Killer Headshots The Cheap Way

clipped from www.studiolighting.net

The Prince of Cheap IS HERE AGAIN!!! This time I'm gonna tell you not how to save money but a way to make money!

Lots of people ask me, "Whats a quick way for me to make some easy money with my camera?"

The first thing I seem to always think to say is "Learn to take head shots."

By no means is that a shot (no pun intended) at the pro's out there making a living with head shots, its just the first thing I usually think of. "Why head shots?" I'm asked. I tell them, "Its fast, it can be fun and (usually) doesn't require a lot of equipment." They're usually stumped when I say that last part. The truth is, for myself head shots are like a basic interview/chatfest between actor, model, musician or whoever is being photographed. Since I prefer to create head shots using natural light it really minimizes my equipment needs.

My typical equipment for a head shot session is my 85mm F1.4, 50mm F1.7 lens, Shepard Polaris Light Meter, 42" Ebay 5n1 Disc Reflector and sometimes my 3×5ft homemade Diffusion panel. The panel is especially useful if I will be out at "Devil Light" between 9a.m. to 4:30p.m. when the sun is high in the sky or I will be in an open area where there is nothing to cast a shadow to shade the subject from the full blast of the sunlight. (Its actually overkill going out in daylight with a lens faster than F2.8; however, I just love the sharpness of those prime lens'.)

All the images above were created using natural light and took only 2 minutes or less total time each in post processing.

As a matter of cheap, I could switch out my high speed primes (85mm F1.4 and 50mm F1.7) with a single kit zoom lens like a basic 28-80mm F3.5-F5.6 lens and simply up my ISO to compensate for the light loss. One thing I will say is a definite "bring along", is a diffuser of some kind. For me, the $42 investment in the 42" 5n1 disc has proven itself invaluable and the $14 investment in building my own 5ft x 3.5ft light panel has proven a lifesaver! I gotta make this point! I highly recommend that if your Digital SLR has a 1.5x crop factor or more - RUN out and find a used 50mm F1.7 or F1.8 fixed lens! On a Canon DSLR with a 1.6x crop factor the lens acts like a 80mm f1.8 portrait lens! For Nikon and Sony DSLR users it would act like a 75mm F1.8/F1.7 portrait lens! For almost all camera brands - they should run from $50.00-$100.00 used from ebay to local camera stores! In the lens world, thats cheap for a good - piece of glass!

Now that you have your gear set for going outdoors and battle the light to make some fast money, heres some tips to jump start your head shots in the right direction:

1.) If shooting during "Devil Light" look for large areas of shade place your subject and photograph into (unless you know for sure it will compliment your subject you may not want to photograph your subject in shade while your background is being hit by direct sunlight).

2.) If shooting under overcast (cloudy) light - the silver reflector to add more punch to your subjects eyes, or to create beauty light by placing it underneath the subject just like when your in the studio.

3.) KILLER POINT AHEAD!!!: The key is to find some area that is NOT in DIRECT SUNLIGHT (if shooting during the midday when the sun is high in the sky). Find an area that has something overhead to block out the top-light. Top light is responsible for the infamous "racOOn eyes" - where the entire eye area is pitch black!

4.) KILLER POINT AHEAD!!!: After you've found or created (light panel or something else you've set overhead) shade for your subject - you will take an incident meter reading while standing in the shadow area (just make sure the dome of the incident meter faces back to where the camera will be at).

-NOTE: Incident light meters give readings that if used will tell the camera how to expose the scene to look just the way it is under the light that is hitting it (as the scene is). It is only a starting reference point of exposure. I frequently over expose for slightly smoother skin or underexpose for more saturated backgrounds depending on how I want the final image to look like.

Here are some image example of my First Annual "Head shot Marathon Session" where I photographed over 30 Models, Actors, and Musicians in rapid succession as a (publicity stunt) marketing test. Good news! Following these techniques and a few unmentioned (yet) I came away with over 1200 photographs in 4 hrs and over 300+ usable head shots!

The Image above is an example of the outdoor hi-key lighting effect you can get at "Devil Light" with a panel or some kind of diffuser. You can find the technique explained in detail here: http://www.studiolighting.net/studio-quality-high-key-lighting-without-the-studio/

Here's a breakdown of the location (the why), lighting (what to look for), and results (complete with John Madden style X and O's layout!). Study it well and your in business!

Find or make a large patch of shade and use it for balanced light!

Remember to get into the spot where your subject will be to meter the light. Make sure the meters dome is facing the cameras location (for incident light meters)!

Notice the common thread in all the diagrams? KILL THAT TOP LIGHT! The cool thing about this little location is that all I have to do is change the direction of the camera and I can have multiple background tones (notice the grey wall to the left, the pink solid color next to it, on the right - the beige colored block wall on the right and the blue/grey colored door.

What have you learned? Find your shade, block the direct sun, and VIOLA… KILLER HEAD SHOTS… THE CHEAP WAY!!!! NO EXCUSES! NOW GET TA SHOOTIN!!!!

-The Prince of Cheap