General Advice on Senior Portraits
Aug 19, 2016 21:43:23 #
Someone from my town saw some of my photos at 500px and asked if I would be interested in doing some senior pics for her daughter. She was planning to just take some pictures with her own point and shoot camera. I said I would like the opportunity to experience a senior photo session. I told her I had never done this and that I wouldn't charge for it. I said if you like the photos you can use them.
I really would like to do well. This is something I would enjoy doing once I get past the nervousness. So far I have set up an appointment to meet with the girl and her mom to plan out the photo shoot. If anyone here would like to offer some advice for a beginner, I would really appreciate it. What are some of the mistakes beginners always make? This will be done outdoors with natural light. I do have a flash. I have used it for my nieces wedding. I was successful with fill flash outdoors and highly unsuccessful with using it indoors. BUT .. I haven't picked up that flash for over a year and I don't even remember how it works. I'd really like to keep it simple and concentrate on composition and using the light I do have.
I really would like to do well. This is something I would enjoy doing once I get past the nervousness. So far I have set up an appointment to meet with the girl and her mom to plan out the photo shoot. If anyone here would like to offer some advice for a beginner, I would really appreciate it. What are some of the mistakes beginners always make? This will be done outdoors with natural light. I do have a flash. I have used it for my nieces wedding. I was successful with fill flash outdoors and highly unsuccessful with using it indoors. BUT .. I haven't picked up that flash for over a year and I don't even remember how it works. I'd really like to keep it simple and concentrate on composition and using the light I do have.
Aug 19, 2016 22:01:46 #
What lens do you plan to use? Although people tend to say don't use the sharpest for portraits, I think that's a load of bull. From working on some headshots and event photography in the past few weeks, make sure you assess the background as you shoot and look for distractions or things coming out of her head. Finally, feel confident in post doing subtle cleaning of blemishes, if needed. Use a diffuser to soften the flash. Additional thought, the wedding group will likely have good, practical ideas.
Aug 19, 2016 22:15:20 #
CHG_CANON wrote:
What lens do you plan to use? Although people tend... (show quote)
I'm thinking of using my Canon 100mm F/2.8L Macro lens.
I have these other lenses
Canon
75-300mm F/4-5.6
28-90mm F/4-5.6
18-55mm kit lens
16-35mm f/2.8L
50mm F/1.4
50mm F/1.8
Lensbaby
Sweet 35
Sweet 50
Sigma
150-500mm F/5-6.3
I have 6D and 7DII bodies ... and a 35mm and a Fuji 100XT
and a Canon Speedlight that I do not want to use if I can avoid it.
Aug 19, 2016 22:41:24 #
Sandra - You'll get as many responses a people... I'd use only the 6D, the 100 macro and the 50 f/1.4 assuming you'll have both head shots and wider shots in outdoor situations. Without help holding reflectors, I think you should reawaken your confidence in your flash as fill.
Aug 19, 2016 22:48:38 #
Here are a few practical ideas
1. You want to have the whites of the eyes showing on both sides of the pupil.
2. To get a pretty smile have her do a really fake laugh, and laugh with her, just as she finishes she is likely to give you that smile and look right at you.
3. Toward the beginning show her a really great shot.
4. If a pose you want to do isn't working, don't let her know you are stuck, she might think its her fault for not getting it right, just move on and skip it.
5. The body: if it bends, bend it.
6. See if you can give her something to do with her hands, like holding something.
7. Do not have her looking into the sun, it will cause her to squint. use the sun behind her as a hair light.
8. Shoot before 10:00 or after 6:00 to avoid harsh sunlight. The day before the shoot step outside every hour or so and note what time the sun has the best light. that is the time to set your time for the shoot.
9. you can buy one of those trifold science boards at walmart to use as a white reflector. Let her mother be your assistant.
10. You could buy 2 more. Glue some gold reflective material on one and silver reflective material on the other. You can probably buy it at walmart.
11. If you have to use that darn flash, set your camera and flash to fully automatic and let it be a point and shoot for a while. maybe not the best advice, but it will get you out out of a pickle.
12. Dont say oooops, they don't know you are nervous or something isn't working right.
Go have some fun
1. You want to have the whites of the eyes showing on both sides of the pupil.
2. To get a pretty smile have her do a really fake laugh, and laugh with her, just as she finishes she is likely to give you that smile and look right at you.
3. Toward the beginning show her a really great shot.
4. If a pose you want to do isn't working, don't let her know you are stuck, she might think its her fault for not getting it right, just move on and skip it.
5. The body: if it bends, bend it.
6. See if you can give her something to do with her hands, like holding something.
7. Do not have her looking into the sun, it will cause her to squint. use the sun behind her as a hair light.
8. Shoot before 10:00 or after 6:00 to avoid harsh sunlight. The day before the shoot step outside every hour or so and note what time the sun has the best light. that is the time to set your time for the shoot.
9. you can buy one of those trifold science boards at walmart to use as a white reflector. Let her mother be your assistant.
10. You could buy 2 more. Glue some gold reflective material on one and silver reflective material on the other. You can probably buy it at walmart.
11. If you have to use that darn flash, set your camera and flash to fully automatic and let it be a point and shoot for a while. maybe not the best advice, but it will get you out out of a pickle.
12. Dont say oooops, they don't know you are nervous or something isn't working right.
Go have some fun
Aug 19, 2016 23:05:15 #
Yes, I am very comfortable with those two lenses .. and thanks Jim. Good suggestions. I am glad I had the presence of mind to ask them if we could meet and plan first. It will help make us feel more at ease with each other. I hope.
Aug 19, 2016 23:31:40 #
Nightski wrote:
Yes, I am very comfortable with those two lenses .. and thanks Jim. Good suggestions. I am glad I had the presence of mind to ask them if we could meet and plan first. It will help make us feel more at ease with each other. I hope.
Sandra, I'm afraid I can't help you with any tips but I wanted to say bless you for doing it. Not everyone is in a position to afford professional portraits. From what I've seen of your work I know you're going to give that young lady some photos she can be proud of that will be much better than what her mother could provide. You've already gotten many good tips & I'm sure you'll get many more. Good luck.
Walt
Aug 19, 2016 23:33:01 #
Whuff wrote:
Sandra, I'm afraid I can't help you with any tips but I wanted to say bless you for doing it. Not everyone is in a position to afford professional portraits. From what I've seen of your work I know you're going to give that young lady some photos she can be proud of that will be much better than what her mother could provide. You've already gotten many good tips & I'm sure you'll get many more. Good luck.
Walt
Walt
Thank you, Walt. Encouragement is nice too.
Aug 20, 2016 00:15:51 #
Nightski-
the majority of my business is high school seniors. Use a focal length LONGER than 50mm if the image is waist-up. The 50 is fine for thigh-up or wider. With the lenses you have, shoot wide open, but be REALLY careful of focus - we want those soft backgrounds.
The background is JUST as important as the subject. A good beginner rule is to "shoot into the dark." Blown out backgrounds are seldom good.
If you use a reflector, NEVER allow the reflector to bounce light UP if it will create a shadow. If the reflector creates shadows, the reflector needs to be held HIGH so shadows go down.
87.368% of HS senior photography is connection with the kids. Anyone can put them out there and take a mediocre image. You need to SEE the connection they have with you and it is in their eyes. You need to keep up an almost constant banter with them. Make them laugh. Make fun of yourself. This business is less about gear and more about your connection with the subjects.
Under NO circumstance do you point a camera-mounted flash directly at the subject unless is is set to around a minus 2EV to be just a fill.
If you are nervous and tentative, it will affect them.
I am not the best one to give natural light advice as I always use a flash outside - either as a main or fill - but I do know you want to stay out of the direct sun except for that time just before sunset.
Feel free to check my website for some posing examples. Best to usually pose females so they are NOT square to the camera. There are exceptions, but just know that if you do it, you are adding weight to them. Having the body turned slightly (or more) away from the camera will slim them. Be clear you want earth-tone, solid colors. Anything can work, but medium to darker solid colors will keep the attention on the face and not the clothing. Good luck enforcing that!
the majority of my business is high school seniors. Use a focal length LONGER than 50mm if the image is waist-up. The 50 is fine for thigh-up or wider. With the lenses you have, shoot wide open, but be REALLY careful of focus - we want those soft backgrounds.
The background is JUST as important as the subject. A good beginner rule is to "shoot into the dark." Blown out backgrounds are seldom good.
If you use a reflector, NEVER allow the reflector to bounce light UP if it will create a shadow. If the reflector creates shadows, the reflector needs to be held HIGH so shadows go down.
87.368% of HS senior photography is connection with the kids. Anyone can put them out there and take a mediocre image. You need to SEE the connection they have with you and it is in their eyes. You need to keep up an almost constant banter with them. Make them laugh. Make fun of yourself. This business is less about gear and more about your connection with the subjects.
Under NO circumstance do you point a camera-mounted flash directly at the subject unless is is set to around a minus 2EV to be just a fill.
If you are nervous and tentative, it will affect them.
I am not the best one to give natural light advice as I always use a flash outside - either as a main or fill - but I do know you want to stay out of the direct sun except for that time just before sunset.
Feel free to check my website for some posing examples. Best to usually pose females so they are NOT square to the camera. There are exceptions, but just know that if you do it, you are adding weight to them. Having the body turned slightly (or more) away from the camera will slim them. Be clear you want earth-tone, solid colors. Anything can work, but medium to darker solid colors will keep the attention on the face and not the clothing. Good luck enforcing that!
Aug 20, 2016 00:17:02 #
For posings and settings, get the most recent high school yearbook and see what other informal portrait photographers are doing. That should give you some ideas of what the kids and parents want.
Aug 20, 2016 00:31:18 #
jaymatt wrote:
For posings and settings, get the most recent high school yearbook and see what other informal portrait photographers are doing. That should give you some ideas of what the kids and parents want.
The yearbook is one image that has a structured format - they all look alike. So that is good advice for ONE image, but the senior portrait experience has nothing to do with that image as it is the MOST boring and least creative image possible.
Aug 20, 2016 00:54:14 #
CaptainC wrote:
The yearbook is one image that has a structured format - they all look alike. So that is good advice for ONE image, but the senior portrait experience has nothing to do with that image as it is the MOST boring and least creative image possible.
Captain, there are no structured, formal poses in yearbooks around here anymore. The senior photos are all informal portraits in various settings like nightski is referring to. Formal senior portraits are a thing of the past, for good or bad--they are gone.
Aug 20, 2016 01:14:48 #
jaymatt wrote:
Captain, there are no structured, formal poses in yearbooks around here anymore. The senior photos are all informal portraits in various settings like nightski is referring to. Formal senior portraits are a thing of the past, for good or bad--they are gone.
Ah, I see. Here, the yearbook image has to be a 2x3 inch photo, 1/2 inch form the bridge of the nose to the chin, both eyes visible, no hands to the face, no hats, no pets, no logos. Clothing must fit school dress code. That is a good thing as it gives the book a consistent look for the senior portraits. They are NOT formal portraits, and outdoor images are encouraged, but they are certainly not anything creative. In any case it is only one image - the REAL images are on the family walls. If one took inspiration from the yearbook images here, they would be dull, boring, and utterly lacking in style.
And you can tell the photos made by mom or dad or the "friend with a good camera."
Aug 20, 2016 01:17:37 #
Aug 20, 2016 06:17:55 #
The Canon 100 2.8 is a perfect lens for head & Shoulder shots. For young people you want the sharpest image possible. For older folks use a soft focus filter. If you don't want to use a fill flash
have someone hold a reflector to block out the harsh light, putting the subject in the shade. Also, use the largest ap possible to "fuzzy up" the background. You should get great results.
Good Luck.
Captain Al
have someone hold a reflector to block out the harsh light, putting the subject in the shade. Also, use the largest ap possible to "fuzzy up" the background. You should get great results.
Good Luck.
Captain Al
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