Lighting for Preschool "school" pics

45mphK9

TPF Noob!
Joined
Oct 7, 2008
Messages
62
Reaction score
0
Location
Is this heaven?
Can others edit my Photos
Photos OK to edit
I am wondering why I said I would do this. Anyway, I am supposed to take pictures of approx. 100 3 and 4 year olds at a preschool on the 24th & 25th. I believe I will just rent lighting equipment so that I don't make the costly mistake of buying the wrong equipment.

I am thinking that I would like to have the main light (softbox), reflector for fill, grid light for backdrop & possibly another light (softbox?) for hair light.

Is a hair light overkill for 3 & 4 yr. olds?
Should I use the second light for the hairlight or should I use it as the fill?
I own a Canon Speedlite 580EXii already, should I use it as fill?

I would love to figure this out on my own. However, I am doing this more as a favor to the school. Right now I am concentrating on more "non-studio" stuff, that is keeping me busy! So, I guess I'm looking for advice from someone who knows more then I on studio lighting.

This is an upper end community & potential clients otherwise, so I want to take the opportunity to show them some nice photography.

Thank you in advance!
 
4 lights; Main, fill, background and hair/accent.

I prefer softboxes but you could use umbrellas for the main & fill lights. A softbox or something to soften the hair light would be nice...but you may also want something to constrain it. A grid, snoot or barndoors etc...or maybe just some flags to block that light from spilling or hitting the lens.

When shooting with little kids (especially that many of them), make sure your light stands are super stable and that cords are out of the way and/or taped down. Liability insurance would be a good idea...you don't want to get sued if one kid pushes a light down on top of another kid.
 
4 lights; Main, fill, background and hair/accent.

I prefer softboxes but you could use umbrellas for the main & fill lights. A softbox or something to soften the hair light would be nice...but you may also want something to constrain it. A grid, snoot or barndoors etc...or maybe just some flags to block that light from spilling or hitting the lens.

When shooting with little kids (especially that many of them), make sure your light stands are super stable and that cords are out of the way and/or taped down. Liability insurance would be a good idea...you don't want to get sued if one kid pushes a light down on top of another kid.

For unrelated reasons, I recently purchased a US$1M "Personal Umbrella Policy." It covers ANY lawsuit for ANY reason. It costs me US$21/month.
 
Thanks Mike. Anyone else have advice on shooting "school" pics?
 
get EVERYTHING set up before a kid even gets in there. X or seat marked out in the right spot. string to make sure their face is in the right spot, your focus point dialed in and locked.

the last thing you want is for any kids to show up and you trying to fine tune something. those little buggers have the attention span of zero
 
get EVERYTHING set up before a kid even gets in there. X or seat marked out in the right spot. string to make sure their face is in the right spot, your focus point dialed in and locked.

the last thing you want is for any kids to show up and you trying to fine tune something. those little buggers have the attention span of zero
Good point. Not to mention...time is money.

This type of thing is usually a big money maker for photo companies. Around here, all the schools have contracts with large companies so us little guys can't even get a bit of the action.

Once you know the set up, there shouldn't be much too it. The big companies seem to use 'photographers' who are basically just operators to get the kids in and push the button.
 
Rent a posing stool and an "apple box" to angle the kids' shoulders at roughly 40 to 45 degrees to the lens-subject axis, and have them put their feet on the box. The feet will position them at the proper angle. Fill the bottom of the frame with their shirt--do not leave a big gap of dead space at the bottom of the frame. The child's body should span the entire width of the bottom of the frame.

A softbox main light would be fine. A hair or separation light would also be fine. I would illuminate the background with a wise-angle reflector. I would be tempted to ditch the reflector and use on-axis fill light from a position right,immediately to the left of the camera's lens, with the fill pointed straight ahead.

Blue backgrounds are what most parents expect from school photos.
 
Greenery also looks good as a background, something a little different to set yourself apart.
 

Most reactions

Back
Top