How do you take good portrait photos in a domestic setting?
Discussion
My 18 year old God daughter has asked if I can take some head and shoulder pictures of her to help her get work in the Arts ( drama and that kind of stuff).
She can not afford a professional to do this, having just left school, although that is what I have advised. So it's over to me, a keen amateur. I usually take photos of landscapes, cars and the like so this is something new to me. I don't have access to any off the camera flash or special lighting and the shoot will take place at her home.
I'm hoping for some pointers as to set up, proximity of windows, using household lights, background etc. so for example is it better to drape a white sheet as a background for her?
I have a D5100 with stock lens and a 55-200 telephoto and have a tripod. I will shoot in RAW, and usually use manual, but the camera has a "portrait" setting which I have never used.
Will I be better shooting with a wide open lense, say 5.6 to blur the background, what should I set the WB to are just two of the questions.
How would you approach this? Nb - yes she's gorgeous but no I won't be putting her pictures up on here before anybody asks
any advice much appreciated!
She can not afford a professional to do this, having just left school, although that is what I have advised. So it's over to me, a keen amateur. I usually take photos of landscapes, cars and the like so this is something new to me. I don't have access to any off the camera flash or special lighting and the shoot will take place at her home.
I'm hoping for some pointers as to set up, proximity of windows, using household lights, background etc. so for example is it better to drape a white sheet as a background for her?
I have a D5100 with stock lens and a 55-200 telephoto and have a tripod. I will shoot in RAW, and usually use manual, but the camera has a "portrait" setting which I have never used.
Will I be better shooting with a wide open lense, say 5.6 to blur the background, what should I set the WB to are just two of the questions.
How would you approach this? Nb - yes she's gorgeous but no I won't be putting her pictures up on here before anybody asks
any advice much appreciated! depends if she needs a specific style but I'd say you want to go with natural light i.e. use window light as your main or even only light source (switch other interior lights off). try to use the longest focal length you can at the widest aperture to give your daughter nice separation from the background. Meter or set your exposure for the light coming onto her face and just turn her according how you want the light going across the face.
shot with just window light (all interior lights turned off):
shot with just window light (all interior lights turned off):
Failing that, an outer doorway with something not too shiny in the background in the house and use the effects of the telephoto to blur the background. Get out in the garden and shoot her stood just inside the door.
You'll get reasonably nice lighting without too much effort, especially at the moment as the light is quite flat. God's Giant Softbox as my old mentor used to say
You'll get reasonably nice lighting without too much effort, especially at the moment as the light is quite flat. God's Giant Softbox as my old mentor used to say
Are you using the Nikon 55-200 vr 4-5.6?
I ask because that is NOT sharp at all wide open. Needs to be stopped down to F8 to become sharp. And you need sharp because its all about the eyes.
And you are going to want be using ISO 100/200 to take that shot. Mainly because you lose a stop of dynamic range every time you increase the ISO. And you want maximum dynamic range to get the eyes perfect and get that deep tonal lit up look to them - which is very hard in natural light.
And if you are taking shots at ISO 200 at f8 in natural light, then you have two problems, your shutter speed is going to be between 1/30 and 1/6 depending on the light, and that is too slow for sharp pictures of people, unless they hold a pose very still which is a sure recipe for an unnatural, un comfortable pose. And your depth of field is going to be large, about 5 feet, and it is not going to really get a proper out of focus backdrop, with everything turned to beautiful soft circles, it will just be blurry.
And you won't be able to get that eyes sharp and nose and ears slightly out of focus look that is so flattering, you need f1.8/2 to get that.
So the 55-200 Nikon is a terrible portrait lens. If I had to use it, I would take photos out side to maximise light, with something reflecting the light to remove harsh shadows, and make sure they were a long way from the backdrop so that it blurred properly.
The 50mm 1.8 is a fantastic lens and quite cheap. If you subject has a wideish face with wide strong cheekbones, and a small nose, then a 50mm 1.8 on a DX crop is as far as you need to go. If they have a narrow face, and/or a larger nose, then you need a longer lens in order to flatten the face. The 85mm 1.8 is perfect for this but super pricey.
The other problem you have is that acting is cut-throat world, and directors are going to be looking at lots of professionally taken headshots. So your photos are going to have to stand out against what will be an extremely high standard. I would give very serious consideration to having photos professionally taken by a photographer who specialises in headshots and who knows how to light and retouch her face and eyes, and how to direct her to pose, to bring the best out her.
I ask because that is NOT sharp at all wide open. Needs to be stopped down to F8 to become sharp. And you need sharp because its all about the eyes.
And you are going to want be using ISO 100/200 to take that shot. Mainly because you lose a stop of dynamic range every time you increase the ISO. And you want maximum dynamic range to get the eyes perfect and get that deep tonal lit up look to them - which is very hard in natural light.
And if you are taking shots at ISO 200 at f8 in natural light, then you have two problems, your shutter speed is going to be between 1/30 and 1/6 depending on the light, and that is too slow for sharp pictures of people, unless they hold a pose very still which is a sure recipe for an unnatural, un comfortable pose. And your depth of field is going to be large, about 5 feet, and it is not going to really get a proper out of focus backdrop, with everything turned to beautiful soft circles, it will just be blurry.
And you won't be able to get that eyes sharp and nose and ears slightly out of focus look that is so flattering, you need f1.8/2 to get that.
So the 55-200 Nikon is a terrible portrait lens. If I had to use it, I would take photos out side to maximise light, with something reflecting the light to remove harsh shadows, and make sure they were a long way from the backdrop so that it blurred properly.
The 50mm 1.8 is a fantastic lens and quite cheap. If you subject has a wideish face with wide strong cheekbones, and a small nose, then a 50mm 1.8 on a DX crop is as far as you need to go. If they have a narrow face, and/or a larger nose, then you need a longer lens in order to flatten the face. The 85mm 1.8 is perfect for this but super pricey.
The other problem you have is that acting is cut-throat world, and directors are going to be looking at lots of professionally taken headshots. So your photos are going to have to stand out against what will be an extremely high standard. I would give very serious consideration to having photos professionally taken by a photographer who specialises in headshots and who knows how to light and retouch her face and eyes, and how to direct her to pose, to bring the best out her.
ExPat2B said:
And you are going to want be using ISO 100/200 to take that shot. Mainly because you lose a stop of dynamic range every time you increase the ISO. And you want maximum dynamic range to get the eyes perfect and get that deep tonal lit up look to them
Or just increase the ISO and get on with it; she's applying to be an actress not a photographer.Simpo Two said:
ExPat2B said:
And you are going to want be using ISO 100/200 to take that shot. Mainly because you lose a stop of dynamic range every time you increase the ISO. And you want maximum dynamic range to get the eyes perfect and get that deep tonal lit up look to them
Or just increase the ISO and get on with it; she's applying to be an actress not a photographer.
Eye_Iso_100_3200 by natureiser, on Flickr
Guys thanks very much for the information, really useful. I have no illusions about my own ability at this, being relatively new to DSLR after a long gap from the old 35mm film cameras, and up to now trying my hand mainly at landscapes and cars.
I think I'll treat this as an opportunity for us both to learn. She can learn to be comfortable with a camera and try different poses and expressions and props etc and I can learn a little about portrait photos. If she wants to use whatever the end result is then great, or she can save up and go for a professional ( which would be my advice anyway!).
However, I now have enough info to try the session. If I can move myself from taking snaps to taking even the beginnings of a reasonable portrait shot then it will be an achievement. And if she can try a few poses and be comfortable with the camera and somebody telling her how to stand and look, then great too.
I really appreciate everybody's advice. Maybe I need to save up for better optics too!
I think I'll treat this as an opportunity for us both to learn. She can learn to be comfortable with a camera and try different poses and expressions and props etc and I can learn a little about portrait photos. If she wants to use whatever the end result is then great, or she can save up and go for a professional ( which would be my advice anyway!).
However, I now have enough info to try the session. If I can move myself from taking snaps to taking even the beginnings of a reasonable portrait shot then it will be an achievement. And if she can try a few poses and be comfortable with the camera and somebody telling her how to stand and look, then great too.
I really appreciate everybody's advice. Maybe I need to save up for better optics too!
Gassing Station | Photography & Video | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff