Sophia headshot
Why have I found headshots so difficult? They're dead simple -- and yet I couldn't get the hang until I made two changes that led to this shot, which I like. (bigger image) (We used it to get Sophia a role as a extra in this Gogol Bordello video shoot.)
First I read Joe McNally's fabulous "The Moment It Clicks," where he suggests making a clamshell from two lights, one under the model's face and one over it (page 56). I don't have softboxes, so I substituted my cheap umbrellas. (Here's the whole setup, though Sophia's face was actually closer to the camera and umbrellas than in that photo.)
The other smart thing I finally did was switch everything to manual. With only a few test shots, I found exactly what manual settings worked best for the three flashes (the lower flash, it turns out, should be at about half the power of the upper) and the camera.
I'm using Nikon's Commander mode wireless system with two SB-600s and an SB-800, setting the flashes' power in my D300's menus -- if I remember, the flash above is at 1/16, the one below is at 1/32. The camera is at f/1.4, 1/160 sec, ISO 200. Though I've got the Nikon 28mm f/1.4 and the Sigma 30mm f/1.4, for this I used my Nikon 50mm f/1.4 in order to go slightly tele.
If I'd had one more flash, I would have set it up behind her to give some rim lighting to her hair.
For some reason, I've been struggling with the TTL flash settings, which led to unpredictable results. Now that I've finally experimented with manual settings, I'm hooked.
I'm sure the longer I work with manual, the fewer test shots it will take me.
Final note: when you work with a child model, you can skip the step in Photoshop where you smooth the skin and eliminate blemishes and pores!
Sophia headshot
Why have I found headshots so difficult? They're dead simple -- and yet I couldn't get the hang until I made two changes that led to this shot, which I like. (bigger image) (We used it to get Sophia a role as a extra in this Gogol Bordello video shoot.)
First I read Joe McNally's fabulous "The Moment It Clicks," where he suggests making a clamshell from two lights, one under the model's face and one over it (page 56). I don't have softboxes, so I substituted my cheap umbrellas. (Here's the whole setup, though Sophia's face was actually closer to the camera and umbrellas than in that photo.)
The other smart thing I finally did was switch everything to manual. With only a few test shots, I found exactly what manual settings worked best for the three flashes (the lower flash, it turns out, should be at about half the power of the upper) and the camera.
I'm using Nikon's Commander mode wireless system with two SB-600s and an SB-800, setting the flashes' power in my D300's menus -- if I remember, the flash above is at 1/16, the one below is at 1/32. The camera is at f/1.4, 1/160 sec, ISO 200. Though I've got the Nikon 28mm f/1.4 and the Sigma 30mm f/1.4, for this I used my Nikon 50mm f/1.4 in order to go slightly tele.
If I'd had one more flash, I would have set it up behind her to give some rim lighting to her hair.
For some reason, I've been struggling with the TTL flash settings, which led to unpredictable results. Now that I've finally experimented with manual settings, I'm hooked.
I'm sure the longer I work with manual, the fewer test shots it will take me.
Final note: when you work with a child model, you can skip the step in Photoshop where you smooth the skin and eliminate blemishes and pores!