lighting can be tricky...what's the most flattering for Headshots?
I have found that lighting can make or break a headshot or portrait. Not having enough light can affect quality, too much light can be harsh on the skin. Having a balance and knowing which angles to use not only can make a great portrait; but can even add an artistic feel. What about headshots?
Headshots for professionals such as doctors, lawyers, realtors, etc; need to be crisp and polished. Artsy grain, blurry motion, and ultra moody shadows usually don't have a place here. So ideally, even lighting, with defining contrast, works really well. We don't want to blow out whites unless it's intentional, and we want to decrease appearance of wrinkles.
For professional portraits for creatives; authors, artists, hairstylists; we can be a little more flexible with lighting to create the feeling of each personal's brand. Polished is always a good goal, but we can use lighting modifications to deepen shadows or brighten highlights.
Here's what I use as a Palm Springs Headshot Photographer:
NEED MORE LIGHTING HELP? Check my top 5 lighting set ups!
What about gear?
OK, so this is where preferences can matter for each photographer. Price point and storage space I think come up the most. These are my essential gear list and go with me on every shoot, both in-studio and on location.
