Stylist Headshots for C&C

eric-holmes · Apr 8, 2011

I was contacted by a local salon for some headshots for their website. They wanted something that the could add contact information to the side and have the user click the image to email them, etc.

These were lit by an SB-600 in a beauty dish, high just left of center and a silver reflector under the stylists. Some images seemed to come out warmer than others. I used a grey/white card to set up a custom WB. I don't know if it was their varying hair color or the wall but they all seemed a little different.

Here is the set in color and, my personal favorite, black and white.

Constructive C&C welcome.

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Markw · Apr 8, 2011

They're definately nice, but I wouldn't have cut the bottom of the hair off of them. I like the color set better. There doesn't seem to be enough of a contrast between the models and the backdrop for the black and white to really pop for me, or something along those lines. I just cant seem to put my finger on it. To each his own, though.

Job well done!
Mark

Bitter Jeweler · Apr 8, 2011

The severed heads bother me. The ones showing some shoulder are more pleasing. I think just a little more shoulder would help, and still provide space for text.

kric2schaam626 · Apr 9, 2011

Bitter Jeweler said:
The severed heads bother me. The ones showing some shoulder are more pleasing. I think just a little more shoulder would help, and still provide space for text.

+1

Why aren't they in portrait orientation?

Bitter Jeweler · Apr 9, 2011

Because they want space for text in the image.

eric-holmes · Apr 9, 2011

Bitter Jeweler said:
The severed heads bother me. The ones showing some shoulder are more pleasing. I think just a little more shoulder would help, and still provide space for text.

Agreed. I found myself trying to do less of the shoulders becuase of their poor attire (different colored t-shirts, etc.). I really wish I would have told them to wear something simple, like black or even had bare shoulders. But yes, I agree.

Derrel · Apr 10, 2011

WTH??? These appear distorted in terms of width to height!@! I have encountered this before with the posts of several TPF members; their images have inappropriate proportional sizing on one axis....to me, each and every one of these women appear to have been "stretched" too tall...does anybody else see this effect?

eric-holmes · Apr 10, 2011

Sarcasm or no? I can't tell lol

The images appear on my screen as they do on my home screen.

Derrel · Apr 10, 2011

Weird...now the images appear correct; earlier, their heads appeared stretched tall and skinny....which looked absolutely horrible. However, if I pull one off onto my desktop, and open it up, each of the two I tried opens up about 40 pixels tall and 640 pixels in width...so, there might be some oddity with the image parameter instruction set or something; what image editing software processed these?

PhotoWrangler · Apr 10, 2011

Just because they are called 'headshots', doesn't mean that must ONLY include the head. Why not pull back and include some torso, or insert some personality into the shots and have them use their arms. Have them hold a blow dryer, have them run their fingers through their hair - just something OTHER than a square on smile. All of these convey the emotion, "Ok, look at the camera and say cheese!"

kundalini · Apr 10, 2011

Bitter Jeweler said:
The severed heads bother me. The ones showing some shoulder are more pleasing. I think just a little more shoulder would help, and still provide space for text.

They lack a foundation, an anchor, or some means to support their weight. Not a particularly appealing crop for half of them IMO.

AustinPhotographer · Apr 21, 2011

Good headshots I say. Cropping a little high for my taste, but that's been addressed. Something I like to do when shooting headshots is place my subjects in front of light passing through windows in the early morning or late afternoon, zoom in as far as possible and shoot as wide open as I can while still retaining sharpness. It picks up no detail in the background, but if you can find one that is a relatively monotone color scheme, it creates an interesting backdrop that's very pleasing.

Check it out - tried this technique a while back, and really liked it. I'm using it a lot for headshots now.