I wanna rock Portraits!!!

[Spankydahamstr]

Hello everyone, I lately have had a craving for being an expert portrait shooter. I have basically no education on the Lighting side of this, I so far have been a natural light guy.

I have the Sigma 24-70 ƒ2.8 which I love, and a 50mm 1.8 to use most of the time.

I have access to 85L II, and some other L glass the Brick and a 2.8 70-200L IS,

Anyway I am searching for some lighting advice, What do I need I'm thinking flash (which one) umbrellas (white/black/reflectors) reflectors you get the idea I am open to anything strobes other lights give me your input photo example's might help me narrow down style also,

Thank you,

Daniel

[RPCrowe]

It doesn't take very much time to become an EXPERT portrait photographer. Most people can accomplish this in five to ten years.

Some of the following sites are touting specific products but, even when they are; the information will usually transcend brands.

Lighting and Portrait Tips


Alan Lavender – Good Lighting is an Art
http://www.paguk.com/artoflighting2.htm (http://www.paguk.com/artoflighting2.htm)

Background Questions
http://www.lightingmagic.com/bkgndqa.htm (http://www.lightingmagic.com/bkgndqa.htm)

Basic Portrait Lighting Types
http://www.palmettobayinc.com/PhotoTutorials/port_light_basic.html (http://www.palmettobayinc.com/PhotoTutorials/port_light_basic.html)

Beginner’s Guide to Studio Lighting by Chris Burfoot
http://www.theflashcentre.com/guidetobetterpics.htm (http://www.theflashcentre.com/guidetobetterpics.htm)

Black, Dave – Workshop at the Ranch
http://www.daveblackphotography.com/workshop/index.htm (http://www.daveblackphotography.com/workshop/index.htm)

Camera Town
http://www.cameratown.com/guides/tutorial_listing.cfm/hurl/id%7C270 (http://www.cameratown.com/guides/tutorial_listing.cfm/hurl/id%7C270)

Chris Burfoot – Lighting Guides to Digital and Film
http://www.geocities.com/glowluzid/portrait/portrait.html (http://www.geocities.com/glowluzid/portrait/portrait.html)

Chuck Gardner's tutorials:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1025&message=14317618 (http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1025&message=14317618)

Continuous Portrait Shoot
http://sell-it-on-the-net.com/photo_guide/portrait_usage.htm (http://sell-it-on-the-net.com/photo_guide/portrait_usage.htm)

DG28.com Photo Techniques
http://www.dg28.com/technique.html (http://www.dg28.com/technique.html)

Digital Pixels
http://www.digitalpixels.net/ (http://www.digitalpixels.net/)

Ephotozine – UK based photo site – budget lighting
http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/viewtechnique.cfm?recid=195 (http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/viewtechnique.cfm?recid=195)

Exposure and Lighting Techniques by Steven Lott
Has some very simple one and two light set ups with illustrations
http://www.lottsphoto.com/PortraitLightingTechnique.htm (http://www.lottsphoto.com/PortraitLightingTechnique.htm)

Garage Glamour Lighting:
http://www.garageglamour.com/tips/lightf.php (http://www.garageglamour.com/tips/lightf.php)

Glowluzid's Portrait Photography Tips
http://www.geocities.com/glowluzid/portrait/portrait.html (http://www.geocities.com/glowluzid/portrait/portrait.html)

Headshot Photography – Kevyn Major Howard
http://www.headshot-photography.com/portfolio.htm (http://www.headshot-photography.com/portfolio.htm)

Light Box – Light Tent
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent (http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent)

Lighting Essentials
http://www.lighting-essentials.com/setups/index.html (http://www.lighting-essentials.com/setups/index.html)

Make Light Real
http://makelightreal.com/ (http://makelightreal.com/)

Make-up For Portraits
http://www.theallineed.com/women/06032501.htm (http://www.theallineed.com/women/06032501.htm)

Monte Zucker
http://www.montezucker.com/
No BS Photo Success
http://www.nobsphotosuccess.com/ (http://www.nobsphotosuccess.com/)

Olympus Digital School – How to Create a Perfect Portrait Every Timehttp://olympusdigitalschool.com/photo_lessons/EVOLT_E-300_Creating_a_Perfect_Portrait__Every_Time_/ (http://olympusdigitalschool.com/photo_lessons/EVOLT_E-300_Creating_a_Perfect_Portrait__Every_Time_/)

Photo School Lessons
http://www.webphotoschool.com/Lesson_Library/Free_Lessons/index.html (http://www.webphotoschool.com/Lesson_Library/Free_Lessons/index.html)

Photo Workshop
http://www.photoworkshop.com/cgi-bin/short_free_registration.cgi (http://www.photoworkshop.com/cgi-bin/short_free_registration.cgi)

Photoflex Lessons
http://www.photoflexlightingschool.com/Lighting_Lessons/index.html (http://www.photoflexlightingschool.com/Lighting_Lessons/index.html)

Photonet Guides
http://www.photo.net/learn/ (http://www.photo.net/learn/)

Portrait Photography Tips.com
http://photographytips.com/page.cfm/368 (http://photographytips.com/page.cfm/368)

Portrait Tips – Sean B. Noonan, Photography
http://www.stnphotography.com/tips.html (http://www.stnphotography.com/tips.html)

Pro’s Secrets To Money Making Photography
http://www.photorog.com/mycustompage0009.htm (http://www.photorog.com/mycustompage0009.htm)

The Stobist
http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting (http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting)

Studio Lighting
http://www.studiolighting.net/ (http://www.studiolighting.net/)

Studio Lighting (Broad, Short, Butterfly, & Rembrandt):
http://www.vividlight.com/articles/1615.htm (http://www.vividlight.com/articles/1615.htm)

Studio Lighting Techniques – Chuck McKern
http://www.vividlight.com/articles/1615.htm (http://www.vividlight.com/articles/1615.htm)

Studio Photography – Photonet
http://www.photo.net/studio/primer (http://www.photo.net/studio/primer)

Studio Lighting
http://www.studiolighting.net/
The Zeltsman Approach to Traditional Classic Portraiture
http://groups.msn.com/Asktheoleproaboutphotography/joezeltsman.msnw (http://groups.msn.com/Asktheoleproaboutphotography/joezeltsman.msnw)

Video Photo Lessons – Zuga
http://www.imaging-resource.com/ARTS/ZUGA/ZUGA.HTM (http://www.imaging-resource.com/ARTS/ZUGA/ZUGA.HTM)

Web Photo School
http://www.webphotoschool.com/newschool/Default.asp (http://www.webphotoschool.com/newschool/Default.asp)

[Spankydahamstr]

Wow that's quite a bit of info there thank you a lot.

[doncol]

That is a fantastic list RPCrowe. Thank you very much.

[SuzyView]

Thanks for all the links.

Lighting is not learned quickly and requires a lot of time and effort. I started experimenting 5 years ago. I have umbrellas, strobes, 3 Canon flashes, PWII's, softboxes, etc. I still can't see myself doing it all the time. Read up on the effects of each of the different ways to light for a studio. For what I do, softboxes for one or two subjects is best. Just be advised that there are no shortcuts, just a lot of experimenting. Take your time, really look at what you are getting each time, adjust where the light is and then learn your editing software to make up for the mistakes.

[NeoSoulPhoto]

Thanks for those links!

[Mhappy]

Awesome list RPCrowe!!

[agentnaz]

Thanks! Great list of links/tutorials!

[ChrisMc73]

Thanks for this list dude its awesome!

[puzzle]

Yeah, this is a BIG list, oh well, I guess there goes my weekend ;)

[oyoquem]

Nice list. I started with OCF recently and a lot of it is hands on experimenting. Just have to mess and around with many possibilities to get a feel for what each technique does. Good Luck

[nduralt]

I have just officially bookmarked this page. Thanks for all the info, gonna take me all summer to get through what's important.

[ccc_javier]

more s*** to read, thanks!!
:):):)

[10megapixel]

Sticky worthy info list ;)

[ChrisMc73]

Sticky worthy info list ;)

+1, sticky it!

[scorpio_e]

+2 Sticky this...

What a list !!!!

[FELINEDEBOURGES]

There's a few broken links there RPCrowe - maybe you could revise your list? Otherwise thanks a bunch for the list.

[unique one]

+3 Sticky the list!

[cayenne_ksa]

what a a great list thanks for sharing