"Head Shot"

[Bill Pierce]

These days, with digital cameras providing very high ISO’s and image stabilization at slow shutter speeds, more and more photographers are working almost exclusively with natural light. I’m going to suggest one light I find essential, a continuous (tungsten, quartz, LED) light source bounced into an umbrella.

Why? …because it is the simplest light with which to make a “formal” portrait, a studio “head shot.” How many times do you hear, “Can you take my picture?” from some one who needs picture for a website, promotion, or just a driver’s license or passport? Maybe it’s just to send to a friend, but the studio portrait has been a mainstay of photography almost from the first day of the first camera. You don’t need a powerful light for a portrait; traditionally they are shot at wide apertures with the focus on the eyes. It’s pretty easy to find somewhere that provides a plain background for something as limited in dimension as our head, even with a little torso attached. But it’s not always easy to find flattering lighting. The soft light from an umbrella provides that - and it’s inexpensive and portable.

I’ve always had a studio, and over the years I’ve accumulated some very impressive lighting gear which actually doesn’t get much use. What does get used is a rather large and very old umbrella with 2 Lowel quartz Tota-Lights shining into it. It’s the same gear that along with a light stand slips into a relatively small, tubular canvas case that lets me take my “studio” anywhere. I highly recommend it for the many times a friend says, “Can you take my picture?” And if you learn to do a little retouching, you would be amazed at the number of friends you have.

Your thoughts?

 

[mrtoml]

I have two Elinchrom flash units, but I almost always only use one for portraits (and actually for most other things as well).

I just use a big softbox, a reflector and Rembrandt lighting usually with a black paper backdrop.

It works for most people and it's really simple.

Here is an example:

 

[PKR]

For a portable lighting kit, I use 2x Nikon SB800's + an umbrella and a portable reflector. Using the camera's sensor data and SB data (CLS). I can also auto fill flash in daylight with a scrimmed sunlight as a primary source if desired. Fill is on a stand and data cabled to the camera with the flash sensor pointed at the subject.

I use a wired system to avoid the delay in the camera flash triggered CLS mode. It works really well. I have a custom 30' Nikon compatible cable with no signal loss in that cable length.

Digital gear has some advantages. I no longer need to see a Polaroid and the gear, if you choose wisely, is smaller and weighs less than film gear; especially my studio flash gear.

Given all that, I'd go back to the Kodachrome days without a second thought.

 

[John Bragg]

Whilst I love available light, (I shoot mono film), I have decided to build a lightweight system based on two Metz 45 CL4 hammerhead flash units. Auto and manual capable and usable down to f2.8. Two flash stands and a range of brollies and backgrounds and I'm good to go. Also a ttl curly cord and sca adaptor allow ttl use on the key light. A Polaris meter rounds out the setup for sanity checks. I had one 45 CL4 and just got another on evilbay for a very reasonable price. Will be trying it out very soon.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

I used Lowel Tota Lights and Omni Lights for years, mostly shooting product stuff. Great lights- small and compact. For portraits I used a set of Novatron flash units. Alas, all that stuff is gone now and I shoot, as you pointed out, with mostly available light.

 

[airfrogusmc]

I have 4 white lightning 1200s that are over 30 years old. And I also have a couple of Travelites. On this I used one light with a 30 X 40 soft box, feathered into a large white reflector for fill and one light on the backdrop. Key light in real close just out of frame.

I prefer working with only one key light for a single subject and large soft box in close feathered and a reflector for fill.

Heres a couple without the light on the backdrop. Again large 30 X 40 sof tbox in close with a reflector for fill

 

[charjohncarter]

Not very exciting, but I sometimes use a Vivitar Macro 5000 ringflash. I name it because it (the Vivitar ringflash) DOESN'T give the circles in the eyes. It is great for on the go portraits.

Ringflash by John Carter, on Flickr