Mannequin to practice portrait lighting.

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Barbara
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I want to get a mannequin to practice my portrait lighting. (Unfortunately I don't have many patient friends :-( ) I've seen 2 types of the plastic ones with moveable heads advertised, one that looks as if it went on the gallows and one called a long neck one. Can anyone recommend which would be the best to buy please?
 
I was lucky enough to get time to practice on kids.

When that wasn't an option, I did many selfies and used the occasional teddy bear!!!
 
I want to get a mannequin to practice my portrait lighting. (Unfortunately I don't have many patient friends :-( ) I've seen 2 types of the plastic ones with moveable heads advertised, one that looks as if it went on the gallows and one called a long neck one. Can anyone recommend which would be the best to buy please?

Make up artists in film and tv carry life-like heads for showing directors etc. what make up they're planning to do on each character.

Google for make-up artist's mannequin, there'll be a few UK suppliers.
 
Worth while pointing out. Practicing on a Mannequin will only take you so far. You can learn lighting technique, but you will still need to learn the dark art of posing, how to get people to look at their best. You need real people for that.
 
Worth while pointing out. Practicing on a Mannequin will only take you so far. You can learn lighting technique, but you will still need to learn the dark art of posing, how to get people to look at their best. You need real people for that.


True, but then that would be a post for the 'Talk People and Portraits' forum, unlike this which is the 'Talk Lighting and Studio' forum. Which is perfect for a question about, ummmm, lighting.
 
Manequins have a fixed pose, plastic skin and plastic hair, none of which reflects light in the same way as human skin and hair.
Frankly, you'll learn a lot more by lighting a range of different still life subjects.
 
Garry, that just doesn't make sense...

A still life subject doesn't have the movement, skin or hair of a human.... so practice on a still life subject.

Eh?
 
Garry, that just doesn't make sense...

A still life subject doesn't have the movement, skin or hair of a human.... so practice on a still life subject.

Eh?
I'm only guessing but is the key is a RANGE of stills, learning how light behaves and interacts with the subjects?
 
Garry, that just doesn't make sense...

A still life subject doesn't have the movement, skin or hair of a human.... so practice on a still life subject.

Eh?
That isn't what I said. What I said was "Frankly, you'll learn a lot more by lighting a range of different still life subjects."
Lighting is a broad range of skills and the application of a broad range of knowledge. Lighting real people is a useful learning tool because they move, lighting a mannequin that not only doesn't move but which also has entirely different reflective properties to any human, is very limited.
Lighting a range of different subjects allows people to learn how subtle changes to light source size and position can make an enormous difference to the finished result and different shapes, different reflective qualities, different textures lead to a real gain in knowledge and understanding of light.
 
All you'll do with a fake head is practise loop, butterfly, Rembrandt etc. just buy a cheap polystyrene wig stand type of head on eBay and paint it mid grey.

Then do as Garry says and light as many other random objects as possible!
 
:plus1:
Thank you everyone. It looks like I'll be saving my money then.:ty:
All you'll do with a fake head is practise loop, butterfly, Rembrandt etc. just buy a cheap polystyrene wig stand type of head on eBay and paint it mid grey.

Then do as Garry says and light as many other random objects as possible!
Polystyrene head ordered - less than a fiver including postage.
 
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