Headshots

A headshot portrays a person as they are.

noun. 1. a photograph of someone's FACE, especially a promotional photograph of a model, actor, or author.

Headshots

• “Headshot photography is a highly specialized field. It is visual communication composed with lighting, angle and pose.”

Natural light

Posed? Standing? Sitting?

• Colegrove prefers to shoot headshots with the model STANDING, not sitting. He says the person’s natural energy flows better that way.

• He also says that none of the four headshots above were posed, but achieved by “engaging the subject in conversation and thought.”

Candid headshots• You may be asked by your editor to go to an

event and shoot headshots of the main speaker for your company’s files. This shot of ICE director John Norton was taken around a year before it was used with this story.

Lighting• Split

• Loop

oRembrandt•Butterfly

If you can’t remember those, try a mnemonic device like: Some Like Real Butter

Split lighting • Splits the face in half, with

one side lit and the other in shadow.

• Gives dramatic effect. • Light source is 90 degrees

to one side of subject, possibly slightly behind them.

Loop lighting• Creates small shadow

of subject’s nose on their cheek.

• Shadow of nose and cheek do NOT touch.

• Light source slightly higher than eye level, 30-45 degrees from camera, depending on your subject.

Rembrandt lighting -- Triangle of light on cheek. Dramatic effect

Subject turns away slightly from light source. Light source should be above head to make nose cast shadow on cheek. Eye on the shadow side should have a catchlight.

Butterfly lighting• Light source above and

directly behind the camera. • Creates little butterfly shape

under the nose. • Good for shooting older

people because it de-emphasizes wrinkles. Please use to photograph me.

CatchlightThe light in the baby’s eyes is called a catchlight.

“You need to ensure that at least one eye has a catchligh to give the subject life.

Without the eye of the subject catching this light, the eyes will appear dark… lifeless.”

Darlene Hildebrandt

Other Headshot Tips• Focus on the eyes. • Fill the screen. • Use a tripod. • As a general rule, your camera should be at the

subject’s eye level.

References• Colegrove’s website

• Six lighting patterns every photog should know

How the pros get certain effects