quick corporate portrait help needed

[mongo]

Mongo has been asked (while doing other simple photos) to possibly take a couple of corporate portraits for the associations yearly publication. Have not done anything like this for too long to remember and never at this level.

Have a D800E , tripod, SB700, and a number of appropriate lenses and maybe an old reflector if he can find it.

The help Mongo needs is mainly in how to set up appropriate lighting (it will have to be basic) in an a large older house with high ceilings, how to best pose the two men concerned. Mongo thinks it will be basically bust shots.

Need to be off by 4.00pm - so any quick advice would be very appreciated......please !

[Cargo]

Mongo as soon as I saw your request I thought of this article I was reading the other day. I'm sure much of this is stuff you would already know ....
But there might just be a tip or two that will help, particularly about posing and lighting.
Anyway good luck with your shoot :th3:

http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2014/10/15/headshot-tips-how-to-take-a-professional-portrait/

Cheers Cargo

[mongo]

thanks Cargo - you are a gem ! Mongo will look at that now and it may have other leads in it also.

again - sincere thanks

[Brian500au]

Hi Mongo

I am not sure of the timing of this post but I will give it a try.

I hope you have a remote trigger for your flash. Mount your flash on the tripod somehow and move it around a 1 to 1.5 metres to the side of your camera (and a little higher than you camera body). You want to try and create some shadow and definition to the portrait subject. Try to position the subject a few metres from the rear wall unless the rear wall is interesting (but preferable a bland colour). Next you are going to have to try and use the reflector on the opposite side of the flash to bounce back some light. Make sure you have the subject facing the strobe. If you have not got an umbrella for the strobe try putting some tracing paper or some really light paper over the strobe to take the harsh edge off.

I would use the camera free hand, preferable with an 70 - 85 focal length if possible.

Take a few sample shots, adjust the power of the strobe and the distance to the subject until you are satisfied with the results.

Best of luck and would love to see the outcome.

Cheers
Kel

[mongo]

Big thanks Kel. Did not see your post until today but really appreciate your advice and have kept it for future reference.

yesterday, after some quick experiments, Mongo ended up using an 85mm lens with camera on a tripod and a flash pointing at about 70 degrees into to ceiling - bounce flash. Subject a reasonable amount off a solid bland coloured wall. The subject standing about 15 to 20 degrees off parallel to the camera and about 1 metre from a large window on one side of the subject.

got quite good result but could have been betbetters hanks again to those who gave Mongo their kind assistance