On-location cinematic portraits

LEARN HOW TO SET UP YOUR FLASH AND CAMERA FOR BOLD, BEAUTIFUL HEADSHOTS

1 Key light

We lit the face of our subject with a single Speedlight, fitted to a light stand and used in combination with a Wallimex umbrella softbox. Modifiers like this offer a soft spread of diffuse light that is perfect for portraiture. We also attached a wireless trigger to the camera, along with a receiver to the Speedlight, to fire it remotely.

2 Reflector on stand

A silver reflector was placed opposite the key light and just below the face, angled back towards the subject so that it bounces some light into the shadows. This helps to lift the darker areas under the eyes and offers an attractive second catchlight in the eyes of your subject. A handy reflector holder helps to keep this in place.

3 Long focal length

Longer lenses, like the 70-200mm used here, are generally better for headshots as they result in an attractively proportioned face, as opposed to wide angles that can exaggerate features and result in distortion. A long focal length also strengthens the background blur by offering a more acute angle of view.

4 Backdrop distance

A colourful array of graffiti gave us a vibrant backdrop for our portrait. The distance between the subject and backdrop is important. The further the backdrop is from the subject’s position, the more blurred it will be. So if you want stronger blur, move the camera and subject further from the backdrop.

5 In the shade

We wanted to have a harmonious combination of daylight and flash, so observe the natural light on the face. A position in open shade like this is ideal, as it results in soft natural light. By shooting from the shade towards a brighter backdrop, we can underexpose the daylight and use the flash to lift our subject.

6 Focusing

Whenever we use a very wide aperture, f/2.8 in this case, we need to be very precise with where we are placing our focus. Here our depth of field will only amount to a couple of centimetres at the absolute most, so it’s vital to focus precisely on the eyes, or the closest eye if the face of the model is side-on.