My wife, Chris

DrGed

DrGed

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Ged
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I have been trying to teach myself portrait photography for a little while and these are two shots of my wife, Chris.

In both cases I used a single speedlite, off camera, but with different modifiers for each.


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The light is much softer in the second one - the first looks almost like bare speed light - but the angle of the head is less satisfying, somehow. It also looks as though the flash is only just off the camera's axis.

They're both perfectly usable headshots and it depends a bit on what you're trying to achieve but I'd have gone for a bigger angle to create more flattering 'short' lighting i.e. more shadow on the side of the face nearest the camera, and then calmed those shadows down with a reflector (or wall), to reduce the appearance of lines & wrinkles.
 
Thank you for your comments, Simon.

In terms of what I was trying to achieve, my expectations were fairly low. I just wanted to produce a an acceptable headshot that simply ticks the basic boxes of "useability" and I find your comments both useful and encouraging.

Thanks again. :)
 
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