Camila contacted me for a simple headshot for a professional presentation as she prepares to begin studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Rhode Island. Simple headshots are not expensive at $75 and typically are taken in my studio with an option of a blue or brown marbled background. More complex lighting scenarios are more expensive. Another option for $75 is to shoot the image in my yard!
Her father asked that she smile in the photo, and I recommended that she try not smiling for a more mature and professional look. That said, we also took some shots for her father!
Camilla had seen an example headshot on my website and wanted to emulate it. At first, she thought it was a studio shot, but it was actually taken in my yard using light coming through the trees to create a beautiful lens blur. Sure we could do this but would the weather cooperate.
I picked 3 pm because that would be optimum, but at 2 pm, we had cloud cover. Damn, that wasn’t in the script, but just before Camila arrived for her appointment, the sky cleared.
The shot was taken with Camila in tree shadow, looking directly at the light coming through the trees. I used a little fill flash, an off-camera strobe mounted on a 9′ tripod to avoid light reflection in her eyewear.
To make it easier for my clients to review their photos as I take them, I use a device (Case Air) that sends preview images to my iPad Pro.
Her headshot was exactly as she desired.
Shot settings:
- ISO100
- 1/100th @ f/2.8
- Low-power fill flash, Canon 580 EXII triggered by a Pocket Wizard PlusX
- Canon EOS 1DX using a 85mm f/1.2 lens
If you would like to learn more about professional headshot, pop-over to the headshot web page for details on pricing and sitting for your headshot!
TOP TIP. After photographing many, many, headshots… Relax and ‘trust’ your headshot photographer, with trust comes great headshots!