office shots

[av3nger]

i was asked to take some shots of some people at my work (heads of different departments). i have a 40D, 50mm f/1.8 and 24-70mm f/2.8 L. i don't have any lighting equipment right now. not even a flash.
how should i take the shots? any recomendations? should the people stand or sit? should i take some sheets to make a background? what color should i use? please give me some advice. it's my first time shooting for money and i'm really nervous...

[stathunter]

You should not be doing this...........nothing more to discuss.

[Alexajlex]

I'd go with natural light.

Most buildings have lots of windows that allow light in.

I'd also take a sheet to diffuse the light if the time of day when you are doing this is
when there is harsh light outdoors. You can use thin white paper, etc.

Some of the best portraits (most being award winning) I've ever see were done using natural lighting.

Get your head in the gear and remember confidence is a big part of the game.

[Thenicky]

You can and should be doing this! Shoot if anything its practice. Yea try doing some stuff at home practicing on a kid or something with natural window light... and since its at work maybe you can get a assistant to hold a reflector for you filling the rest of the lighting....
Or maybe go outside. theres no reason you shouldnt be doing this. unless challenges arent your thing! hehe

[av3nger]

You should not be doing this...........nothing more to discuss.
i am doing this. and doing this not because of the money, but because i have this opportunity to get real hands on experience.

and one more question. should i use the built-in flash? or it won't do any good in this situation?

[Roy Mathers]

I think I agree with Scott. You shouldn't do it - taking pictures of bosses with little or no experience is probably a no-win situation. You say you want the experience - why not take pictures of friends and family in similar situations first, before you agree to take the office pictures. That way, you can gain a little expertise before potentially making yourself look silly. Judging by some of the questions you are asking, it seems that you are not ready yet.

[TeeJay]

Are you taking "head shots" of heads of departments - or are you shooting them "in their place of work"?

If it's the former, then maybe you can choose the location for the shoot. If it is only head & shoulders, then maybe you could use the boardroom - or CEO's office - or the canteen (depending on size of company I guess! ;-))

However, you need to appear professional so I'm not sure I would recommend you turning up with some sheets to hang from a coat-hook (you probably wouldn't - but you get my drift)

As I said, use a room with plenty of natural light, try not to sit them in front of a window and use a tripod if you have one.

If it's option #2 (in their place of work) then only you know what the lighting will be like (as you work there!) If it's too dark then I would decline the job - UNLESS they can be persuaded - in return for their pics - to buy you a speedlite! (now theres an idea!)

Good luck

TJ

[Ralph Merlino]

I have shot many office groups like what you are talking about.
But always with lights. I would never try to shoot that with available
light. To much to go wrong.

[av3nger]

I think I agree with Scott. You shouldn't do it - taking pictures of bosses with little or no experience is probably a no-win situation. You say you want the experience - why not take pictures of friends and family in similar situations first, before you agree to take the office pictures. That way, you can gain a little expertise before potentially making yourself look silly. Judging by some of the questions you are asking, it seems that you are not ready yet.
it's not like i'm on a contract with them. i was asked if i could help. i agreed. because last time they hired a pro and payed a ton of money for pictures that were not as good as they could have been.

[av3nger]

Are you taking "head shots" of heads of departments - or are you shooting them "in their place of work"?

If it's the former, then maybe you can choose the location for the shoot. If it is only head & shoulders, then maybe you could use the boardroom - or CEO's office - or the canteen (depending on size of company I guess! ;-))

However, you need to appear professional so I'm not sure I would recommend you turning up with some sheets to hang from a coat-hook (you probably wouldn't - but you get my drift)

As I said, use a room with plenty of natural light, try not to sit them in front of a window and use a tripod if you have one.

If it's option #2 (in their place of work) then only you know what the lighting will be like (as you work there!) If it's too dark then I would decline the job - UNLESS they can be persuaded - in return for their pics - to buy you a speedlite! (now theres an idea!)

Good luck

TJ

it's going to be "head shots"...
yes, i have a tripod. and i can buy a decent background.

speedlite flash.... i was going to buy one. but i wanted to buy the best one. right now i can only afford 430 EX. and in a couple of months i don't really want to regret buying it.

[Kenski]

You should not be doing this...........nothing more to discuss.

Nice... Really nice.... Should of figured though.... Look at how he colors michigan...

[Roy Mathers]

it's not like i'm on a contract with them. i was asked if i could help. i agreed. because last time they hired a pro and payed a ton of money for pictures that were not as good as they could have been.


That's partly my point - if a pro didn't satisfy them, what makes you think you could?

[TeeJay]

it's going to be "head shots"...
yes, i have a tripod. and i can buy a decent background.

Not sure you need a background, cant you just use whats there and throw it out of focus with a shallow DOF?

speedlite flash.... i was going to buy one. but i wanted to buy the best one. right now i can only afford 430 EX. and in a couple of months i don't really want to regret buying it.

So, if nothing else, why not get them to pay the difference for an upgrade to a 580EXII? Simple! If you don't ask, you don't get!

TJ

[Thenicky]

Just get some practice in before you go.
and i totally agree with you. you really have to start somewhere i think.
and yes dont rely on natural light becuase it CAN go wrong you just know its availible...
Just get your tripod set your white balance to flouresent or tungsten depending on how and use the light you can... but i would practice specifically what your doing try to duplicate the setting at your office at home so when you go to work and are ready to shoot. you have a better idea and understanding where to be at.

[av3nger]

That's partly my point - if a pro didn't satisfy them, what makes you think you could?
he did. he didn't satisfy me. i've seen good pictures, i know where to look at to find mistakes. and those were not pro pictures.

Not sure you need a background, cant you just use whats there and throw it out of focus with a shallow DOF?

So, if nothing else, why not get them to pay the difference for an upgrade to a 580EXII? Simple! If you don't ask, you don't get!

TJ
all the backgrounds here are pretty bad. most offices in Russia are not like in US. especially not in big companies.

[Thenicky]

thats my opinion...
i wish you luck.

[cory1848]

You know the more and more I read post like this, the more I start to dislike asking for opinions here... All of these comments, "You shouldnt be doing this" "You should let a pro do it" etc....is pure BS...Even a seasoned pro took a chance and started somewhere...Ok, maybe weddings are a different story, but this hardly comes close...

How in the hell is someone supposed to gain experience and learn from their mistakes if they are always being told, you shouldnt do this...???

I may be somewhat new to photography, however in my line of paid work, I take the job and then figure out the best way to make things work out... If I were to sit back and let a "pro" do everything, I would be in the poor house and my job would be just a hobby...

Sorry for the rant but how about some support for people on here rather than just putting people down...

To the OP, I say, learn as much as you can before the shoot and experiement, take the job and do it the best you can, learn from there...

[Alexajlex]

I agree with cory1848.

For the ones that posted comments that he should not do it keep in mind that being a Pro with 10 years of experience does not always mean you know what you are doing.

There are people out there in any business who stop learning after 1 month.
In the end they may say that they've been in business for 10 years but they haven't progressed. All they've done is repeat the 1st month of knowledge over and over again.

The OP already mentioned that the previous Pro they hired did not produce good results (and charged a lot of money). That kind of proves my point.

[stathunter]

Cory - I was not trying to be mean but he asked for opinions and in my professional opinion he should not be doing this. First it is his real job--- if he messes up they will hold it against him for a long time. From what he posted leads me to believe that he is not ready for this. He does not have a flash ---has never done this before. He needs to practice on other assignments before he rushes into doing this for his real job.
Practice and getting this nailed down takes time--- you can't have iffy photos for professional use. He must nail this perfect and in my opinion needs practice first.

[Thenicky]

You said it Cory. kinda bummed me out too.

[Thenicky]

Stat instead of being blunt you should have stated this in the first place

Stathunter "He must nail this perfect and in my opinion needs practice first."

thats exactly what we said but we said go for it.
when will he have another chance for people he is familiar with. and im sure is and will be able to control the atmosphere. and he does have a stock flash if he really wanted to use it i wouldnt recommend unless he had a diffuser or something. but i think this is a perfect start for him.

[cory1848]

Cory - I was not trying to be mean but he asked for opinions and in my professional opinion he should not be doing this. First it is his real job--- if he messes up they will hold it against him for a long time. From what he posted leads me to believe that he is not ready for this. He does not have a flash ---has never done this before. He needs to practice on other assignments before he rushes into doing this for his real job.
Practice and getting this nailed down takes time--- you can't have iffy photos for professional use. He must nail this perfect and in my opinion needs practice first.

I understand what your saying, the first time around it just came across as one of the few hundred posts in the wedding forums that if you dont have $10k in gear, you shouldnt be trying...Just gets old reading that day after day... To me it sounds like professionals protecting their profession and warding off any and all new comers that may steal their business...

[Kenski]

I understand what your saying, the first time around it just came across as one of the few hundred posts in the wedding forums that if you dont have $10k in gear, you shouldnt be trying...Just gets old reading that day after day... To me it sounds like professionals protecting their profession and warding off any and all new comers that may steal their business...

hahahah, yeah, there is ALOT of that going on around here...

[Thenicky]

"hahahah, yeah, there is ALOT of that going on around here..."


LOL cory we should get outta this thread... these pro's ^ are much better than us and have the time as there experiance to which we dont have.

[stathunter]

I understand what your saying, the first time around it just came across as one of the few hundred posts in the wedding forums that if you dont have $10k in gear, you shouldnt be trying...Just gets old reading that day after day... To me it sounds like professionals protecting their profession and warding off any and all new comers that may steal their business...

Some have that opinion. In my opinion I think providing a quality product is more important that what gear you have. My business is weddings so I understand that importance of having the right equipment that assists in getting better images.
I think there is enough room for everyone to make a living in the photography industry---

[Thenicky]

Stathunter- im sure theres a good percentage of weddings, that there has been some great photos using natural light. Right. i mean i could be totally wrong but most wedding stuff i have seen is alot of natural lights. of coarse not for formal poses and what have you but the walk around during...

[Kenski]

Some have that opinion. In my opinion I think providing a quality product is more important that what gear you have. My business is weddings so I understand that importance of having the right equipment that assists in getting better images.
I think there is enough room for everyone to make a living in the photography industry---

yeah well you weren't BORN a wedding photographer... You didn't wake up one morning and POOF you became a wedding photographer. You had to start out SOMEWHERE and im sure you didn't open your front door one day and have all your gear sitting wrapped up in pretty boxes for you..... So why leave nasty comments. We all have to start somewhere.... A professional was an amature before he became a professional.

[Thenicky]

Nuff said kenski...

[bildeb0rg]

How about shooting the rest of the employees first, before tackling the management? A few hundred "test shots" should iron out any wrinkles.
Apologies if this is constuctive advice instead just another "do it/don't do it" comment.;)

[av3nger]

thanks everybody for your advice. every comment here is important for me, even the ones where you tell me not to shoot. if i the shots turn out good, i'll be even more inspired to take pictures. if not... oh well... as you said - i'm not ready.

but my main question wasn't - should or shouldn't i.... i wanted to hear some tips and advice. something like - don't use the camera flash... or maybe place your "subject" at a 90 degree angle to the window... use a gray background... i don't know. i've never taken these kinds of pictures. not that i can't, but because i don't really like taking pictures of people. i'm more of a "nature photographer".

and by the way - i don't really care about my work. i can quit tomorrow. i just work because i want to buy better gear.

i have two more days to prepare. so any more advice is welcome.

[Thenicky]

where do you plan to shoot inside or outside?
im guessing inside.

[stathunter]

av3nger-- my comments are not meant to discourage you. I wish you the best--the difference between a professional and anyone else is that as a professional you can guarantee the results of your work. No matter what the situation as a professional you can predict the outcome of the shots.
In your situation my advice would be to practice on something less "important" --- we get to be professionals because we practice--- I did work for people that my work was not critical and no one counted on my work. As my work improved and I became more consistent with the results I could work for more "high profile" type customers--- boss, or paying customers etc. I am always trying improve what I do. But I do not experiment with paying customers--- I practice when my shots really only matter to me.
I wish you the best---

[collierportraits]

Wow. I would tend to agree that you don't need to be doing this. It's obvious from your posts that you don't really know what you're doing, however, I have no clue what the "pros" in Russia are like and feel sure the culture is different from here in the States.

However, if you are going ahead anyway, my advice would be to do a few "practice" shoots after work with a coworker, or at home with the wife/girlfriend, etc. Make sure that you DO have a clue when the day comes to actually shoot it! Good luck!

[av3nger]

where do you plan to shoot inside or outside?
im guessing inside.

inside

av3nger-- my comments are not meant to discourage you. I wish you the best--the difference between a professional and anyone else is that as a professional you can guarantee the results of your work. No matter what the situation as a professional you can predict the outcome of the shots.
In your situation my advice would be to practice on something less "important" --- we get to be professionals because we practice--- I did work for people that my work was not critical and no one counted on my work. As my work improved and I became more consistent with the results I could work for more "high profile" type customers--- boss, or paying customers etc. I am always trying improve what I do. But I do not experiment with paying customers--- I practice when my shots really only matter to me.
I wish you the best---

thanks.
my "customers" life doesn't depend on me. it's just easier for them. they have a person who can shoot, they have an office.... what else is there to do - just spare 30 minutes of their time and that's it. if the shots are horrible, they just have to hire a pro. they don't want that. because i said earlier, the last pro charged a loooot of money and did his job poorly. so they don't loose anything. it's kind of hard to explain really... i don't want to judge my bosses and so on. but let's put it this way. i can't refuse this "job". i have to do it. it's just the way it is. i really don't want to discuss the topic of work relationship here. you won't understand how work is organized in some companies in Russia. it's really not like in US.

[Sledhed]

I agree with stathunter.

[av3nger]

Wow. I would tend to agree that you don't need to be doing this. It's obvious from your posts that you don't really know what you're doing, however, I have no clue what the "pros" in Russia are like and feel sure the culture is different from here in the States.

However, if you are going ahead anyway, my advice would be to do a few "practice" shoots after work with a coworker, or at home with the wife/girlfriend, etc. Make sure that you DO have a clue when the day comes to actually shoot it! Good luck!

yes, i don't know what i'm doing. my portfolio of "head shots" is close to... 0.
please read my post above. i explained a lot there.

and about the pros. there are pros here. no doubt about that. but also there are a lot of amature photographers that say thay are pros, charge like pros, have gear like pros, have a team of stylist and so on... but they're NOT pros. i think it's like this not only in Russia. i'd love to discuss this topic somewhere in this forum. but not in this thread.

[amfoto1]

Hi,

With digital cameras now, lighting can be much more basic and less expensive than in the past. You can even put together a kit from a hardware store, pretty easily.

You could also shoot by available light. To get some ideas how to do so, look for any and all books or articles you can get that are written by Monte Zucker. He specialized in available light portraiture, mostly on location and often with "found backdrops". Monte wrote heaps of articles for Shutterbug magazine over the years. He passed away last year, I believe, but has left quite a legacy of teaching.

I don't know anything about how copyright law applies in Russia. But here in the US, I'd want a written agreement that insures my ownership of the photos doesn't pass to my employer, either because I'm on their staff or under some sort of "work for hire" agreement. Not that you have big potential to sell the images elsewhere. More that you might have some residual sales to the company in the future, if they are happy with your work.

You also need to look into model releases, pricing and image licensing there. Here in the US there would usually be a fee to do the shoot, then a payment for licensing the images to them for limited usage, possibly a print fee if those are required, or a fee for a CD of the final, edited and retouched images in digital form. If they wanted some exclusivity, longer term or any highly controlling interest in the images, they'd have to pay a higher price for it.

It could be a very interesting job. I hope you have fun at it.

[bigbaby987]

In my opinion. I would be careful of doing this because it is your boss you're dealing with. Especially if it's a corporate environment, and you're not necessarily middle management. But if you're throwing caution to the wind; which is fine. Please let them know upfront exactly where you are with your skills. That way if its not that great; no problem. If they turn out great, then all the better. Just be straight up with them and you'll be fine. Buy a reflector if you can't afford a flash right now, take pictures with rooms with lots of natural light. Use your reflector for fill, and you can pull if off. Just remember most great corporate environmental shots, really work in a board room. Have projectors going with the company logo and make sure to highlight one person or moment, and nothing else. It's cool to have people look like they are working and look up and smile. Take your time and have fun. If you're doing portraits, use the environment again, just think of it as a muslin or something, and make sure it's very one dimensional (that's the background). Or use the product as the environment. (ie.. surrounded by candy, have them with a suit and chef's hat with shelves of bread around.. have fun and give them a head band and tennis racket if it's sports clubs or something) Find the coolest spot in your office to take pictures too. Something different with some flare. Use color and shape to help you add some "flare" to your pictures. Sure the everyday shots are good to start, but don't be afraid to take a few pictures getting out of the box. If you're serious about photography, these are the shots that are going to get you noticed and have people calling you.

Have fun!! You "can" do it. Just be upfront and have fun.

Please have a working understanding of light

[Mum2J&M]

How about telling them you need the money up front so you can go buy a flash? I can't imagine doing an indoor shot of employees without flash. Not even when I had the 50 1.2!

[sspellman]

Av3nger-

Its important to take advantage of learning opportunities, but lacking the right equipment and skills is a bad start for a paying job. It also seems that the concequences of a serious problem on this project would be far worse at a place you work for other purposes. After several of my own failures, I have a simple philosphy-I do not accept paying gigs where I cannot already show solid results. I will experiment on my own time, but not for a paying client.

I hope at least that you will find a way to get alot of practice with other people before this job starts. You could also consult with another pro photographer on techniques and equipment. Another alternative is to help your company find a pro based on your advice that can do a better job and has the right equipment.

A 430flash is a good general investment that could help on this project if you know how to use it, even if you are using primarily natural light.

Good Luck-
Scott

[Kenski]

How about telling them you need the money up front so you can go buy a flash? I can't imagine doing an indoor shot of employees without flash. Not even when I had the 50 1.2!

Why not, you can take advantage of Natural light..... Its really not that hard. I used to shoot indoor with my 50 1.4 with NO problems. Just have to adjust white balance.

[Roy Mathers]

Why not, you can take advantage of Natural light..... Its really not that hard. I used to shoot indoor with my 50 1.4 with NO problems. Just have to adjust white balance.

Or shoot RAW and adjust afterwards.

[Mum2J&M]

Shallow depth of field and noise issues. I believe having more sufficient lighting would be a huge benefit in that situation.

[Alexajlex]

Shallow depth of field and noise issues. I believe having more sufficient lighting would be a huge benefit in that situation.


I guess it is all depends.
If the sun is out even small windows can be quite effective at giving you the f8+ ap @ a decent ISO (OP has a 40D which can do quite well in the higher ISO range).

[Mum2J&M]

I suppose. I guess it depends what kind of shots you are going for though.

[sfaust]

I can see several sides to this topic. The OP has a lack of experience, ZERO headshots in their portfolio, doesn't have a flash, is asking about using the pop up flash, won't be able to balance color temp between available, flash, fluorescent, and works for 'the boss', no experience directing people, and on and on. The OP is clearly not ready to shoot this.

But should the OP do it? Maybe. If there is no down side other than some pictures that don't work, and some people lost some productive time having fun trying to shoot pictures, then why not! Its excellent practice in a real world situation. So it depends on what the outcome would be if the OP doesn't deliver on whether av3nger should or shouldn't.

I would also recommend available light if there are ample windows with diffused daylight, or good interior lighting. That can easily be checked by av3nger bringing his camera to work for a day and taking some test shots to check the lighting. If av3nger is inexperienced in shooting portraits, why throw another wrench in the works by adding flash?

Shooting available light is easier for someone new, and the results can be very pleasing. I would recommend that if av3nger tests the lighting in the office and can get decent results, available lighting with a reflector or two would be the way to go. With a little practice on others before the shoot, it could go very well.

On the other hand, having the OP take a flash they are not familiar with, and try to use that to get a nice portrait shot could be far more difficult. There will be issues balancing the flash to avoid the black tunnel effect, color balance issues between the subject/flash and background/fluorescents/tungsten, plenty of settings that could get mis-set causing lots of frustration and troubleshooting time, and so on.

Ideally, flash is the way to go, or even better balancing flash and ambient together. But for someone new to portraits and using flash, natural light with a reflector is the option I feel would generate the best results in this situation.

[Kenski]

Shallow depth of field and noise issues. I believe having more sufficient lighting would be a huge benefit in that situation.

Shallow DOF and Noise issues... WHAT NOISE issues??? These are head shots, not sprint racing. You dont need a super fast shutter!

[TeeJay]

Shallow DOF and Noise issues... WHAT NOISE issues??? These are head shots, not sprint racing. You dont need a super fast shutter!

No, you don't, but unless the lighting is good enough, you would need to use a very small aperture, resulting in a "very shallow DOF", and unless you hadn't noticed, poor light can result in "noise issues"

But then, maybe you hadn't taken the time to look.

TJ

[shack]

With your lack of experience, I would not do it...because he is your boss. I view it similar to giving him a haircut. Sure you could do it...but if you don't do it right he sure will look bad...and he WILL remember. If you have the opportunity to practice, practice and pratice some more before the shoot...then maybe. But otherwise I would pass.

[Kenski]

With your lack of experience, I would not do it...because he is your boss. I view it similar to giving him a haircut. Sure you could do it...but if you don't do it right he sure will look bad...and he WILL remember. If you have the opportunity to practice, practice and pratice some more before the shoot...then maybe. But otherwise I would pass.

Bad comparison... once again, how do you think BARBERS and HAIRDRESSERS become what they are... They practice on their friends and family.... He already said they HIRED a professional and he did sub-par work and this is why they asked him... Obviously they know he ISN'T a professional... They want to try all their options probably... WHY NOT... Everyone has to get their start from somewhere...

[shack]

Bad comparison... once again, how do you think BARBERS and HAIRDRESSERS become what they are... They practice on their friends and family.... He already said they HIRED a professional and he did sub-par work and this is why they asked him... Obviously they know he ISN'T a professional... They want to try all their options probably... WHY NOT... Everyone has to get their start from somewhere...

Sure they have to start somewhere....BUT NOT WITH HIS BOSS! A person wanting to be a barber or hairdresser might cut a friend or relative's hair but not their boss or even co-worker's hair. He said he is doing it and getting paid. They I bet they expect some level of compentency...and based on his original post...I can't tell if he has the skills to do it well. Like I said...practice a lot and then do shoot...and maybe he has a chance to pull it off. Blow the shoot...and his chances of doing it again are nil.

[sfaust]

Bad comparison... once again, how do you think BARBERS and HAIRDRESSERS become what they are... They practice on their friends and family....

Actually, its a perfect analogy. Hairdressers practice first on wigs mounted on fake heads. They aren't ready for human hair the first time they pick up some scissors. Once they cut their teeth on wigs for a few weeks, can show they can handle the basic tools and do some basic cuts, then they move on to human hair on people that want cheap cuts and don't mind the risk of getting a bad cut. After that, they move on to real cuts, family, friends, etc.

The OP hasn't shot a single portrait, has not used flashes, hasn't directed a person in front of the camera, hasn't worked on balancing flash/ambient, can't deal with color temperature differences, and so on. That's like picking up the scissors for the first time. Roll over, crawl, walk, then run. Running before learning to walk results it lots of scrapes and bruises ;)

I agree that everyone needs to start somewhere, but since there are so many other options for practicing, thats where they should cut their teeth first, and I would recommend the OP start with family/friends first. But if the Op has nothing to loose by jumping right in, then yea, why the heck not. He may totally botch it up, but if there really is nothing at risk, its all an upside.

[Kenski]

I still dont see the problem..... You could be a PRO and shoot a wedding and the B&G might not like what you done.... ok... SO WHAT.... you did your best...

if YOU were hiring someone to do a job, wouldn't you at least find out if they had the skills???? How do you know his BOSS doesn't know what he is capable of... MAYBE he is trying to give him his first big break....


hahahhaha... I just dont get some of you people.... He is here to LEARN.... Everyone just wants to SHOOT HIM DOWN..... Give him some suggestions.... "Hey, why dont you try this" "Use these settings" "Im in your area, let me show you how you might want to try this"


Why not tell him to grab a few people and do a few test runs a couple days before hand with a few different settings to try and get it right... Gueeezzz... Was that so hard?

NEGATIVITY... This board is full of it.. .NOT EVERYONE... but alot...

[shack]

Ihahahhaha... I just dont get some of you people.... He is here to LEARN.... Everyone just wants to SHOOT HIM DOWN..... Give him some suggestions.... "Hey, why dont you try this" "Use these settings" "Im in your area, let me show you how you might want to try this"


Why not tell him to grab a few people and do a few test runs a couple days before hand with a few different settings to try and get it right... Gueeezzz... Was that so hard?

NEGATIVITY... This board is full of it.. .NOT EVERYONE... but alot...

That is exactly what I told him to do. Practice, practice and practice some more. I don't care what they are trying to do...give him a break or whatever...I would make sure I knew what the hell I was doing before I attempted it.

[Kenski]

My first wedding was for the sister in law.... They went LOW-BUDGET and hired a friend of the family and her exposure meter **** the bed on her 35mm.... So it was "HEY, RUN HOME AND GRAB YOUR GEAR!!!" Ummmm, are you sure.... Bingo, turned out pretty damn good... a few shots with HEAVY shadow but overall good.. they were very happy with the results..

[PhotosGuy]

How in the hell is someone supposed to gain experience and learn from their mistakes if they are always being told, you shouldnt do this... True, but I'd ask what will the shots be used for & who decides what's good & bad. Try a test setup & image, & see if that meets the need.
I used to take a lot of "Here's Johnny" head shots for the company magazine & used window side light with a bounce card for fill. I wouldn't use that for a portrait for the Annual Report.

[Nikolaos]

Unless you want snapshots, forget about using the onboard flash.

Cheapest way to shoot:
Windows can provide a great source of light. Throw a reflector in the mix and you can achieve great headshots. But, if you need consistent photos, the quality of light will change with time and you must know how to adjust for that.

Cheap way to shoot:
Since your budget allows for a 430ex, you can find a room with low white ceilings or wall, and bounce the light to soften the shadows on your subjects. A reflector will also come in handy to fill in potentially problematic shadow areas -- ie raccoon eyes.

Better way to shoot for your budget:
N/A

Nikos

[av3nger]

ok... went pretty intense. i don't know who was more nervous - me or the people i was shooting. i guess that confidence comes in time. luckily today i had a person who helped me sit the people down, fix their ties/jackets and so on... don't know how the shots turned out, but when i saw them on the camera display they were ok.
two more people are going to come in tomorrow. and i have a question - how do i sit people down? what are the most common "shot positions"?

[stathunter]

ok... went pretty intense. i don't know who was more nervous - me or the people i was shooting. i guess that confidence comes in time. luckily today i had a person who helped me sit the people down, fix their ties/jackets and so on... don't know how the shots turned out, but when i saw them on the camera display they were ok.
two more people are going to come in tomorrow. and i have a question - how do i sit people down? what are the most common "shot positions"?

Glad it went well--- show us some of the results.

[av3nger]

Glad it went well--- show us some of the results.
will do... as soon as i get home.
i wouldn't say that it went well. it went ok. i was really nervous.

[golfecho]

A quick observation - Many folks have commented that taking this assignment is a starting point, and you "have to start somewhere", and others have said "but not for your boss!!". Both good points. My observation is that the relationship with your boss is key. In my years, I have had bosses where I would never dream of trying this out on, and also I have had bosses where I would not have hesitated. It all depends on the boss, and your relationship with him. So like many tough questions in life, the real answer is "It depends". Two cents worth . . .

[x2x3x4x5x]

If I was in that position, I would have kindly recommended taking the pictures outdoors.

Why?

Better ambient lighting, prettier backgrounds, and it portrays a healthy business atmosphere. Every other company has cubicles, and white rooms, and all of that corporate bull****. It would be refreshing to see a little sunlight.

[av3nger]

ok. i know that the first shot isn't in focus... how much mistakes have i made besides that? )))

http://blog.vcore.ru/wp-content/gallery/people/img_0011_0.jpg

http://blog.vcore.ru/wp-content/gallery/people/img_0058.jpg

http://blog.vcore.ru/wp-content/gallery/people/img_0062.jpg

[x2x3x4x5x]

They look good. I'd do a slight curves adjustment to make the colors pop a bit more.

I was looking at that first guy, and I was like "Wow, he looks Russian!" Little did I know you're from Moscow!

I hope they are happy with the shots.

[Mum2J&M]

Just as observation as I've never done anything like this myself... the guy with the glasses seems to have an oddly-shaped face due to the distortion from his lens.

[av3nger]

Just as observation as I've never done anything like this myself... the guy with the glasses seems to have an oddly-shaped face due to the distortion from his lens.
omg... didn't see this... i have more shots of him. one of them is ok.

[Alexajlex]

They came out really well.
The lighting on the last 2 is very well done (I assume you went with the natural window light we were talking about).

In #1 he has a bit of red in his face (but that my just be the way he looks in real life).

[av3nger]

They came out really well.
The lighting on the last 2 is very well done (I assume you went with the natural window light we were talking about).

In #1 he has a bit of red in his face (but that my just be the way he looks in real life).

yes, i used natural light. a lot of the shots look a bit blurry, because people kept blinking or making some small movements with their hands. the last two shots were taken on the second day of shooting and in a room with much better lighting.

[midav]

Here's my two cents. Take all pictures in raw format. Then find very good Photoshop editor who can make your pictures look good. Know from personal experience. Photographer took headshot pictures, I edited them. Just make sure you like the setup (head positioning, natural light that doesn't create too many shadows, background color, etc).

[midav]

On the first picture - make him sit more straight so the jacket doesn't extend forward too much. Make him smile (with eyes) - he doesn't look very happy taking the picture.
Second and third picture - turn them around to face the window. This way the shadow will be on the back of their heads, instead of the right side of their faces. Then Photoshop editor would fix facial imperfections - spots, pimples, bags under their eyes, etc. Also - take a step back, get more of their body in the shot (this way you have more room to play with cropping the picture).

Otherwise these pictures look good.

К тому же, если нужна помощь с Фотошопом, емайл мне. www.fotosphere.net :)

[PhotosGuy]

#1: I'd move him away from the wall 3-5'
I like the lighting better in the rest of them. I was looking at that first guy, and I was like "Wow, he looks Russian!" :D