ingino
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Posts posted by ingino
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Frank, thanks, I didn't realize it was just 1/3 stop. I'm still new at this.
Pablo, I don't have a clue what all those numbers and letters mean. I don't develop myself. I use a lab.
So, I've gotten one answer that says process regularly and another says push 1 stop. I shot the subject pretty close in, just head & shoulders, with lights fairly close. I know the background will be dark, which is what I wanted, but I'm afraid the shadows on his face might be too much. Maybe I'll have it pushed just a quarter or half stop. Sheesh, I wish I knew more about this stuff. Whenever I try something new, I'm a wreck until I see the results.
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Hi everyone, I have a question. I shot some headshots yesterday for a
musician and I wanted a more dramatic look than I usually shoot for
actors, so I rated it at about 530. I have been using Ilford Delta
400, lit with a coupla photofloods (I like continuous lighting). For
actors, I usually rate it at 330 (one notch on my camera's dial below
400) and have my lab just process at 400. But I've never pushed the
dial one notch above 400 before. I'm not sure if I should tell my lab
(Modernage in NYC) that I shot at about 530 or not. If I don't, I'm
afraid the shots will be too dark. I just wanted a little drama, some
shadows and a little moe grain is okay with me - but I don't want it
underexposed and useless. So I experimented (the musician is aware it
was a "test shoot"). What should I tell them over at Modernage when I
bring my film there? All suggestions welcome. Thanks!
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Hey, Jamie, apology accepted. When you posted, "didn't mean to piss on your parade" I really laughed out loud!! Thanks.
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Jamie, I'm very happy with my goal and vison, and feel is it quite high. Your snooty "advice" reveals that you obviously don't have much respect for actors or headshot photographers. Please stick it where the sun don't shine. Furthermore, I feel you do not truly understand what a headshot should be. A well-done headshot definitely should not narrow the subject to a certain type but, rather, allow casting agents and directors to see the essence of the actor and be able to imagine them in as wide a range of roles as possible. Actors can get really bogged down by the idea that they need 6 or so headshots in various outfits and character types. Oftentimes, an actor doesn't even see the full range of their own potential (for that matter, do any of us?). Unless an actor is only seeking very specific character roles, playing a specific type in a headshot is unnecessary. There are generally commercial shots (smiling), and theatrical shots (non-smiling and often with dramatic lighting). An actor really only needs one of each, and should expect a good headshot to be useable for 3-5 years, unless dramatic changes in hair and/or weight have been made.
An actor can move us enormously in their work by shedding light on the human condition, bringing an inner life into view. My aim is to do the same for them with my headshots, and being able to do so is what moves me. I guess you might consider shots of Chinatown and sidewalks a more exalted form of photography, but I consider being a positive force in someone's career efforts rather soul-satisfying. Being a judgemental snob about photography doesn't do it for me, but hey Jamie, go knock yourself out.
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Here are two links for you to see what the headshot photographers are doing:<br><br>
East Coast (mostly New York):<br>
West Coast (mostly L.A.):<br>
The style of headshot photography than an actor will want depends largely on the market they're pursuing. In NY, the generally accepted style is usually called "Legit" - it's B&W and usually just head and shoulders, with no corny hand posing. In L.A., color is more popular, and they tend to have more 3/4 shots (showing more of the body). Trends come and go (such as border or flush, horizontal or vertical, very tight shot or showing more, outside or indoor), but those basics have been the same for a few years - although color is gaining in popularity in NYC. The shots you did can work very well for this purpose. I think they're nice, by the way, although not the typical ideal. I've seen the top headshot photographers do theirs similarly, with NYC street scenes in the background. Lots of headshots out there have blurred scenery (indoor or outdoor) in the background instead of solid colored backdrops. You still need to be careful but if it's done in B&W, the backgrounds you have won't be as distracting, I think.
If you click on these links and see what those photogs are doing, you'll see what I mean and they may give you an idea of a style you might want to develop.
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I could look at headshots all day long -- if they're well done. I am an amateur aspiring to have a career as a headshot photographer in NYC. For my own pleasure, I take pics of a number of subjects, in a number of genres, I suppose. But my dream is for performers' headshots to be my bread-and-butter. That's why this thread caught me. An actor's headshot should never be an "empty likeness." If it is, the photographer didn't give a crap. Any portrait has the potential to capture the essence of a person's spirit, the spark that makes the person unique, their sense of humor, their vulnerability, or the weightiness of the life the person has led. Yes, an actor's headshot has to also fill the purpose of getting them work -- in fact, it's probably the most important tool in an actor's arsenal, besides their acting training (and even then, often training can come second if the headshot is really enticing and represents the person well). I mean, think about it... who would even want to bring someone in for an audition if the photo didn't show some aliveness? Casting directors don't want talking heads; they want vital human beings. The very specific needs of an actor's headshot demands a great deal of skill and places enormous responsibility on the photographer.
IMHO, it doesn't matter if a portrait was shot wide-angle with costumes and buildings in the background, or zoomed in close enough to see their pores -- if the photographer has effectively worked to bring a bit of that person's soul into view, it's a successful portrait.
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I was about 17 when my boyfriend bought me an SRT-200 for my birthday. He knew how much I loved taking photos and I was using an Agfa rangefinder (which I still wish I had - it was great!). I was really bad at calculating distance, so with the rangefinder I produced lots of blurry pics! The SRT-200 came with a pancake lens (Rokkor-X MD 45mm/F2) and I think later on I (or he) bought a Minolta Celtic 135mm/f3.5 which I love using. Well, that camera was and still is a workhorse. I once accidentally dropped it on a cement floor and nothing happened except a dent on one side of the 45mm's outer rim. I never found any need to use any other camera since getting it. Somehow all these years have passed and now I find I am using a "classic" camera, but it's just "my camera" to me.
I've liked many pics I've taken with it, but recently I noticed it really needs a tune-up and I'll probably have to make an adjustment to it to allow it to accept a new battery (since it's made to take merc. batteries). So, I read a little here and there and decided to "upgrade" to a new old camera. I know that my Minolta lenses are in great shape, so I wanted to stick with a Minolta manual in order not to have to buy a ton of new lenses as well. I just got an XG-M body off eBay for $66, and then got another good deal on a 50mm/F1.7 Rokkor MD lens. Still getting used to the features of the XG-M (a different focusing screen and some auto capability), but I think I like using it. It feels good in my hands when I snap away. The only bad (and very frustrating) thing I've found so far is there is dirt in the prism, which I also *always* had with my SRT-200. That won't affect the pics, but I just wish for once in my photo-taking life, I could look through a view-finder and not see dirt! I wonder if there is a way to clean that without having to spend a fortune.
I have a rebellious spirit. So many people refer to Minoltas as amateur cameras, and on another website's message board someone told me that if I want to go pro I should ditch 35mm altogether if I want to be taken seriously. Well, I do want to become a professional and specialize in headshots for actors and other theatrical types. The nice guy who sold me the XG-M also included a booklet that Minolta put out detailing all the SLR equipmen they had available at that time - in it is a pic of a pretty nice setup and I don't see why a pro couldn't use Minolta 35mm equipt. for portraits. As a matter of fact, I went to meet a local portrait photog near me to see if she needs an assistant, and she uses 35mm (not Minolta). So I'm set on pursuing a career with my classic camera and I aim to prove the nay-sayers wrong. I want to experiment with various pro films, find a good pro lab, and see how I like the results. Until about two months ago, I always used consumer film and got it developed at the drugstore. We all know it's the photographer, not the camera, that makes the picture - but the camera has to be one that the photographer feels comfortable using.
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Send an email to Minolta expert Dick Sullivan. His email address can be found at the bottom of this page:
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Hey, I went to my trusty yellow pages and made two calls - one to Berry and one to Olden. I asked for a ballpark figure on a routine Cleaning, Lube, & Adjust. Berry quoted me $85. Olden quoted $35. Such a wide difference! I'm going to keep calling and looking, and hopefully get more recommendations from you guys.
The thing is, I'm an amateur, and I don't know what I'm doing. I love photography but I've been winging it, without much knowledge, for a very long time. My old SRT 200 has served me very well since I was 18 years old (when it first hit the markets), but I've been a boob about taking care of it. Yes, it is a workhorse (I once accidentally dropped it on a concrete floor with no ill effects), but I've only given it a CL&A once before in the 20+ years I've owned it.
Now I want to learn more (have signed up for a course to brush up on basics) and dip my foot into the possibility of doing headshots and actually charging money for taking pictures. The first thing on my To Do list -- before buying lenses or lights or anything else - is to get my camera up to snuff, because I know I've neglected it. There is some rust on the outside hinge area, and there's this brownish, gooey, schmutz on one edge of my mirror. In the past, I may have tried to clean the inside without really knowing what I was doing. I've been reading various websites about cleaning an SRT and I hope I didn't do any damage. My vacation shots come out fine, but the question is: is it in tip-top shape for me to use as a beginning professional?
I love this camera - I feel lost trying to use automatic ones - so I really want to get it nicely tuned up OR get the word from an expert on whether or not it's ready for that big darkbag in the sky. So, that's why I want to go somewhere here in the city where I can talk to the people, and ask questions, without being snubbed because I'm obviously not as knowledgeable about my camera as I could be (will be). I want to feel taken care of.
So that's what I'm looking for. Thanks for reading my rambling message.
Diane
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Hi all.
Okay, this is a request for information. I'd like to gather up some
good recommendations on labs that will process b&w in New York City.
I'm nowhere near getting started, but I'm doing my research. I'm in
Manhattan and won't mind sending film to a lab in Queens or something,
but I would like to find a reasonably priced lab for someone starting
out (I'll have a low volume of work to print at first), but who will
work with me to get the results I want. I'll mostly be doing
headshots (portraits) for actors or corporate officers. I wouldn't be
able to have a darkroom and do it myself. Until I get a clientele,
I'm going to offer to take shots of my friends for free - so my outlay
shouldn't be drastically high. The only one I have any experience
with is ModernAge, but I'm sure they're pricey.
TIA for your help!
Diane
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Thank you, Gary. Fortunately I am familiar with Carlstadt, NJ and know how to get there by bus. I'll give them a call and see if I want to make the trip. Have you used them before? I was hoping for a place in Manhattan, where I live.
Diane
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Hi all,
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good place in Manhattan where
I can bring my old Minolta SRT for a cleaning and tuneup? Without
spending an arm and a leg (but I don't want to cut corners - it needs
some TLC).
Ilford Delta 400 shot at about 530 - for portrait
in Black & White Practice
Posted