10-15-2024 10:22 AM - last edited on 10-15-2024 10:24 AM by Danny
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!
10-15-2024 10:36 AM
What lens do you have?
At your level the kit lens should work fine. The idea is to practice, practice, practice. As you identify deficiencies, you can make changes.
10-15-2024 10:39 AM
I just have the kit lens right now. I'm hoping to make these looks as professional as possible!
10-15-2024 10:49 AM
Probably the best way to use your $500 budget is to get the RF 50mm F1.8 STM lens, currently $199 from Canon and spend the rest on one or two LED lights with soft boxes. I'd also study how professionals light headshots, knowing that it does vary between white background and in-conference room or office locations.
10-15-2024 10:50 AM
More gear will not make them look "professional", as I said, practice.
Find a good window with northern exposure and go for it. Just like the old masters.
10-15-2024 11:16 AM - edited 10-15-2024 11:27 AM
Pay attention to this........
"I just have the kit lens right now."
I can't any more strongly disagree with this advice.
"Probably the best way to use your $500 budget is to get the RF 50mm F1.8 STM lens, currently $199 from Canon and spend the rest on one or two LED lights with soft boxes.
First off you have 50mm in the kit lens already. Secondly using light boxes for a novice is wrought with issues.
Again read this once more, "More gear will not make them look more "professional"..."
I am a person that did this type work for 40 years for a large company in KC and my own private practice still to this day. Beyond the camera and lens you will need a suitable backdrop and some photo editing software. You can get the latter form Canon for free. Its called DPP4 and you d/l it form the Canon website.
"I'm hoping to make these looks as professional as possible!"
Then hire a professional photographer it is very much likely to be the cheapest way to go. I don't know your area or how many photos are needed so I don't know how far $500 bucks would go toward that.
10-15-2024 01:19 PM
As my colleagues have alluded to, this is a limiting budget and for any decent lens you will not be looking at a significant lighting rig. Personally, as @KVBarkely said, a good source of indirect natural light is best to give you a soft, even light so you don't need lighting gear. I recently took a series of headshots for a professional group and these are some samples of the results using that lighting technique.
Things of note:
1. I chose a plain, neutral background (I used a mid-gray as it was in the foyer of their building), I was looking for a consistent background - you don't want lots of significant changes in that or clutter.
the indirect light reduced facial shadows and makes people look younger (which you will find older folks like).
2. In my case I was using a full-frame camera with a focal length between 80-130mm - in your case, because you have a crop-sensor camera, which has a magnifying effect, you would select something in the range of 50-80mm.
3. I had the subjects about 3m (10ft) away from the wall, and shot with a focal range in the f/4-5.6 range.
4, I was using auto ISO but limited to 3200.
5. Make sure you have Face and Eye tracking for people turned on in the camera.
So, a lens as has been suggested one of the following, which you can get from the Canon Refurbished Lens Store a) $160 for a 50mm would give you an equivalent focal length for your camera of 80mm:
Shop Canon Refurbished RF50mm F1.8 STM | Canon U.S.A, Inc.
b) $490 for RF 80mm f/2 Macro lens - also excellent for portrait work at a shade under budget:
Shop Canon Refurbished RF85mm F2 Macro IS STM | Canon U.S.A., Inc.
In both cases you need to compose so that you get roughly the torso or bust in view, make sure the camera is level and get the subject to look directly at the lens. I often suggest they close their eyes and I give them a countdown to open them, at which point I take the shot - which makes the pupils of the eyes larger.
Men prefer to be slightly oblique to the camera (although not always depending on light women prefer to face on - it reduces wrinkles.
Take a few moments to talk to the person about their job, hobbies or whatever to make them relax it makes a difference to the muscles of the face and neck. Take several images, not just one.
You will need to do some post processing and if you have a art/marketing department they will likely have software and the skills to complete the image process.
Recon the location and find someone to practise with before the actual shoot to make sure you are not in learning mode.
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