joel_moser

thanks! It's off!

If you go to the Tiffen site:

 

http://www.tiffen.com/Header_page_tiffen_filters.htm

 

you'll find various brochures of their filters, including samples. The black and white filters are here:

 

http://www.tiffen.com/Page24-35.pdf

This is a weird question. I have a Sunpak 555, which comes with an

optional bracket. The bracket works great, but now I can't remove it.

Anybody know how?

Diane, thanks for the feedback and links. Like I said, I've made some improvements in the last session, which isn't posted here. I've also gone and ordered a 50mm prime and a decent zoom, not for portraits per se, for myself, but the next session of headshots I try I'm sure I'll have a little bit more control over the look.

 

Thanks again.

Yeah, I agree. I've taken some more and posted one in another thread. Thank goodness I don't have to make a living doing headshots; it is a weird form, more format than anything, a utility. That said, we've gotten better shots with each try.

 

Thanks, guys.

Tom, you may have a hard time finding volunteers that match that criteria. I mean, I know a guy with ONE arm, but...

Nice one, Jamie. And good going for little Stephan there; looks like he's in the big time. You don't by Stephan out. He buys YOU out!

 

Eric, what's wrong with yellow and grey?

 

Brad Evan, I wish I had some mannequin heads like that for practice.

Thanks, Tom. Yes, I'll try that. I'm glad you came with a sample and you have uploaded galleries; that's excellent! Although now I'm going to bug you about each portrait and how it was done.

Leanne, you're right, the one Jim linked is from me.

 

I think you're probably right if you think the image is boring, and I can't argue with that. However, and of course there's no way you could know, we did shoot many more lively pictures for her commerical headshots. I guess I posted this one, because it's the most normal :)

 

What I'm doing with my headshot practice shots is I'm trying to tackle the problems one at a time. First I was having trouble getting the light under control. I think I've gained lots more control over that one thing, and of course I'm trying to work on the others, like working well with a model. Up until now, and including this series, my main concerns have been technical, so I've not been able to direct the way I'd like. Hopefully next time I'll get a little further. Thanks for the feedback :)

Your comments and help are very appreciated, Eric. Sorry I didn't thank you directly; I meant to.

I realize this particular subject has been gone over a few times, but

here's a chance to make a definitive thread on the subject of hotshoe

flashes with softboxes made for them.

 

I'm considering either a studio strobe and large softbox or a system

of 550ex flashes with little softboxes. The theoretical benefits of

each system are obvious, but I'm looking for more tangible evidence.

 

I would think that a studio strobe would easily cost more than a 550EX

setup, but after running the numbers, I've found that a 2 x 550ex plus

softboxes setup would cost about the same as an Alien Bee with a large

softbox. The first would be smaller and easier to carry around, not

to mention that it's a two-light setup. The latter would seem more

powerful and generally better-looking.

 

Now, here are the questions. What kind of quality are people really

getting from smaller hotshoe softboxes? Please post

samples-with-commentary as an answer. What kind of range will a

hotshoe setup get you? Examples from different brands and setups

would be nice too.

 

Thank-you for your help.

 

**Mods, if you think this thread needs more scope, feel free to add

questions.

Jeff,

 

Sorry for the confusion. What I mean by 'experiment' is 'experiment with headshots'. However, anything that's similar in approach or technique is more than welcome. I found the natural light 'church' image helpful, as well as the recent pic.

First, all you guys who've come in here to fight, please either help out or GET OFF MY WAVE! Hehe, thanks.

 

David, thanks for the advice. I'm not sure a hairlight wouldn't look incredibly cheesy in this case. Personally, I think rim lighting in general is very specific in style, and I wouldn't use it unless it was either subtle or seemed naturally-occuring. I do, however, understand what you're getting at. Regarding the outdoor pics, I guess there's nothing 'wrong' with them, other than their being kinda crappy, but they definitly aren't headshots, which is specifically what I'm going for. Again, thanks.

 

Patrick, no problem, I've actually been looking up prices for that exact lens, first because - like you say - it's a nice portrait lens, but also because it's a prime, which I don't have and for which I am constantly getting punished. Your lighting suggestions are basic, but that's ok; I think the lack of basics is what dogs almost every photo. I like your image. Cute kid. Nice exposure.

Oh, regarding Eric's advice on types of headshots...

 

I've heard everything at this point, from various agents and actors and everyone inbetween, and what constitutes a good headshot seems to be subjective as anything, though each agent speaks as if his an objective view. I don't know. On one hand, absolutely, every headshot I've seen seems to fit a certain mold. On the other hand, I hear many actors say that they're taking more natural, less-posed, and COLOR headshots these days.

 

So I think Eric is right. And so is everyone else. As a director myself, I have certain ideas about what I like. So who knows!

 

And when I find Who, I'll get the straight dope.

 

I think the scenario of an open garage is a good one. It's sort of a giant, wraparound softbox, and it stayed that way for hours. Had I wanted to do it, I could have put up some clothe to block light from one side to get less fill, but I liked the look; maybe next time. One thing I didn't get was a huge volume of light. I shot at 400 ISO, at f5.6, and the shutter speed hovered between 1/30 and 1/60.

 

Now I'm going to try to find a good backdrop, and by that I mean a big ole sheet of paper to tape up. This is not my private garage but a shared one, so I need something I can put up and take down quickly. I may try putting some light on the bg to give it a pattern and to help seperate the figure from it. Also, I'm looking into a longer zoom.

 

Again, thanks everybody. I'll get right on those suggestion, see if I can get some better stuff.

Thanks, everyone, for the awesome advice. I appreciate the different techniques and points of view and plan to put the information to good use.

 

Attached is a brand new headshot done today. I used the garage and, believe me, the crudest of blankets for a backdrop. But I am happy with this result. I got lots more, but no time to present them right now. Let me know what you all think...<div></div>

Hi. I posted some pics a little while back and got some help, but I

need more.

 

I've mostly ever shot in natural or existing light, but I'm new to

photographing people for that "headshot" look. I use a Digital Rebel

with the kit lens, and pretty much the only light I have available to

me is the sun. What I'm look for is advice on how to get good light,

what kinds of environments to look for, and so forth.

 

I've done two sessions now and have been pretty unhappy with each.

Either my lighting has been flat or too harsh, or I've been unable to

get good integration between the subject and background. The subject

is an actress who has pro headshots but, like me, wants to experiment.

My goal is not go pro with this but to learn and perhaps be able to

get pro level results eventually, for my own enjoyment.

 

Specific info I'm looking for:

1. Shooting in shade brings my ratios closer together, but it tends

to flatten out the light too much. Is there a good approach to this?

2. I don't have a good prime lens or a nice zoom, but I'm looking for

ways to minimize the background. Any advice?

3. Where do I want the light to fall on the face? I've been told

that I want to light the "mask" of the face, which I agree looks good.

What about the side? What are other approaches? Bear in mind that

what I'm looking is good lighting for an actor's headshot.

4. In general, when shooting outdoors, what quality of light, what

scenarios are best for headshots and portraits?

 

I thank you in advance for your help :)

Hi. I responded here, but the post didn't show up for some reason. Elliot, I've decided to build a (hopefully) six foot by four foot scrim/diffusion panel that I can use both outdoors and as a softbox. I've done some tests with my 550EX and translucent plexiglass, as well as the plexiglass and a photoflood, and the results are pretty good. A large scrim should really even out the light, maybe even with a baffle, if it doesn't cut the light too much.

 

Anyway, thanks for your help. I'll post more as I make progress.

Is this good for outdoor work? And how is it best used? Thanks.

Thanks, Elliott. If you don't mind, what kind of diffuser do you use, where did you get it, how much did you pay, and is it possible to rig? Thanks.

These shots are of my sister-in-law, an attress, who wants to

experiment with headshots. I used what I had, a DRebel and the kit

lens and a Jumbo sized car reflector. I shot late in the afternoon.

 

I have little experience with portraits, and I'm not sure if these

shots work as either portraits or headshots. Plus, I think I may need

a good portraits lens to get a shallower depth of field. I shot

zoomed in all the way, which limited my options. Do you think I could

shoot with a more "normal" focal length?

 

Anyway, I'm looking for feedback and advice on improving. I'm also

looking for lens recommendations, from the affordable to the

not-as-affordable.

 

Thanks.

 

http://www.moserbrothers.com/daf/headshottest01.jpg

http://www.moserbrothers.com/daf/headshottest02.jpg

http://www.moserbrothers.com/daf/headshottest03.jpg<div></div>

Thanks, Bill.

 

Regarding ST-E2, I will get one but not until after I get the 420EX. I'll get the 420EX, then the ST-E2, then another 550EX.

 

The info you provided regarding setting the ratios is precisely what I was looking for. Thanks.

I see nothing there that can't be tweaked in Photoshop. In a humid setting with bright sunlight, it seems that a polarizer might help slice through some of the refraction in the atmosphere, certainly helping deliver more color most of the time.

 

The image also looks a bit underexposed, as has been pointed out, so naturally you'll have a little less pop in the colors. For colors to show up, they need good light and good exposure, because the way we see colors at all comes from the amount of light hitting them. In a dark room, colors are muted, even to the naked eye.

Ah, the perils of automatic metering systems, which are somewhat new to me.

 

Especially in frames with brightly lit objects, lit by the sun, and shade, you have a range of brightness that simply cannot be captured by a camera. 90% of the work done with lights and bouncers and other equipment is done specifically to combat these extreme ratios within an image.

 

The matrix metering is trying to do a good job, but you're throwing it an impossible task, to decide for you what NOT to expose correctly. Will the shadows be too dark, or will the highlights blow out?

 

The best way around it is just to set your aperture and shutter speed manually, metering different parts of the scene as seperate elements - the sky, the bride, the water, the ground. Then you can decide what is important to you.

I already have one 550EX, and I'm looking to slowly build from there.

My next purchase will likely be a 420EX, so that I have a transmitter

and one off-camera flash for roughly the same price as the ST-E2. My

question is:

 

How can I make the 420EX off-camera flash my key light, while using

the on-camera 550EX the transmitter and fill flash?