URGENT: advice needed for a photoshoot tomorrow

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iced_jacob

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Iacovos
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Hello guys,

My PhD supervisor asked me to take a picture of her to be included in a magazine. They want it to be a standard portrait, but no other requirements were given to us. I don't want it to be too "passport like", but more into the aesthetically pleasing side. I was planning to use either my Sigma 17-70 of my 50mm together with a flash if needed, but any advice you have on that would be extremely valuable.

Thanks in advance :)
 
Depends on what the magazine is looking for. Head shot, full body, in situ etc etc.
 
Have a look on youtube for some ideas (business portrait photography)
maybe hit and miss but worth a look
 
Simon photo said:
Please don't take this the wrong way but surely, if your not capable of pre visualizing an image as controllable as this then should you have agreed to shoot it?
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Don't be so pretentious. There is no way to take that other than the wrong way.

How else do you learn other than by trying new things and asking for advice? Not everyone is as great as you and can just instantly imagine the perfect image.
 
Iacovos, I would recommend using a tripod to make things easier. You can stand away from the camera and get a better idea of the scene (it helps me anyway) And since you have plenty of time available I would try and avoid a flash and make use of what light is available. Might be easier to make it more "natural". It's a little different to the nightclub scene you're used too! And like mark said, review the images for sharp eyes as you go along.

My approach would be to try and get some context in there (again like Mark said). What is the article about? You're a Compsci right? So maybe she could be sat with some flashy looking multi monitor setup with green matrix code in the background nicely out of focus....?
 
Hey mate

Set your camera to focus in the middle, use the longer end of you lens e.g. at 70mm focus on the eye nearest to you ask them to look at the camera, use focus lock and move to reconpose the shot.

Make sure you use a clear background and natural light so perhaps by a window. Just make sure its not direct sunlight though and if you have a reflecter then use that to bounce some light back into their face. You can make a reflector with tin foil and card.

Hope that helps mate, and good luck
 
whom said:
Don't be so pretentious. There is no way to take that other than the wrong way.

How else do you learn other than by trying new things and asking for advice? Not everyone is as great as you and can just instantly imagine the perfect image.
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I dunno, can't say anything on here at the moment without getting flamed.
My point is valid though. Yeah sure enough, technicalities and technique are are great things to discuss pre shoot but to flat out ask for shot ideas is a bit lazy? Perhaps? Too harsh? Im telling it the way i see it. Sorry if it comes across as a bit bolshie
 
Simon photo said:
I dunno, can't say anything on here at the moment without getting flamed.
My point is valid though. Yeah sure enough, technicalities and technique are are great things to discuss pre shoot but to flat out ask for shot ideas is a bit lazy? Perhaps? Too harsh? Im telling it the way i see it. Sorry if it comes across as a bit bolshie
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Dude if you think I m lazy and given I have committed to do this anyway just don't reply and let others who think otherwise do it. You may think I'm lazy, I think I'm too busy with other things so I came here to ask people for some ideas.

To everyone else many thanks. will let you know how it went :)
 
iced_jacob said:
Dude if you think I m lazy and given I have committed to do this anyway just don't reply and let others who think otherwise do it. You may think I'm lazy, I think I'm too busy with other things so I came here to ask people for some ideas.

To everyone else many thanks. will let you know how it went :)
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Fair enough. But honestly, if your posting questions on the internet, then you have to be prepared for whatever comes back at you. Be it good or bad, like it or not.
Im ever so sorry if i happened to offend you with my honest opinion but there you go.
But look at it this way. You know your subject better than anyone here, you know the theme, context and genre that the image falls in and you know the final output the image is required for, you have all the ingredients for your own inspiration so why not run with your own ideas?
That's what its all about isn't it?
 
I use f/4 with either an 85mm prime or my 70-200 zoom lens.

For light you can use a reflector or an off-camera flash.

There's so many ways to shoot a pleasing portrait, I'm sure you'll be reet ;)
 
Simon photo said:
Fair enough. But honestly, if your posting questions on the internet, then you have to be prepared for whatever comes back at you. Be it good or bad, like it or not.
Im ever so sorry if i happened to offend you with my honest opinion but there you go.

But look at it this way. You know your subject better than anyone here, you know the theme, context and genre that the image falls in and you know the final output the image is required for, you have all the ingredients for your own inspiration so why not run with your own ideas?
That's what its all about isn't it?
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I don't agree that posting things on the internet means you should accept rude responses from people, especially not on the "friendliest forum"...

And if you'd said that second part the first time round, it wouldn't have gotten peoples backs up. How your first statement read was as follows "Unless you can imagine exactly what to shoot right away do you really think you are good enough to do this".

If you think it is lazy to ask for ideas, then move on and answer another thread that you feel is more deserving.
 
Ahhh come on guy! Don't be so harsh. It sounded brutal to say if you can't come up with the goods yourself then you really shouldn't be doing it, but in many respects its not brutal, just honest.
You wouldn't get some guy who has a nice screwdriver in to wire up a fuse box who, to do the job had to get pointers from others on a forum,
you wouldn't want someone to fix the brakes on your car cos he's got a big hammer and some info off the internet.
 
iced_jacob said:
It went quite well. I used my 35 and 50mm lenses in the end and a flashgun to balance out the light coming in from the window. she is quite pleased with the results so me happy :)

again thanks for all the help guys :)
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So do we get to see the results?
 
Simon photo said:
Please don't take this the wrong way but surely, if your not capable of pre visualizing an image as controllable as this then should you have agreed to shoot it?
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Come on Simon, that's hardly a helpful attitude - its not a once in a lifetime shot for National Geographic!!
 
Rapscallion said:
Come on Simon, that's hardly a helpful attitude - its not a once in a lifetime shot for National Geographic!!
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I said my piece, perhaps i could have been a bit softer about it but my opinion still stands. I am slightly blunt, guess its my biggest downfall but i can't help the way i am.
Me saying perhaps you shouldn't do it is my advice, others would and have been to explain the shot light for light even with props! And that's their advice. Some choose to say nothing at all and that's theirs.
I understand a shoot like this won't make break anyone's career, professional or not but to me, photography is about creating, experimenting and innovation and in my eyes, a hive mind approach to anything leads to stagnation.
 
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