Portrait Photo technique tip needed soon.?
Will be shooting a female friend, outdoors. She’s very self-concious about her nose being a bit large and while that is true, I’d like to do a good job for her, this isn’t a paying gig….just a favor to her. I plan on shooting with 2 cameras. Using a 70-200 2.8 (and have a 1.4 extender if it will help) and a kit 18-135 with an speedlite….Can use the speedlite on or Off Camera…….Looking for any tips that will get a flattering image of her…..? Like shooting from elevated position or?????????????? If you can, please keep it simple and not technical. Is there particular focal length I should use? I’m using Canon XSI and T2i (small/crop sensor). I usually use a stofen diffuser on my 430, but also have a couple other Mini Softbox diffusers I could use. Have a 50 1.8 also, just haven’t used it much and a bit leary of trying. Thanks
The further you are from her using the telephoto end of your 70 – 200mm will ‘compress’ her nose. There are two problems with this.
One is the distance you are away increases the chances of camera shake, the other is you flash needs to be closer, just out of shot.
To hide prominent features you need ‘flat lighting’ with little if any shadow, not the way I usually work. One lighting technique that works well is ‘Oyster’ or ‘Butterfly’ lighting. I use two beauty dishes for this, but two soft-boxes or even one light and a reflector will work.
The idea is you place one light directly above and in front of your subject, the other light directly below (to fill the shadows), both at roughly a 45° angle. This gives very flat light, beautiful skin, and is very flattering to your model, but all the detail of the eyes are there, it can give stunning eyes with nice ‘catch-lights’. Together with the ‘compression’ of the long lens will give you what you (both) want.
With your model looking strait at the lens it will hide her nose completely, but you can try a 3/4 view with your model looking just off to one side.
With nervous people one technique that works well is to take a picture and half a second later or so, take another, people tend to relax when they hear the shutter, the second one is usually much more natural, but you can only do this a few times, they soon catch on.
Chris
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