Corporate head shots

[Robin Usagani]

I've been asked to do a lawfirm corporate shots. They had it done before in a studio and they absolutely hated it (not by me). They want to do it in the plaza/atrium in their building (pretty much almost like a glass house). My question is, shall I stick with no flash? I wanted to do at least a fill flash but one of the partners wear glasses. What do you do when someone wears glasses? Dont use on camera external flash? This is the same spot as this photo shoot. I used no flash on this shot.

 

[AgentDrex]

Never use flash directly towards someone with glasses, have their faces turned slightly away from camera to allow light from flash to bounce away from the camera lens...

 

[Mustlovedragons]

Too funny. I saw the pic first and went "Well, that's not like any corporate pic that I've ever seen or done, lol". Looks like flash isn't mandatory. Yes, the person with glasses needs to remove them, turn from direct lighting or remove the glass (some lenses they just pop out and back in, though that's not the case with a lot of them).

 

[Geaux]

Too funny. I saw the pic first and went "Well, that's not like any corporate pic that I've ever seen or done, lol". Looks like flash isn't mandatory. Yes, the person with glasses needs to remove them, turn from direct lighting or remove the glass (some lenses they just pop out and back in, though that's not the case with a lot of them).

I thought the same thing when I saw the shot!!

If it's a glass house, it'll be just like shooting outdoors. If you can get by with no flash, go for it.

 

[edouble]

Before I rule out flash photography with a person wearing glasses I would ask if the lenses have an anti-reflective coating on them. On higher end lenses the anti-reflection and anti-scratch coating is common.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Yeah, I will just try both. I would not mix them though. Either everyone with flash, or everyone with no flash.

 

[shmne]

Honestly I shoot people with glasses all the time, there are tons of tricks to remove the glare before making the person remove the glass in the glasses.

Raise your lights a bit, tilt their chin ever so slightly down, take the arms of the glasses (by their ears) and slightly raise them off the ear (this points the glass downward, but in the photo they should still look straight on), sometimes adjusting where the glasses lay on the nose is all you need.

There are tons of options to remove the glare, it shouldn't be that much of a problem; more of an annoyance really.

 

[squee]

I try my best not to use flash with glasses wearing folk. If I have to I have them turn their head accordingly. Worst comes to worst, there's PP and it can be rather easy.

 

[KmH]

Using flash on people wearing glasses is just like shooting pool, it's all about the angles.

If you don't know how to shoot pool, take one shot of them without the glasses, tell them before hand not to move their head when they put their glasses back on, and make a second photo. Use the eyes in the first inside the eyeglasses frame in the second.

 

[MohaimenK]

i'd say you should use diffuser for the flashes so it's not a harsh light. Working w/ studio strobes I've played w/ that and placed them in different locations to see what comes out good and doesn't give me the reflection