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 09/17/2005 11:39:48 PM · #1
My first attempt at photographing my brother. He wants some headshots for various things, and I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for me here. I just got a Nikon D70, and I love it, but I haven't purchased any pro lights or backdrops or anything, so everything here was fairly improvised.

So which of these do you guys prefer, and is there something I should do them to make them better? Both have been through Neat Image just so you know. Thanks. :)



09/17/2005 11:41:27 PM · #2
Sepia, makes it a bit brighter and more personality.
 09/17/2005 11:45:23 PM · #3
The black and white is so much better!
 09/17/2005 11:49:50 PM · #4
Lol...I actually prefer the black and white myself. I like the darker feel it has got.
 09/17/2005 11:52:02 PM · #5
Black and white for sure...very professional-appearing. Most headshots are black and white. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a sepia one. :)
 09/17/2005 11:54:25 PM · #6
I printed both of them, and the b&w looks a bit better - i think it's a certain mood that it has, and I think the sepia just erases the mood.

Anyway - is there anything in processing that I should know? Any suggestions? I have more...

09/17/2005 11:55:22 PM · #7
Originally posted by laurielblack:
Black and white for sure...very professional-appearing. Most headshots are black and white. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a sepia one. :)


Thanks. I don't think I've seen a sepia one either - guess I'll have to do these others in b&w also...
 09/17/2005 11:59:32 PM · #8
Entertainment industry headshots, I'm ALWAYS told, are to be in black and white.
 09/18/2005 12:00:29 AM · #9
Originally posted by sprite777:
My first attempt at photographing my brother. He wants some headshots for various things, and I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for me here. I just got a Nikon D70, and I love it, but I haven't purchased any pro lights or backdrops or anything, so everything here was fairly improvised.

So which of these do you guys prefer, and is there something I should do them to make them better? Both have been through Neat Image just so you know. Thanks. :)





Sepia, to me, is a special situations colour. So, I like the B&W better. With BW portraits, I like a high contrast.
 09/18/2005 12:02:49 AM · #10
Originally posted by mpemberton:
Originally posted by sprite777:
My first attempt at photographing my brother. He wants some headshots for various things, and I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for me here. I just got a Nikon D70, and I love it, but I haven't purchased any pro lights or backdrops or anything, so everything here was fairly improvised.

So which of these do you guys prefer, and is there something I should do them to make them better? Both have been through Neat Image just so you know. Thanks. :)





Sepia, to me, is a special situations colour. So, I like the B&W better. With BW portraits, I like a high contrast.


So... is this high enough contrast?
 09/18/2005 12:10:07 AM · #11


Ok - for a headshot, is this too dark and/or contrasty?
 09/18/2005 12:11:38 AM · #12
Originally posted by sprite777:
Originally posted by mpemberton:
Originally posted by sprite777:
My first attempt at photographing my brother. He wants some headshots for various things, and I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for me here. I just got a Nikon D70, and I love it, but I haven't purchased any pro lights or backdrops or anything, so everything here was fairly improvised.

So which of these do you guys prefer, and is there something I should do them to make them better? Both have been through Neat Image just so you know. Thanks. :)





Sepia, to me, is a special situations colour. So, I like the B&W better. With BW portraits, I like a high contrast.


So... is this high enough contrast?

When it comes to B&W portraits, I have my own style with the following rules. 1. All non-human parts are high contrast. Not much gray, if any. 2. The face is not high contrast, unless is an action scene, which then I use calculations to get B&W the way I want.

Remember this is only my way of liking it. It is not right or wrong, just my perspective.


Message edited by author 2005-09-18 00:12:36.
 09/18/2005 12:12:24 AM · #13
The contrast and all seems OK, but the problem I see with all the images is that they are all soft...especially around the eyes. Headshots get only a few seconds of a casting director or agent's time, and if they are out of focus, they'll be filed quickly in the trash. Take the time to use a tripod and carefully get a focus locked on the eyes. Make them stand out so that they connect to whomever he is having view his shots. It's worth it in the end. :)
 09/18/2005 12:14:22 AM · #14
Originally posted by laurielblack:
The contrast and all seems OK, but the problem I see with all the images is that they are all soft...especially around the eyes. Headshots get only a few seconds of a casting director or agent's time, and if they are out of focus, they'll be filed quickly in the trash. Take the time to use a tripod and carefully get a focus locked on the eyes. Make them stand out so that they connect to whomever he is having view his shots. It's worth it in the end. :)


Good observation, IMO. That is why contrast and shadow/highlight are good in photoshop.
 09/18/2005 12:37:20 AM · #15
I can't really afford a tripod right now - maybe the next paycheck - but is there any hope for these then? Is it possible to bring the eyes out more in these? I'm not really a pro at photoshop, so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks for the responses by the way. :)

My brother's not really a hard person to take pictures of, so reshooting isn't impossible.

I just find it hard to get those perfect headshots because I'm so new to this, and lighting and everything. I think the reason they aren't in perfect focus is because maybe I didn't have the right light. The ones I was using were flourescent, and I'm not sure if that's ok or not.
 09/18/2005 01:17:06 AM · #16


I sharpened the pic and then did a bit more with the Smart Sharpen feature in PS CS2 just around the eyes. Might be too much, but you get the idea. Just keep fiddling with things in PS, that's the best way to learn! :)
 09/18/2005 01:32:45 AM · #17
If these are acting/modeling-type headshots, I'd strongly suggest that the primary shot be a lot lighter -- white or light-colored shirt, lighter background, etc. The shot here looks more like from a character still from a particular movie -- very moody. It makes for fine portraiture, and filler for the portfolio, but that's not really what you want in a regular headshot -- the main image should show the actor's most "generic" and versatile aspects.

Also, I'd pull back just a bit -- most headshots aren't quite so tight. And I'd crop and/or border it to fit an 8x10 format. It used to be common to print the actor's name and contact into right in a 1/2 inch white border, but I don't know if that's still the current style.
 09/18/2005 02:00:00 AM · #18
Originally posted by GeneralE:
If these are acting/modeling-type headshots, I'd strongly suggest that the primary shot be a lot lighter -- white or light-colored shirt, lighter background, etc. The shot here looks more like from a character still from a particular movie -- very moody. It makes for fine portraiture, and filler for the portfolio, but that's not really what you want in a regular headshot -- the main image should show the actor's most "generic" and versatile aspects.

Also, I'd pull back just a bit -- most headshots aren't quite so tight. And I'd crop and/or border it to fit an 8x10 format. It used to be common to print the actor's name and contact into right in a 1/2 inch white border, but I don't know if that's still the current style.


Is it common for them to be smiling in the picture?

Edit: Why don't I just ask this: What is the most common expression used in the primary shot? Are they usually taken at an angle like this, or straight on, or does it matter?

Message edited by author 2005-09-18 02:01:24.
 09/18/2005 02:05:34 AM · #19
Originally posted by sprite777:
Is it common for them to be smiling in the picture?

Edit: Why don't I just ask this: What is the most common expression used in the primary shot? Are they usually taken at an angle like this, or straight on, or does it matter?

The pose itself I think is OK -- sort of a mirror-image Mona Lisa look to it. But the majority have the person smiling; and I'm guessing maybe 75% are straight-on shots.

My mom and brother work in LA and know more about this, but they probably won't be available for a couple of days. Let me look for the last couple they've sent me as examples.
 09/18/2005 02:08:25 AM · #20
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by sprite777:
Is it common for them to be smiling in the picture?

Edit: Why don't I just ask this: What is the most common expression used in the primary shot? Are they usually taken at an angle like this, or straight on, or does it matter?

The pose itself I think is OK -- sort of a mirror-image Mona Lisa look to it. But the majority have the person smiling; and I'm guessing maybe 75% are straight-on shots.

My mom and brother work in LA and know more about this, but they probably won't be available for a couple of days. Let me look for the last couple they've sent me as examples.


Ok great... Thanks so much for your help with this. I have a couple others that I'm trying to touch up now to post. :)
 09/18/2005 02:25:52 AM · #21
ok ok - i haven't reshot yet - but i did have one (i have lots) that kinda took care of a few things mentioned here - this one has a much brighter feel, is pulled back a bit, has crisper eyes... it just doesn't have a brighter shirt. Is this one more like a primary headshot?



edit: actually - I'm not sure if this is pulled back, or just framed differently. Is this far back enough?

Message edited by author 2005-09-18 02:26:41.
 09/18/2005 02:46:57 AM · #22
Dude these are great shots. I dont think you should change anything. Its shows style on your part.

Just my 2 cents....

GG
 09/18/2005 03:06:46 AM · #23
I'm going to be the bad guy here I guess. Are these modeling shots? The photos where you are close up, you can't see his hair, so the areas of hair that you can see, simply look like he didn't brush his hair. In the one where you can see all of his hair, we can tell there's a reason it's like that. But in the ones where we can't see the full hair, it looks odd. Does that make sense? Also, with the hair style he's got, I'm instantly drawn to his hair/forhead area and the first thing I notice about the shots is the hairline, which isn't his most attractive feature.
I supose that if they are for a movie or something where this hairstyle is important, then it might be great, but for a modeling shot, I think I'd put the main focus on smoething other than his hairline. or have him pick a different hair style for the photos.
I'm not meaning this to be rude, just an observation.
 09/18/2005 03:07:08 AM · #24
ha! well I retouched that primary one again and posted it to my flickr account. I'm too lazy to do it here, so here it is.

09/18/2005 03:14:54 AM · #25
Originally posted by hbunch7187:
I'm going to be the bad guy here I guess. Are these modeling shots? The photos where you are close up, you can't see his hair, so the areas of hair that you can see, simply look like he didn't brush his hair. In the one where you can see all of his hair, we can tell there's a reason it's like that. But in the ones where we can't see the full hair, it looks odd. Does that make sense? Also, with the hair style he's got, I'm instantly drawn to his hair/forhead area and the first thing I notice about the shots is the hairline, which isn't his most attractive feature.
I supose that if they are for a movie or something where this hairstyle is important, then it might be great, but for a modeling shot, I think I'd put the main focus on smoething other than his hairline. or have him pick a different hair style for the photos.
I'm not meaning this to be rude, just an observation.


Thanks - and in the future - no need to walk on eggshells around me, I enjoy constructive criticism, and it's why I posted this. We all want to be better photographers, and we're not going to get better with just praise. (Although I also thoroughly enjoy praise...)

It's acting/modeling he wants to do, so I'm trying to do several shoots to see what look works best for him to see which angle we'd work with if I tried to pimp my brother to Hollywood.

I did his hair here, and I'm surprised you don't think he has a good hairline. It's not receding, it's just like that.

I wish mine was like that; we look nothing alike.

Anyway, thanks again for your post. :)
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