Category Archives: Portrait

studio portrait, executive portrait, backgrounds, lighting

One Light Portrait-Flash

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Studio Portrait Composite

Professional Portrait

Both are one light (flash) portraits.
Einstein 640 @ 1/4 power
22″ beauty dish, diffused
ISO 100
Aperture f8
Shutter Speed 1/200
Daylight balanced
Canon 7 D 70-200 2.8
set to Neutral

It all begins with a well lit photo. The beauty dish was placed directly overhead of subject, just out of frame, using white foam core for fill bounce below at waist level.

Shot against a white backdrop brought in an artist to create Illustrator backgrounds with texture, and manipulated photo and backgrounds in Photoshop.

One Light Portrait

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one light portraitThink you need a full studio to take a terrific dramatic portrait?

This is a simple one light portrait, referred to as “Paramount Lighting” (AKA “Butterfly Lighting”).  Paramount Lighting was developed by a photographer at Paramount Studios in the 1930s. It was a dramatic and easy way to take publicity photos of their stars. It was an easy setup and proved to be very dramatic. Read more.

I used a 300 watt daylight fluorescent bulb and a small 16″ square soft-box with one diffuser panel. (No flash, continuous light)  Placed above the camera, pointed at the subject.  Used a tripod.

  • Aperture 2.8
  • Shutter Speed 1/160
  • ISO 640
  • 50mm 1.4 lens

In Photoshop I posterized the background, and saturated the orange decals.

Dog Portrait

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PortraitA simple shot:
35mm
Aperture wide open at 1.4
ISO 250
shutter speed 1/125

The dog is napping on the bed. To keep the camera steady I set it on a book.  The biggest challenge was waiting for the moment when the sun came around to the right spot through the window; and of course: trusting the subject would remain still! I chose to blow the shot out – no Photoshopping.