URGENT - Portrait photography help

Astraeus

Astraeus

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Name
Ciaran
Edit My Images
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I've been roped into doing a photoshoot with someone from BGT/X Factor at 11.15am this morning. It's my first time doing it so I need a crash course...

What lens do I want to use - 18-55mm or 55-200mm? Both have a max aperture of f/4/f3.5. What focal length should I be at? I'll be using the Jessops 360AFD flash, what settings do I want it on? It'll be outside (today is very foggy though) in a wide open park.

How many photos should I be taking? What different angles/approaches should I try?

Any help is much appreciated, don't want to botch this job!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! :thumbs:
 
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Y15HAL said:
You're very handy to have around Diddy - :thumbs:

Others would have just said "don't bother if you're askign that many questions!" :bonk:
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Well he's just down the road from me - so I asked him to call and we've had a chat already - seems happy enough now :)

Good luck bud :thumbs:

DD
 
DiddyDave said:
Well he's just down the road from me - so I asked him to call and we've had a chat already - seems happy enough now :)

Good luck bud :thumbs:

DD
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This man is a God-send! :D

Quick chat and it almost feels like I know what I'm doing. Obviously it couldn't all be smooth sailing though so I'm now charging round the house looking for my spare set of flash batteries as it chose this morning to give up the ghost! :bang:

You'll know if it's a success from whether I post the results up here or not! :thinking:

Just quickly, the flash 'zoom' only extends to 85mm - is it still worth using it if I'm all the way out at 200mm? :shrug:
 
Astraeus said:
T

Just quickly, the flash 'zoom' only extends to 85mm - is it still worth using it if I'm all the way out at 200mm? :shrug:
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Yes - it's only at best for a touch of fill/catchlight anyway - it'll be fine :)

Shoot everything with & without it then you have choices, won't take more than a few seconds extra and if you're honest with the celeb then he'll play ball I'm sure :thumbs:

DD
 
I'm back! Took about 70 shots so I'll be having a play around with them (converting from RAW) on Sunday and will post the results then. Feel like it went quite well. Sophie is a lovely girl and made it very easy to photograph her - she's very well-versed in this having had hundreds of identical shoots.

I opted not to make the backgrounds too out-of-focus as part of the photoshoot was ensuring the location was familiar to locals as it is for an event being held at that park. So I picked a relatively conspicuous part of the park to use as the setting.

One thing I realised is that I'll need a MUCH faster flash if I'm ever going to get into this sort of photography - it was taking three seconds or more to recharge in between shots!

Thanks ever so much DiddyDave, your help was much appreciated!
 
Astraeus said:
I'm back! Took about 70 shots so I'll be having a play around with them (converting from RAW) on Sunday and will post the results then. Feel like it went quite well. Sophie is a lovely girl and made it very easy to photograph her - she's very well-versed in this having had hundreds of identical shoots.

I opted not to make the backgrounds too out-of-focus as part of the photoshoot was ensuring the location was familiar to locals as it is for an event being held at that park. So I picked a relatively conspicuous part of the park to use as the setting.

One thing I realised is that I'll need a MUCH faster flash if I'm ever going to get into this sort of photography - it was taking three seconds or more to recharge in between shots!

Thanks ever so much DiddyDave, your help was much appreciated!
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Nice that you found a way to place the subject into the park there then - good one :thumbs:

There are a few reasons why expensive flashes are expensive - and you've just discovered one of those reasons :D

DD
 
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