I was asked to take Senior Portraits (***need help***)

Daship wrote in post #12157809
Go for it but you should be doing it free since your not equiped or experienced.

I already said I was doing it for free. Read my original post again and you will see that.

If you look through the menu system of the XSi you will see a Kodachrome setting that when paired with a cloudy day white balance along with your 55-250 and the 50 I think you could come up with some neat shots. Otherwise just use your standard settings but still manipulate your white balance inside under flourescents. If you happen to have some clip on shop lights you could slip them inside a white pillow case and use them to add light as well. For that matter you could also go to our local fabric store and probably find a fabric remnant (approx $4 to 10) of a thin white muslin or better yet white poplin to cover the lights with for a cheap lighting set up.

Dirty Murd wrote in post #12157738
So have her back to the light source and have the reflector behind me pointing at her? And shallow depth = low f/ right?

Yes, that should be your starting point. That way she isnt looking into bright light. You can also look for open, but full shade, mottled shade from a tree is not good. You'll probably want to work around f2 to 2.8 on the 50mm to ensure adequate depth and the lens is sharper stopped down a little bit.

nasnurse wrote in post #12158196
If you look through the menu system of the XSi you will see a Kodachrome setting that when paired with a cloudy day white balance along with your 55-250 and the 50 I think you could come up with some neat shots. Otherwise just use your standard settings but still manipulate your white balance inside under flourescents. If you happen to have some clip on shop lights you could slip them inside a white pillow case and use them to add light as well. For that matter you could also go to our local fabric store and probably find a fabric remnant (approx $4 to 10) of a thin white muslin or better yet white poplin to cover the lights with for a cheap lighting set up.

I did not see the so-called "kodachrome" setting. I'll take a more in-depth look later and maybe look online if I can't find this.

And what do you mean use standard settings but still manipulate the WB?

Dirty Murd wrote in post #12159439
I did not see the so-called "kodachrome" setting. I'll take a more in-depth look later and maybe look online if I can't find this.

And what do you mean use standard settings but still manipulate the WB?

Shoot in Raw and skip all those "picture style" settings.

^+1

gonzogolf wrote in post #12159459
Shoot in Raw and skip all those "picture style" settings.

I always shoot RAW, thats a no-brainer

My advice is this: run to walmart and buy a piece of white foam board, which can be found in the craft section, and use that for your reflector. If you want, you could bring a lamp along with you and maybe pick up a daylight bulb from walmart just incase she really ends up wanting some inside shots. There should be an outlet somewhere in the lab. With which ever lens you decide to use, just be careful to shoot at a small enough aperture to get both eyes in focus.

Exposure: I like to shoot at one notch to the right, so it's just a smidge over exposed, then dial it down in PP if needed. To me, that helps with the detail in the eyes.

But, the biggest piece of advice I can give you is, just let her be herself. Try not to get tied up in posing to much. Have fun, laugh, make her laugh and the joy there will come through most of all.

Try bringing some props with you to an outside shoot. Unless you or the model demanded in indoor shoot. Bring anything from a laptop to a Ipad that you or the model can carry. That is your best bet not to spend on lighting equipment when you're on a budget.
Even though the shoot will be free, you want to consult with your "Client" about time limitation. You might not be wasting your own time, but you may be wasting your "Client's"
If you bring the laptop to a coffee shop or something, you can probably get some pretty good shots with the prime or the 18-55mm.

Shoot during the “golden hour”. If you are smart about where your model is standing (in correlation to the sun) this will solve most of your lighting issues outside.
Reflector(s) are nice things to have to help with this if you can get some decent sized white foam core board(s) just remember youll need someone or something to hold/prop them up etc. A white bed sheet can work as well and also makes a decent diffuser too.

Just as important is posing, props and composition.
The internets is your best friend in this regard, browse and sav/fav images w/ poses and/or composition that you like or you think would work for your model and the theme you are going for.

Don’t forget that clothing and accessories can be props! If she wants a more “nerdy” theme she could always wear a ‘geeky’ button up with pens in the pocket and a black tie etc..
Something interesting could be to have her get some long Ethernet cords and have them wrapped and twisted around her body and do poses like shes trying to untangle and sort thru the mess of wires. You could add in Christmas lights for some extra flair to this idea.

Also, laptop outside doesn’t rly say “IT” to me as most college students have one now-a-days. You would need more then that, maybe some ‘dorky’ tapped glasses (if she wears them) and a shot from behind the laptop at an angle so her head is mostly visible over it wearing the glasses and a “seriousface”

Idk, just some ideas... A good portrait to me says something about the subject in it and you prob know her better then I do ;]

I have a hot link to a posing PDF in my sig.

Everyone as hit on all of the stuff I have or do.

Oh - remember - with people there are 2 very important things. (1) nail focus on the eyes or throw the shot away. (2) if it bends, tell her to bend it.

apixelintime wrote in post #12164288
I have a hot link to a posing PDF in my sig.

Everyone as hit on all of the stuff I have or do.

Oh - remember - with people there are 2 very important things. (1) nail focus on the eyes or throw the shot away. (2) if it bends, tell her to bend it.

This is a senior photo shoot. Most of those shots look like yoga stretching shots or sex position shots, sorry! Haha. Plus it was only loading the first page so some of the shots might have gotten better as the pages went on. From what I can see, not everyone that wants pictures is a dancer and can stretch like that girl who's posing.

apixelintime wrote in post #12164288
I have a hot link to a posing PDF in my sig.

Everyone as hit on all of the stuff I have or do.

Oh - remember - with people there are 2 very important things. (1) nail focus on the eyes or throw the shot away. (2) if it bends, tell her to bend it.

Actually that PDF is not bad...it goes into stand up poses and poses using a chair.
And also goes into male poses.
Saved...thanx!

First, this kind of advice on the fly is very hard to give. I'd read a book on portrait photography. There you'll see some of the subtle nuances of lighting indoors. It also depends on what your client wants and likes. You two need to discuss the shoot in more depth than you have and I'd practice in the lab where you'll be shooting. There is a lot of good advice given above...take it. Good luck. One last thing that I didn't see above is watch your white balance...

Dirty Murd wrote in post #12165063
This is a senior photo shoot. Most of those shots look like yoga stretching shots or sex position shots, sorry! Haha. Plus it was only loading the first page so some of the shots might have gotten better as the pages went on. From what I can see, not everyone that wants pictures is a dancer and can stretch like that girl who's posing.

I didn't create it so I can't talk to that. This is not just a senior pose chart, but an overall pose chart. She is wearing that outfit to show 'where to put what'. I sometimes bring the pages with me to a shoot. It is often times easier to point and say "do that" than try to direct a non-model senior from behind the camera. I do agree that there are a lot that are not appropriate for a 17 year old. But there are a lot that are. If you can use it, please do. If not, okay.