Category Archives: how-to headshots
Photoshop Retouching Headshots / Part 1
Ahhhhh. Retouching. The question we always get in the client / photographer conversation. “Do you include retouching?” Well, of course we do. And, actually it is almost as much an important part of the process as the photography itself (at least regarding headshots.) In the “old days” of film, photographers used to resort to all kinds of cool tricks to soften up skin with lighting, filters, vaseline on filters, saran wrap on lenses, etc. Then in the post process (when there was such a thing as custom labs / LOL /) the lab guys used to spot toning, more softening, diffusion, etc. But, “now-days” the photographer “is” the lab as well as the photographer and Photoshop has pretty much replaced any / all technique for making folks look good on the way in. Of course we try to compensate with nice, soft lighting, e.g. big windows, large softboxes, etc. BUT, if clients saw their RAW files and had the ability to zoom in and examine every pore and flaw they would of course, freak out in advance. That is why we always spend time on our proofs (they come pre-cropped and softened up nicely so as to give an accurate view of what final photos will look like.) As you can imagine to the degree that a photographer works on a file after a shoot can go in either direction. Going to far with a file can make it look fake and awkward. ”Shopped” as the term has become to be used. Taking a 75-year-old man and making him look 20 may make the client feel good at first glance, but will probably not go over very well in the business world. It takes a big of a relationship in advance between the photographer and the subject to understand just how much the client expects in this regard. To that degree, we just ask, Petty simple. Some folks really want a lot of work done, some don’t. In general what we supply as “minimal retouching” is deleting blemishes, but keeping scars (unless client requests them to be minimized,) smoothing skin (more later) whitening teeth, brightening eyes and removing stray hairs (more later.) This subject needs to be addressed in two or three parts so we will add to the “more later” as well as expand the subject in a few further posts.
Sal Sessa /Dallas Headshots
White On
Headshot/White Background
Occasionally a client requires us to supply a headshot using a white background. This is usually at the request of a public relations firm, marketing firm or advertising agency, etc. The idea here is that we take your “corporate type” (in this case, consultant Larry Poe) and shoot a nice headshot portrait in front of a pure white background and they can do several things with it. For the most part what they are going to want to do with it is “knife it in” to some type, just like I have done with one we shot yesterday to show as an example. In this case a company wanted a half-dozen shots of a corporate executive for future uses that would fit many needs. To do this (as your headshot photographer should know) you really want to light up the background at least to match or better the f-stop of the subject matter. This way it is nice and bright, or “blown out” as many call it. Otherwise it will go light gray and be harder to work with. We do this by using two separage umbrellas and shooting them right at the background itself to really light it up. Now the nice thing about this type of file, is that it can be used later on with a background that you can drag and drop it on to. With a little nip and tuck it will look pretty darn passable and not have the “copy/paste” look to it. Since we have our client where we want him / her we like to offer a bit more service, so we toss in a few real backgrounds while they are there and shoot some headshots for them without the white one the original client requested. That way the person having his or her headshot photo done has the option of having a nice, headshot portrait in the more traditional way with one of our available backgrounds.
Sal Sessa /Dallas Headshots
Headshot Backgrounds (Go For It)
Hotel Headshot Background
On a recent corporate headshot portrait shoot in Dallas at the Hilton Park Cities Hotel, our client wanted a “natural background” vs. a standard background for a new look they were trying to get for their web page. She showed me a bunch of samples and they were good. Good enough to make me excited for a bit of a challenge. Well, the challenge got more interesting when we entered the hotel which was, albeit beautiful, small. I mean the lobby was very small and, being a lobby, busy. There were only two hallways available which were uninteresting, dark and busy. We would have to shoot the thing at 1/4th of a second, even at ISO 400 with this, and even that would be at 2.8. This is photographer lingo for, uh, not good. The assistant and I worked intently to try and come up with something, but the clock was ticking and getting closer and closer to the appropriate time to start shooting the corporate executives. At this point I was hoping someone would just shoot me. This is when you either decide to “go for it” or “punt.” But only if you know what to expect after-the-fact. We had looked at a background (a very large mural painting) that had a lot of nice swirl and warmth to it, that I felt would be perfect. But we spent 3/4 of the time looking for something better, which was our first mistake (oh, yeah, we make them!) LOL. Since we had tested it when we walked in, and were (please excuse the football analogy) on the 5 yard line, 4th down with seconds to go we went for it, re-tested quickly and were in gear as our first of nine Moneygram subjects walked out for their headshot portrait. So when shooting headshot portraits on location you not only have to be geared up for surprises, but you have to know that when it comes down to it, intuition and going with your gut is important as well.
Sal Sessa /Dallas Headshots
Headshot Portraits (Keep the background)
Business Portrait Background
Okay. Well? Say you actually need to have your headshot photographer provide you with a background for your company’s corporate business portraits. It is a requirement, or it is how they have been done in the past. You know. Company policy! You look at your website’s headshots and screech! Ahhh. What were they thinking? And / or, “Woa. All over the place.” The former, is an easy fix if all of your executives, managers or employees are available in the same town, but trickier if they are all over the country (more later.) So, let’s say you want backgrounds. First things first. Just my opinion, but I would avoid the whole “green screen” thing. You know, the one where the photographer brings in a background and then “paints in” one you pick from a lineup later. To me? Looks fake. Next step? When you are interviewing photographers, you want to look at their headshot samples and ask if they can just show you examples of backgrounds by themselves. At Dallas Headshots we have samples of what we use on location all in a row, so you can see side-by-side, and additionally samples of all three with headshots in place. Of course, we have more than three, but to keep it simple we offer these first. We will expand the conversation on backgrounds in the next few headshot photo-blogs. But in general, you want to make sure your photographer gives some separation between the subject and the background and maybe lights the background as well. It just adds a nicer look, and allows the headshot photographer to blur out the background more. This results in less distraction from the background and the eye going to the headshot subject (your very busy, important executive type!)
Sal Sessa /Dallas Headshots
Headshots vs. Portraits
Headshot Portrait
Now that we have officially confirmed you need a headshot, I guess anyone reading this might agree it’s time to move on! LOL. So, let’s talk about something that might be confusing to some, and that is what the heck is the difference between a headshot and a portrait. The term can be used in many ways. Business portrait. Executive portrait. Professional portrait. And headshot. Also used in many ways. Sometimes just “headshot.” But isn’t that an “actor thing,?” Like in actor headshot? Or do folks in the corporate world need headshots too? Well? Of course they do.
At “Dallas Headshots” for the sake of clients to understand what they are getting when they hire us, we define it two ways. “Headshots are defined as “head and shoulder” shots with our supplied background.” And portraits: “Executive portraits are defined as “your office or off-site location” shots (can be 3/4, full frame, cropped tighter, cropped looser, etc.) using appropriate backgrounds relevant to your business or the shot itself. Need large space, hallway, lobby, etc. We can both get creative with this type of shot.”
In this conversation, though. Let’s just talk traditional headshots.
I am officially coining a new phrase, here today. The “Headshot Portrait.” Since “the headshot” may be seen as the portrait’s poor cousin, and could be viewed as one of lesser quality than a portrait, I say we (as photographers) should strive to step it up a notch and make beautiful headshots, and not just “mugshots.”
How is this done. Well, first things first is you need a decent photographer. One who is adept at the art of interaction with total strangers, and one who can walk into any room from small company to huge corporate client location and make not only the rank and file feel comfortable but the top brass as well.
Then, of course your photographer should be well equipped, with the right gear and double / triple backup so as to not slow things down under pressure if things go wrong. These are givens. Most importantly your headshot portrait photographer should be good with lighting and posing.
This photographer should be one that walks into your office location, and tries to make a killer headshot portrait every time, not just “the typical” headshot that we have all seen on company web pages. You know what I am talking about. Boring lighting. Flat. Uninteresting poses. No life. No sparkle.
So I say make a “portrait” out of your “headshot” and let’s call it (at least I am) a “headshot portrait” which refers to the highest level of quality attainable for your corporate and executive photos. Next, more on portraits.
Sal Sessa /Dallas Headshots
Also posted in executive portraits, Portraits
Tagged headshot, headshot tips, Headshot-Portrait, need a headshot
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