{"id":38837,"date":"2017-04-15T19:20:31","date_gmt":"2017-04-15T23:20:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/?p=38837"},"modified":"2020-06-12T17:30:39","modified_gmt":"2020-06-12T21:30:39","slug":"easy-lighting-setup-for-headshot-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/easy-lighting-setup-for-headshot-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"Easy lighting setup for headshot photography"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Easy lighting setup for headshot photography<\/h1>\n

For headshot photography in the studio, I have a (flexible) default lighting setup – clam-shell lighting setup<\/a>. \u00a0On location (but still working indoors), I have another setup – \u00a0studio \u00a0lighting setup for headshots<\/a>. Nothing is really specific – as long as the final results look flattering and your client loves the images. Your lighting setup should match what your client expects. Then there is also the question of logistics. I’m often asked\u00a0if all that equipment is a necessity. It’s not. Here is my favorite, most simple setup …. bounce light with an off-camera flash.<\/p>\n

Even on-camera bounce flash<\/a> can give you surprisingly good results that are indistinguishable from off-camera light or available light. This is explained in great detail in my On-Camera Flash Photography<\/a>. It really is an easy lighting technique that is accessible to any photographer.<\/p>\n

When my friend, Cate and I worked on the intimate male portraiture photo session,<\/a>\u00a0I started off the photo session with a series of headshots for Nick, as requested by his agency. Not boudoir at all, but this was an easy ice-breaker \u2013 straight-up headshots.<\/p>\n

The lighting was superbly simple as well \u2013 one Profoto B1\u00a0flash<\/a>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>) bounced behind me against one of the studio walls. I controlled the light\u2019s direction a little bit with the\u00a0Profoto Magnum reflector<\/a>\u00a0(affiliate<\/em>) that I added to the flash. Dead simple to do, and gives great results with nice flattering light. For some of this sequence, I had Nick lean against the wall, and for the rest of the sequence separated from the wall.<\/p>\n

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Camera settings & photo gear used during this\u00a0part of the\u00a0photo session<\/h2>\n