Headshot Advice Needed - Lens Recommendations

[hchinkel]

Hi everyone! 

I am taking our company's headshots but don't have much experience with photography. We recently purchased a Canon EOS R100, and I'm in need of lens recommendations. We'll be taking these indoors (Lighting kits recs would be great too!), and I'm hoping to keep the lens price $500 or less. I would greatly appreciate your help! 

[ebiggs1]

OK first lets make sure we know what you already have. You bought this Canon EOS R100 Mirrorless Camera with 18-45mm Lens? Let's be clear the 18-45mm is equivalent to approximately a 28-70mm lens on a FF camera which are the FL of the advice given above. 70mm wil be a good FL to use.

Try what you have first. Secondly about light as mentioned above natural light is always best. If you have the opportunity to go outside and do these shots, do that. Preferably a shady area that is out of direct sunlight.

This is a Senior photo but is the same technique. I used a 60mm equivalent lens which falls in the range of your kit lens. Keep in mind FL and be achieved with your feet as with feet from subject as well as with any lens.

Daylight in a shady area of Baker University campus. 60mm, f6.3, SS 250 and ISO 400. Don't make it more difficult than it has to be. KISS is best.

[wq9nsc]

Ernie,

My only objection to your response is you should have use bold font for your point about using natural light 🙂

I have done many types of photography for decades but doing artificial lighting WELL is an entire new area of knowledge.  I bought a pretty extensive Hensel studio flash setup several years ago with multiple monolight strobe heads, an assortment of light modifiers from simple umbrellas to beauty dishes, and a matching handheld light meter.  After 6 years I am still learning and improving.  It is easy to get mediocre results with artificial lighting and far more difficult to get excellent results.  Add to that there is a wide variation of style based upon the purpose, mood, and taste of the "client/decider" (i.e. do you want a fairly "flat" evenly illuminated head shot, something very dynamic with accentuated highlights, or something in the middle).  Illumination of the background becomes another important decision for a head shot.

Since Canon doesn't offer extensive studio style lighting and Hensel doesn't sell cameras or related imaging equipment, hopefully this link doesn't violate our site guidelines.  Hensel Light Guides showcase the work of some of the greats and most lighting setups are far more complex than what most here would use BUT it gives a newcomer a good idea of the wide variety of "style" that is considered good or great by different photographers with different tastes or client demands:  https://hensel.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/hensel_lightguide_2.pdf

Rodger