Lighting for office portrait

kevinfoto · Jun 14, 2013

Hi! Need help on a question..I'm shooting a business portrait in an office setting and its the first time for that. I have 2 soft boxes for continuous light. Should I just use those with a speed lite on top of camera or buy strobes?

Limited budget.

Thanks

tirediron · Jun 14, 2013

I'm assuming by business portrait, you mean a business head or bust shot. I do lots of that sort of thing, and I use a very simple, almost foolproof system. I have a speedlight inside a 30" Lastolite Ezybox 30 degrees camera left (or right) and my 30x60 Lastolite diffusion panel close in on the opposite side to add a bit of fill. Find a blank wall, have the client 3-6 away and that's really all there is to it.

I would NOT try and use continuous lighting for something like this; even if you're packing around Kino Flos it's going to be a challenge, and I DEFINITELY would not use an on-camera speedlight under any circumstanace. NOTHING screams "amateur" more loudly than on-camera flash catchlights and red-eye. Since you've already got the soft-box (and I assume) a light stand, then D-I-Y some way to use it with your speedlight (Remember, Gaffer's tape is your friend) and if you don't already have some, grab a set of Yongnuo or Cactus radio triggers for $<50. Done.

kevinfoto · Jun 14, 2013

Great advice! What do I need to purchase other than my cactus then?

tirediron · Jun 14, 2013

A nice big reflector and you should be set.

cgipson1 · Jun 14, 2013

So you took a gig, that you have no idea how to do? And you come here for help? Interesting! Seems to be the new business model for many "Professional" photographers!

As we have told you in the past (I remember several threads)... many times... continuous lighting absolutely sucks for shooting people, unless you spend serious money for lights that typically make the subject uncomfortable (Hot Lights). Most Professional Photographers would either prefer using ambient daylight (if available) or modified flash / strobe (usually the case in this instance!)

Flash on your camera... NO... definitely not....