Office Setup for Corporate Headshots

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thedogsdanglers

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Carl
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Just wanting to scope out some advise, any will do but essentially kit related. I'm looking to build a lightweight (ish, I'm fit and healthy) travel set to do corporate headshots in potentially limited spaces in an office block (my soon to be work place with many floors).

Essentially I'm looking to raise some funds for a charity I volunteer with by offering to shoot corporate headshots for whoever wants them on location. The idea being that I take the images under no obligations and if people want to use them for whatever they want, work/workplace profile pics, linked in profile, personal etc then they make a donation to ESAR of whatever value they wish (I 'may' set a minimum 'suggested' amount of around £5 (initially, but increasing with my experience).
By doing this I’ll be offering a service in house whilst raising money for a good cause & it goes without saying it will be helping me gain more experience whilst I get back into my passion for photography.

The kit I'm looking to get initially will be something along the lines of: (sorry can't post links yet)

240cm Air Cushioned Studio Light Stand 4 Spigot Mount from PIXAPRO. or similar.​

A 60x90 softbox with S-Type speedlight adaptor and grid.

I already have a 60cm reflector and one Speedlight.

Main questions are:

1. Is there anything else I 'must' get?
2. Anything other kit strongly advised?
3. Any reviews or suggestions for the kit listed above?
4. Any advice not kit related?
 
Well, other people will have their own views, but personally I'd go for a mains-powered studio flash head, not expensive but much easier to use, partly because of near-instant recycling and the modelling lamp. You can use the flashgun as a fill light.

You will of course also need a radio trigger set, to use with the flashes.

You won't have any use for a softbox honeycomb (or grid) Avoid cheap softboxes, and make sure that you get one that folds up. The ones that need to be taken apart will drive you mad:( See https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/tutorials/which-is-the-right-softbox-for-you.154/

And get decent light stands too, see https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/tutorials/which-lighting-stand.155/
 
A pop-up background like a lastolite? Not every office has a "background" As Gary say mains flash, and as someone who has used a take apart softbox take a bin bag to throw it after the first three times you use it, you'll be glad to see the back of it... ;)
 
swanseamale47 said:
A pop-up background like a lastolite? Not every office has a "background" As Gary say mains flash, and as someone who has used a take apart softbox take a bin bag to throw it after the first three times you use it, you'll be glad to see the back of it... ;)
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Have a look at Lencarta they have a range of backgrounds and some are on sale ATM
 
Thank you guys, much appreciated.

Noted about the fold up style softbox, I'll have a search around. I see your point re the grids but I was thinking of buying with the softbox for future proofing against additional purchases in other scenarios of controlling splill onto the background.

With the light, I will most likely get something else in the future but for now I'm just keeping expense to a minimum and trying to use what I already have. The aim is (as I guess it is for many) to be able to charge a bit more (when not doing it for charity) gradually and using the proceeds to upgrade gear.

Also thanks for the heads up on the background, I was thinking of maybe a popup portable style.
 
thedogsdanglers said:
Thank you guys, much appreciated.

Noted about the fold up style softbox, I'll have a search around. I see your point re the grids but I was thinking of buying with the softbox for future proofing against additional purchases in other scenarios of controlling splill onto the background.

With the light, I will most likely get something else in the future but for now I'm just keeping expense to a minimum and trying to use what I already have. The aim is (as I guess it is for many) to be able to charge a bit more (when not doing it for charity) gradually and using the proceeds to upgrade gear.

Also thanks for the heads up on the background, I was thinking of maybe a popup portable style.
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Fair enough, but most of the ones sold as an add-on by box-shifters are useless. My advice is to wait until you have an actual need, and then buy the right product from the right people.
 
I’d say speedlights are not great for filling softboxes generally. And specifically don’t meet the need for constant firing we expect in a studio.

However; they are ok for sporadic use where mains isn’t available.

If I was stuck to a need for portable.

I’d buy 2 decent stands, a pop up background with a bracket to attach it to one of them, an AD200* and an S type bracket and a decent pop up softbox (an octa rather than a rectangle though). Obviously a trigger to fire the flash.

*a mains powered head is cheaper than an AD200 with the added advantage of a modelling light.

On a budget, I’d get a brollybox, most people couldn’t tell the difference between the light from a £70 octa and a £20 brollybox
 
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