. We're gonna have to put it in the other mountain. Very rare. Do I do that? But the catch light is what you look at when you look at the eyes. Right now. A question from Singapore. Do you mentioned that you are a left side photographer, which was cool. I've never heard that term before. Do you ever study subjects to decide which is there, which is their best side and light differently? Shorter, broad lighting. And what is the thought process? Yes, I do. When I'm doing a portrait and these were head shots when doing a portrait, Then I do study the curvature of knows which eyes bigger, Uh, the smile. Everybody has a crooked smile. So depending on those attributes in the face will determine where the main lights going to come from. I use broad lighting, mostly for men are for fashion. Look short lighting, for the most part. But I will be a right Lightfoot harder for instead of a left life, entire for if the face characteristics you for that. The other thing that I learned from Monte Zucker was the parting of the hair, and I don't use that as much. But if your hair parts this way, you want to shoot into excuse me hair parts here, you want to shoot into the opposite sign. I look more eyes, nose and the smile if I'm using those characteristics. But you know those air techniques that I used years ago these days I do. I'm a little bit closer. As far as that's concerned as you've been telling, I'm going for more of that natural look in my shots. Great questions. Another good one from Sharon, Roni, and she asked if you wanted a hair light. What would you use being that you usually only work with one lights hair like I like to use these one by three soft boxes, okay, with a grid and And use that as what I call a taste light kicker light or a hair light. Rarely do I use the hair light from up above anymore, but I do use the kicker lighter. What I call it taste like same same difference tastes like color to taste like, because that's taste to your lighting. Like it. And when you were shooting when you were shooting, then from that higher angle, the question is, what are you looking for from that male subject? By by doing that, was it bigger eyes a sharper chin? Well, I didn't mention everything, did I? But when you're doing portrait's of people, one of the obstacles is the nostrils, and the one thing I don't want to do is shoot into a nostril. And so Ben wasn't the reason I got up. He's tall, so I wanted to shoot a portrait down just a little bit. But as I'm doing that, I noticed that anomaly and I didn't mention it cause it wasn't a problem. It wasn't the reason I got it a higher angle, just I didn't want to be. Well, I was doing kind of a headshot thing, and it almost doesn't matter if you're at a hiring or not. And with these models, you could be at any angle, have a great shot. So but I would normally do a head shot at least start there at a higher angle. Good questions, though. I'm curious about this. And we got a question about this in the chat room, and that is you mentioned that you use I s l 1 60 Is there reason that you don't use the cameras? Lowest eso setting? Is there a particular reason you choose that one? There's no really good reason except Vincent Life Array Shooting video discovered that 1 60 is more appropriate sometimes I don't know if that still the case for video, what kind of picked up on that and I've noticed that it looks just great. At one sixties, it does 100 so it's just a habit I've gotten into, okay?