A nice headshot is a good thing to have and they come in all different flavors. We like to use soft, flattering light. Sometimes that comes from a window, or an overcast day, and sometimes we’ll create it on our own. We’ve found that a large Octabox gives us the light that we’re looking for. It’s an adaptor that shoots light through a soft, white piece of octagon-shaped fabric. We’ll bring a reflector and one or two strobes with 47-inch Octaboxes to a shoot. Depending on the existing light, we’ll either use them as fill or main lights. Sometimes we’ll use one to fill and put the other behind and to the side of the person as a soft rim light to separate them from the background. And the softness of the light is relative to the size of the light source and it’s proximity to the person being photographed. The bigger/closer, the softer the light. Each situation is unique, but the goal of creating  a softly lit photograph remains the same.

Regardless of the lighting though, it’s the expression that comes through the person that makes for a successful shoot. A good relationship between the people on both sides of the camera is important to getting the most out of a headshot and we try to create an easy-going atmosphere that keeps everyone comfortable and connected.

Above are a few examples of some headshots we’ve photographed over the years. Feel free to ask any questions about technique or approach and we’ll be happy to answer.

Thanks for looking!