Minimum distance for head shots

I'm trying to dial in a speed light setup using a flash bracket. Lighting aside, what would be a realistic minimum shooting distance for head shots before you start seeing perspective distortion in a 3/4 pose?

Thanks
Ralph

What lens?

Perspective distortion is due to camera position closer than our brains expect, compounded by a lens whose FOV is wider than our brains are accustomed to, so that near objects have exaggerated size relative to other objects.

Look at these photos taken with FF sized camera and different FL. See where you think the face appears to be abnormally large in the nose, etc. compared to ears or shoulders.

http://www.stepheneast​wood.com …/lensdistortion​/index.htm

A headshot would normally be taken with FF camera using about 135-150mm lens, from about 8' away to capture a 1.3' wide x 2' tall framed area (using 135mm lens) (1.2' x 1.8' framed area using 150mm lens). You would have to shoot from 4' with 70mm lens to frame as tightly, and I think the face is just starting to show some perpective distortion (head too large for the shoulders), in the Eastwood examples.

My "rule" is 6ft.

Thanks guys.

That Steppheneastwood site is pretty cool.

I was working on dialing in a RRS B87-QR Portrait Perfect Package (Medium) using a 6" extension arm for the flash today. I was happy with the light at 3 to 6 feet. I didn't think there was much perspective distortion at 3 feet, but not sure how comfortable the subject would be with the camera that close.

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windpig wrote in post #11876344
Thanks guys.

That Steppheneastwood site is pretty cool.

I was working on dialing in a RRS B87-QR Portrait Perfect Package (Medium) using a 6" extension arm for the flash today. I was happy with the light at 3 to 6 feet. I didn't think there was much perspective distortion at 3 feet, but not sure how comfortable the subject would be with the camera that close.

But look at the Eastwood photo taken with 50mm on FF camera, which is the FL that would take a headshot tightness of framing at 3' distance. Even more exaggeration of head size compared to shoulders than we already can detect with the 70mm lens at 4'

PS Keep in mind that the FL used with your 4D would be reduced by factor of 1.6 to have a similar perspective to the Eastwood examples!

Ralph, why do you need to be so close to the subject? Are you shooting inside a photo booth?

Wilt wrote in post #11876014
http://www.stepheneast​wood.com …/lensdistortion​/index.htm

That example is misleadingly labeled "lens distortion," when it's really an example of perspective distortion. What really matters is the camera-to-subject distance, not the focal length or barrel distortion of a given lens. The focal length can determine where you stand if you want to fill the frame with your subject, but it's the distance that ultimately causes the differences you see in that series of photos.

Phrasikleia wrote in post #11876798
That example is misleadingly labeled "lens distortion," when it's really an example of perspective distortion. What really matters is the camera-to-subject distance, not the focal length or barrel distortion of a given lens. The focal length can determine where you stand if you want to fill the frame with your subject, but it's the distance that ultimately causes the differences you see in that series of photos.

Where did you see the term 'lens distortion' in use?

In my earlier post, I was specific in saying "Perspective distortion is due to camera position closer than our brains expect", especially since the thread was started with the question about how close you could shoot a headshot before encountering perspective distortion.

I think 6 feet is a good rule, and 10ft is better, but honestly a lot of it depends on the pose, angle and subject.

Here is a page from my tutorial site where I illustrate how focal distance and focal length interact and the perspective distortion that results.

The net is that greater focal distance is better as you have demonstrated with the 105mm at 6ft.

windpig wrote in post #11875847
I'm trying to dial in a speed light setup using a flash bracket. Lighting aside, what would be a realistic minimum shooting distance for head shots before you start seeing perspective distortion in a 3/4 pose?

The simple answer is keeping a minimum of about six feet between the camera and the typically posed portrait subject. A bit more distance would be even better.

For more information on perspective and how to control it, please read our "sticky" (now found in the General Photography Talk forum) tutorial titled Perspective Control in Images - Focal Length or Distance?.

Wilt wrote in post #11876517
But look at the Eastwood photo taken with 50mm on FF camera, which is the FL that would take a headshot tightness of framing at 3' distance. Even more exaggeration of head size compared to shoulders than we already can detect with the 70mm lens at 4'

PS Keep in mind that the FL used with your 40D would be reduced by factor of 1.6 to have a similar perspective to the Eastwood examples!

I figured the equivalent on FF would be 75MM and 170MM. Shooting from 3 feet is certainly wrought with danger. I found the perspective distortion on the shoulders of the Eastman shots to be more than I would have expected.

PacAce wrote in post #11876678
Ralph, why do you need to be so close to the subject? Are you shooting inside a photo booth?

Yes, it's called my house and we only take quarters.

Actually, I want to be able to see what my realistic parameters are with shooting a flash on above mentioned RRS bracket. The closer I can get to the subject the further off axis the light would be. With this bracket I can set the light at 10:30, 12 and 1:30. It was pretty interesting to see what I could get with using the flash as fill to window light and vice versa.

tkbslc wrote in post #11877019
I think 6 feet is a good rule, and 10ft is better, but honestly a lot of it depends on the pose, angle and subject.

6 to 10 is pretty much what I've got to work with at home, I'm going to try a see what those limits impose, especially at 6 feet.

dmward wrote in post #11877991
Here is a page from my tutorial site where I illustrate how focal distance and focal length interact and the perspective distortion that results.

The net is that greater focal distance is better as you have demonstrated with the 105mm at 6ft.

Thanks for your link. I've seen it before but hadn't taken a close look.

SkipD wrote in post #11878045
The simple answer is keeping a minimum of about six feet between the camera and the typically posed portrait subject. A bit more distance would be even better.

For more information on perspective and how to control it, please read our "sticky" (now found in the General Photography Talk forum) tutorial titled Perspective Control in Images - Focal Length or Distance?.

Thanks Skip

I read your excellent tutorial a couple years ago. It help me a lot to get my mind wrapped around the subject. You made the concept much easier to understand with your description and pictures.

Ralph

OT but I've always wondered what the story was behind Skip's avatar as he never struck me as a Teddy Bear type of a person. Now I know.