Has anyone got any tips for some that's been asked to photograph
someone and produce theatrical headshots with minimal equipment ? I
use a dRebel, the 50mm 1.8 (effectivly a 90mm) and the 28-135 zoom,
but no lighting equipment. I'm not going to do the printing, I'll
send it to an internet printer.

I've been asked to shoot an acquaintance and I'd like to give ot a try
for the experince but I'm not going to give him crap. I'll send him
to someone that I know that specializes in model/acting headshots.
--


the best headshots are done with a super soft shadowless light. You can
spend a bunch for lights, or you can open the garage door, front door can
work too. If you live in apartment, then look for similar large open
shade
with an overhang.

the secret to finding the sweet spot is the concept of penumbra, that
area
between full light and shadow. have your subject, (or just use your
hand)
and move it back away from the full opening, *just* as the light starts
to
fall off.

You should see the skin glow and the eyes shine.

use the 50, wide open, but step back, you only need 3mp for a decent
8x10,
so plan on cropping, 50 is still a normal angle which is too wide for
headshots, backing up and cropping will limit distortion, keep the face
perpendicular to the camera, imagine a sheet of cardboard over the face,
| -
| see what I'm saying?





What about the on-camera flash? I'll pick a spot with decent natural
light as you describe and I can pop open the flash and put something
over it as a difuser. The camera frame will be vertical so it will be
a bit of a side light. the dRebel flash is a higher than the flash is
on a P&S and redeye has not been a problem.

what are you, a wedding photographer? You will take my advice to find the
sweetest softest shadowless light, but then you are going to F it up with a
flash.

I've seen references to small flash-synced slave flashes and I
wouldn't mind picking one up but I haven't figured out how you trigger
it without getting too much flash from the on-camera flash.

those are great...for wedding photos, in fact I've suggested them many times
as a great way to improve groups, and get more detail from the dress.

I'll have my laptop with PS on it with me so we can look at shots as
we go.


check out a BBC documentary on Beauty, its really quite fascinating and it
has a segment where some guy called the Hollywood headshot king does a few
sessions. You'll see exactly what I'm talking about.

I also officiate weddings and quite often I see photogs take a wonderful
situation and ruin it. A wedding on a farm, a bridge across the lake, the
late afternoon sun hidden behind some trees, in short a perfect set up, the
couple looked at each other, her hair on fire, their eyes sparkling, their
skin glowing. The photog with a hasselblad and a tripod was perfectly set,
I was looking at a merit print in the making, then the guy held up a big
flash. I casually mentioned, "gee, doesn't the light look wonderful the way
it is? Why don't you try one without the flash." They guy rolled his eyes,
and I must admit I hate it when some pest, I mean guest, tries to talk
business with me when I'm behind the camera, and says "I just want to be
sure..." Sometimes my tongue bleeds from biting on it...