Head shots

donkeymusic

donkeymusic

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Carlo
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Hi

Been asked to do some headshots, would a 50mm lens be sufficient?

Any advice from those that have done them before?

thanks
 
As long as you have the room a 50mm will be fine.
 
With a 50mm you want to be close to get the best out of it, if your shots are not that great, then your not close enough, stunning FL for poritraits, barring 70mm on a 1.6 crop.
 
Yep. 50mm great for this job. In fact great for portraits, full stop.
 
when doing headshots, are there any rules to stick to? how many prints do you supply?

thanks
 
If you're talking actor headshots I would say 50mm is not long enough. On a crop sensor you'd want 85 - around 120/135 on FF.
 
awp said:
If you're talking actor headshots I would say 50mm is not long enough. On a crop sensor you'd want 85 - around 120/135 on FF.
Click to expand...

Could you explain that?

I thought with a 50mm it allowed me to get up closer, are you saying i need a longer lens and to zoom in?

sorry for stupid questions but still learning.
 
Getting closer is not the answer because you start to exagerate features - big nose - small ears etc.

You need to be working from around 5 - 6 feet as a minimum - see what your 50 gives you at that distance. You just can't keep going closer till you fill the frame or the results will not be very flattering.

50mm is great for half length shots - but not for headshots.
 
awp said:
Getting closer is not the answer because you start to exagerate features - big nose - small ears etc.

You need to be working from around 5 - 6 feet as a minimum - see what your 50 gives you at that distance. You just can't keep going closer till you fill the frame or the results will not be very flattering.

50mm is great for half length shots - but not for headshots.
Click to expand...

thanks for the explanation, i presumed i filled the frame with the 50mm, now that makes sense to an earlier post about needing more space for portraits using 50mm as i need to be further back.

my other lenses are a 18-55 and a 70-200, which would you recommend?

cheers
 
I'd go with the 70-200 - probably at the shorter end.

Sorry for the l;ate reply - I've been without power for 42 hrs!
 
For once I actually agree with what AWP is saying (and believe me that doesn't happen often :razz:), a 50mm is fine for portraits but headshots could do with a longer lens.
 
awp said:
If you're talking actor headshots I would say 50mm is not long enough. On a crop sensor you'd want 85 - around 120/135 on FF.
Click to expand...

I totally agree with Andrew.

I don't like shooting portraits less than ~80mm. Any less than that and the nearest things look disproportionately big: which tend to be noses, chins, foreheads, hands, etc (depending on what angle you're shooting from).

Your 70-200 is the one to use.

Andrew, is it true that actors prefer black and white portfolios?

Steve
 
Steve, Spotlight - the actor's directory still use B/W as the main picture - I have no idea why - other pictures can be in colour.
 
Hi..I'm also interested in this, and was wondering whether the EF 85mm 1.8 would be a good portrait lens but used on an eos camera. New baby due so having the low light ability is desirable.
Though I suppose that's equivalent to about 130mm would that be too much, or get the nifty fifty but again EF version to get the extra length.

Have read very good things re EF 85mm

Thanks
 
Hi Sandy

I'm not familiar with the EF85 1.8 but it sounds fine to me. Enough reach to stop distortion for sure. I'd try and keep the aperture small enough to get both eyes in focus if you can. f/1.8 might give you some great effects but at some point you'll want more depth of field I'm sure.

If you have to go up on your ISO, don't forget going mono can calm the noise down. I quite like babies in black and white.

Put baby on a bed near a window and you should get some lovely soft light. Should be lovely.

Congratulations by the way, enjoy

Steve
 
stevedunster said:
Hi Sandy

I quite like babies in black and white.

Steve
Click to expand...

I prefer babies in red n white ;) dont like seeing em in black n white at all :shake:
 
SouthernSnapper said:
Hi..I'm also interested in this, and was wondering whether the EF 85mm 1.8 would be a good portrait lens but used on an eos camera. New baby due so having the low light ability is desirable.
Though I suppose that's equivalent to about 130mm would that be too much, or get the nifty fifty but again EF version to get the extra length.

Have read very good things re EF 85mm

Thanks
Click to expand...

whats the body? I've got some lovely baby stuff with an 85/1.8 on my 5dII (same as 35mm) lovely at f2
 
Not as lovely as a 5d....I have the 500d My first DSLR after a p&s. Though I'm really happy with it. I need to take in to account the crop factor of 1.6. I know there is a decent range of EOS lenses, however I'm looking to the future. If I ever change my body I wont want the additional expense of changing all my lenses.
 
50mm or 85mm, you might find 85 too long (babies tend to be heading towards the lens - at least my sisters does)

so 50/1.4 if you have 300 quid, 50/1.8 if not

the 1.4 is a lovely lens but make sure you buy a hood for it (chinky copies are like 3 quid on ebay) as the focussing motor can get damaged, in fact never take that hood off ;)
 
david1701 said:
50mm or 85mm, you might find 85 too long (babies tend to be heading towards the lens - at least my sisters does)

so 50/1.4 if you have 300 quid, 50/1.8 if not

the 1.4 is a lovely lens but make sure you buy a hood for it (chinky copies are like 3 quid on ebay) as the focussing motor can get damaged, in fact never take that hood off ;)
Click to expand...

I've just got the 1.4 with a hood, but not attached it yet - please can you explain what you mean by the focussing motor getting damaged if you don't have the hood on?
thanks
 
awp said:
Getting closer is not the answer because you start to exagerate features - big nose - small ears etc.

You need to be working from around 5 - 6 feet as a minimum - see what your 50 gives you at that distance. You just can't keep going closer till you fill the frame or the results will not be very flattering.

50mm is great for half length shots - but not for headshots.
Click to expand...

:shrug:

4496020111_ca79102da0_o.jpg
 
The rule is less important with children/babies because their features are smaller.
 
awp said:
The rule is less important with children/babies because their features are smaller.
Click to expand...

Here is the message that has just been posted:
***************
The rule is less important with children/babies because their features are smaller. Not sure what you're trying to prove - or just deliberately being a smart *rse.

You seem to be making the rules up as you go :lol:

Just off to get some more ADULT head shots :p
 
What I'm saying is perfectly true - as I'm sure you know - so not sure why you're taking this attitude.
 
awp said:
Getting closer is not the answer because you start to exagerate features - big nose - small ears etc.

You need to be working from around 5 - 6 feet as a minimum - see what your 50 gives you at that distance. You just can't keep going closer till you fill the frame or the results will not be very flattering.

50mm is great for half length shots - but not for headshots.
Click to expand...

This is your original post, you did not mention kids.

You just can't keep going closer till you fill the frame or the results will not be very flattering.
Click to expand...
This was just prove this quote was not true, there was no smart *rse, malice.
 
The term the OP used was 'headshot' that normally isn't a term used for kids! It usually means actors headshots.
 
awp said:
The term the OP used was 'headshot' that normally isn't a term used for kids! It usually means actors headshots.
Click to expand...
Just to add, are there no kid actors :shrug:

What's you problem bro.
 
Your attitude is my problem. I'm trying to be helpful and give the OP good advice and you are just showing off.
 
awp said:
Your attitude is my problem. I'm trying to be helpful and give the OP good advice and you are just showing off.
Click to expand...
Your giving bad advice and your taking my posts in the wrong light???

Calm down, there is no need for aggression here.

Steve
 
Can i just refer back to my OP,

i was aksed to to adult headshots, so i am going to use my 75-200 lens.

Next question, on a similar subject.

If i am doing a portrait studio work, i would use the above lens for close ups? i would use the 50mm for say waist upwards? and then then 18-55 for full length? Am i right in my thinking here?

How often in a studio would the photographer change lens? or would they stick to just one lens through the shoot?

Thanks
 
ill find the article I have but IIRC it says something about 112mm was found to be the best headshot/potrait type distance as you will not suffer the potential distortions you can get from being closer, they did say the 50mm on a crop sensor was fine just that it has potential to pick up some barrell distortion(or whatever its called) at that distance..

remember this from an article not me(dont shoot da messengah :) ) but it rang true at the time as the best portrait lens I had was a Helios 58mm on a 2x crop Oly, it ran circles around the Canon 50 1.8
 
HopefulM said:
I've just got the 1.4 with a hood, but not attached it yet - please can you explain what you mean by the focussing motor getting damaged if you don't have the hood on?
thanks
Click to expand...

theres an issue witht he front element being pushed in and upsetting the focus motor

donkeymusic said:
Can i just refer back to my OP,

i was aksed to to adult headshots, so i am going to use my 75-200 lens.

Next question, on a similar subject.

If i am doing a portrait studio work, i would use the above lens for close ups? i would use the 50mm for say waist upwards? and then then 18-55 for full length? Am i right in my thinking here?

How often in a studio would the photographer change lens? or would they stick to just one lens through the shoot?

Thanks
Click to expand...

technically use the longest you can for everything unless you want that funky wide angle effect.

I've used the 7o end of my 70-200 for full lengths and it works great, groups needed a 50mm though

Change lenses as often as you have to to get the shot, I try to change as little as poss to avoid missing bits which is where a 70-200 on ff is v nice
 
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