# Headshots look like mugshots. Help?



## aribabybug (Apr 23, 2010)

My mother-in-law wants some headshots for her renaissance faire cast to use in their promotional materials. I am a part-time wedding and portrait photographer, mostly for friends and family but with a few paid shoots. I told her that I had never done headshots before, but she insisted that I could do them easily. After we did the first round, she immediately started complaining, saying that they "aren't headshots" and "look like mugshots." Granted, these aren't the best headshots I've ever seen (and the eyes are not as sharp as I'd like), and even though I've done a bit of research I'll admit that I'm not in any way an expert about headshots. She wants me to come back out tomorrow and redo them all, but I'm not sure how to do it differently. I'm planning on being above, rather than on a level with, the models, and to try and angle them in some way, but I'm worried the pictures will turn out the same. Any suggestions? I'm including what I think is the best and the worst of the batch.


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## c.cloudwalker (Apr 23, 2010)

You may want to ask your m-i-l what she means by headshot because real headshot are basically mugshot with better lighting.

Headshots are very boring and simple shots meant to show a person as they really are. Period. Your background in the two samples is actually a bit too creative for a a headshot :lmao:


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## Gallifrey (Apr 23, 2010)

I understand your problem, I've had it myself, and am still working on it. From reading (and looking at) many portrait photography books, I've gathered some interesting ideas. One, don't always have your subjects facing towards you. Try having the subject look over his shoulder at you, or as a profile, with his eyes slanted towards you. Also try to direct his eyes down, or above you, or just to the left or right of the camera, for added interest. For another, don't just stick with smiles: get him talking, and snap away as he show true expression. You will get a lot of eyes-half-closed-mouth-half-open pictures, but you will also get some real candor. 

I hope this helps: it's a tough assignment but, especially with your background, has the potential to be magnificent! Good luck!

-Gallifrey


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## Vinny (Apr 23, 2010)

Not trying to be funny or sarcastic but I would use whatever technique that you shoot portraits (I actually thought that portraits were head shots). I'm not into this type of photography other than a quick snapshot so I can only give whatever I've read ... Use about 105mm focal length, keep the flash at an angle preferably with 2 strobes (sounds like portrait), higher f stop (less depth of field) and possibly a better backdrop (solid color). I've witnessed a dozen or so kid sports photography shoots and they all have 2 umbrellas for the close ups.


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## aribabybug (Apr 23, 2010)

Yeah, I don't care for this background, and wanted to use a solid backdrop, but MIL insisted that this background was perfect and that the backdrop would be too boring.


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## c.cloudwalker (Apr 23, 2010)

Exactly why you need to ask her to tell you exactly what it is she wants. Most photogs don't even understand headshots. I do only because I worked in a town where theater and movies were big and there were plenty enough customers to make it worth learning.

I used to have a link to a great write up on headshots from someone on MM but he pulled it and unfortunately, not thinking this would ever happen, I had not copied it.

In your case, it would not have helped anyway because I don't think your m-i-l actually wants headshots. Just ask her.


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## aribabybug (Apr 23, 2010)

I think that's a good point. Rather than stressing out by looking at hundreds of headshots, I need to try and figure out what she wants. Showing her a bunch of headshots and asking which she liked didn't help much, so I'm thinking that I'll have her sit with me and take some practice shots and immediately put them on the computer. Then she can make the changes she wants, regardless of whether it's a headshot.


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## c.cloudwalker (Apr 23, 2010)

You could there for days doing this. Sorry. Just ask her to define a headshot and write it down.

Then, move on to your idea. Man, I hate working for friends and family :lmao:


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## aribabybug (Apr 23, 2010)

Yeah, I've decided that I think I hate it too. Oh well, I'll know better next time.


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## KmH (Apr 23, 2010)

aribabybug said:


> Yeah, I don't care for this background, and wanted to use a solid backdrop, but MIL insisted that this background was perfect and that the backdrop would be too boring.


Just hand MIL the camera, she's obviously an expert. 

This is why when my family asks me to shoot *for* them they pay full price just like everyone else.

If I initiate the shoot, it's free including any prints and framing.


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## Derrel (Apr 23, 2010)

I'd definitely try and avoid the severely downward-sloping shoulder look that the subject in the first shot has--that is a very bad 'look' for a man. Same with the cut-off gold chain...either ditch the chain, or show it in its entirety; he's a ren-fair actor...maybe there's a gold medallion at the bottom of the chain? Cropping the chain creates a mental question, and also creates a V-shaped line that directs the viewer's eyes right away from his face.

The background is  barely 'okay'; it's stone work, which is sort of old timey and Renaissance Faire-like at some level, but the dark black mortar lines are competing for attention with the faces. A much longer lens focal length, or a longer distance behind the subjects to the backdrop, would sublimate the background and make it less competitive for the viewer's eyes.

To get rid of that slope-shouldered look, all you need to do is have the guy put one hand on a hip, and the other in his front pocket....presto...shoulders more squared and "manly", and a slight variation in shoulder height. A little bit of foot rotation away from the camera-lens axis will angle the shoulders to the camera, which is the opposite of a mug shot. Same with arms folded across the chest, and the guy angled slightly away from the camera, and his head turned back to the lens, and allowing him to emote--a much more dynamic positioning of the body, unlike a mugshot. You want the chest to go across the entire width of the bottom on the frame on a head-and-shoulder shot like these--do not turn the body so far that there is a empty space at the bottom left or right of the camera where there is no torso and only the background shows--that's a sort of unwritten rule that many people are unfamiliar with.

The lighting in these is awfully flat and soft for men...you did a good job keeping eyeglass glare at bay, but the lighting on both is too soft and diffused for my taste. I would be tempted to move the fill light umbrella back another 3 or 4 feet to give a bit more dimension to their faces.


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## c.cloudwalker (Apr 23, 2010)

KmH said:


> Just hand MIL the camera, she's obviously an expert.



:thumbup:

Sometimes that is all there is to do. :lmao:  Very good way of putting it.


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## table1349 (Apr 23, 2010)

Masculine / Feminine Poses...: Lighting Technique Forum: Digital Photography Review

http://www.photodigital.net/zeltsman/


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## ghpham (Apr 24, 2010)

I'm confused.  I thought portrait photographers specialize in head and shoulder shots? perhaps that's what she meant?? head shots but not squared to the camera?


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## kkamin (Apr 24, 2010)

I know people are supporting your frustration and in favor of telling the lady to go "F" herself, but in my humble opinion, your examples look like fairly simple snap shots with a shallow depth of field and lack the energy of a 'head shot'.  I think what she wants and probably cannot articulate are staged but vibrant and polished looking portraits that I feel are hallmarks of the performer's head shot (e.g. actor, artist, etc.).   There are many rules of portraiture that have existed since the time of the formal painters.  It dictates for whatever reason the best way to capture people in a flattering way.  You can break it but if it isn't clear on why you are doing it, it will come off an incompetence.  Compound that history and knowledge with bringing out the spirit of individual at the time of capture and you have a hard task on your hands.  Take a look at a high school yearbook and look at how retarded the images look.  I'm losing my point right now, besides saying that I feel you might be underestimating what is required of this assignment, even it if is somewhat casual.  I would recommend delving into the rules of portraiture and them studying the nuances of head shots.  Good luck.


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## magkelly (May 8, 2010)

You might want to google "actor head shot" and take a look. Pay particular attention to anything that's character actor oriented or oriented to historical plays. What she's probably looking for isn't just your basic squared, dead center head shot that looks like it could go on in a passport but something with a bit more personality. 

Even standard actor head shots do tend to use things like diagonal lines, 3/4 poses, people looking over their shoulders, anything that makes the shot personal and helps them stand out from the crowd. 

Unless you're using a completely neutral background, usually it's white or black, and making the person the complete focus of the shot about the worst thing you can do is use a flat background like that, old-fashioned bricks or not. Honestly, that background makes them both look the same and more like standard portrait studio/school picture day shots than actor head shots. 

You'd have to vary that and use different poses or they will all come out looking way too generic for a Ren troupe. If you're talking Ren Faire, then why not do them in clothing vaguely akin to their usual costumes, at least in so far as the shirt goes. 

Why let them all dress them up all like Joe Schmoe? That doesn't tell you much about what they'd look like on the job and if I was going to be advertising or hiring for that I'd definitely expect to see a far more artsy look to their clothing than this. 

They're actors. I've never met an actor yet, particularly a Ren actor that looks like this unless they're dressed down for the day job or something. (I used to do Ren work actually.) These guy actually have wonderful historical "theatre" character actor faces but in these pics they both look more like someone's next door neighbor who probably works in some casual corporate office or something than actual creative types. 

They don't have to be in full blown get up complete with doublet, unless they prefer that, and she does too, but getting them out of the normal menswear you might see them on the street and into something with something less modern usually helps.  

They'd probably give you more to work with if you did. Ren actors tend to have a lot more personality when they are in their theatre type clothes than not. They get into it and relax a lot, and generally have more fun thereby giving you what you want.


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## Sw1tchFX (May 8, 2010)

The best thing you can do when doing headshots is to angle the subject. Angle the shoulders, your first attemps look like mugshots because...well...they are. 


Your mother in law is absolutely right, not matter how much you try to argue against her. The lighting is perfectly even, the shoulders are perfectly even, and the subjects are looking dead on straight at the camera, drop in a blue background and they'd look like DMV drivers licenses.  

If you're going to make the lighting even, the subject has to be uneven. 

Here's an example of the very first time i did headshots, ever. It was a paid assignment, they had the logistics figured out, all i had to do was show up and shoot for two hours. i had just done a little research on some good poses and found something that would work both for men and women alike. 

They all looked something like this:








When I started shooting, I remember looking at the LCD and intuitively figuring out what needs to be done. You have to be able to think on your toes.

I figured out to sit EVER SO SLIGHTLY below them. This angles them up, makes them look more assertive.

Leave lots of room on the bottom, because these were going to be printed 8x10, and it worked out better to chop off more chest and leave room at the top for the head. 

Tilt the head inward for men, outward for women. Totally exaggerating masculinity and femininity. 

for gods sake, single point focus on the eyes. nobody cares about the rest, as long as the eyes are sharp. 

You do them enough, it becomes textbook and there's no reason you shouldn't be able to reproduce it over and over again.


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## herrickphoto (May 8, 2010)

Think you might be better off going with a simpler background. If you need to shoot outdoors, try a black one (less shadowy). Also it might help to ask the actors to lean forward on something and tilt their heads a bit? I've got headshots on my site at Professional Headshot and Portrait Photography by Lynn Herrick if you want to have a look. Good luck!


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## flightless_beaker (May 9, 2010)

aribabybug said:


> Yeah, I don't care for this background, and wanted to use a solid backdrop, but MIL insisted that this background was perfect and that the backdrop would be too boring.



Sounds like you should just give the camera to your MIL and let her do it. Part of having you be the photographer is that you decide how to creatively compose the shot. Sounds like she's being a bit too controlling for you to create the shots that you want. I like the background of your shots but I do find them boring. Not necessarily mugshots though. Look to me like better ID photos.


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## IgsEMT (May 9, 2010)

Didn't really read other replies...

Learn posing. Classical/traditional poses do not nearly look like mug-shots.


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## herrickphoto (Jan 29, 2011)

I'd say the pose is half of what makes a good shot. There are loads of books (try Amazon search for 'posing') on this subject and they can be really helpful!


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## djacobox372 (Feb 2, 2011)

Google "headshots" and look that images that come up.  Pick some of your favorites and imitate.  Here are some examples:

http://www.claudeschneider.com/images/photos/headshots/headshots_03.jpg

http://www.iangrantphotography.com/headshots/la_executive_headshots-2.jpg

http://www.headshots-newyork.com/womens_portfolio/headshots_new_york_12.jpg

http://www.armenasadorian.com/headshot/headshots/page_1_05.jpg

http://www.aceheadshots.com/assets/lvheadshots-wallace-1.jpg


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## gsgary (Feb 2, 2011)

Make sure you use some better settings both those shots are soft due to shutter speed


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## skyy38 (Feb 3, 2011)

aribabybug said:


> My mother-in-law wants some headshots for her renaissance faire cast to use in their promotional materials. I am a part-time wedding and portrait photographer, mostly for friends and family but with a few paid shoots. I told her that I had never done headshots before, but she insisted that I could do them easily. After we did the first round, she immediately started complaining, saying that they "aren't headshots" and "look like mugshots." Granted, these aren't the best headshots I've ever seen (and the eyes are not as sharp as I'd like), and even though I've done a bit of research I'll admit that I'm not in any way an expert about headshots. She wants me to come back out tomorrow and redo them all, but I'm not sure how to do it differently. I'm planning on being above, rather than on a level with, the models, and to try and angle them in some way, but I'm worried the pictures will turn out the same. Any suggestions? I'm including what I think is the best and the worst of the batch.


 
YES, get a little above them and use a neutral background.

For petes sake, tell them to "act it up" a bit, get a little drama in there and not the same old "I Just Ate Your Girlfriend" look.

Not just color but B+W would be good also, maybe even better!


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## stevenrecords (Feb 3, 2011)

For head shots I like to use a single light slightly from one side. You can also have your subject do a better stance than just standing straight at the camera. I agree with an earlier post to change the background as well. Since it is for the Ren. fair you could shoot them based around that theme.


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## GeneralBenson (Feb 3, 2011)

With commercial photography like this, you're basically doing product photography, but the people are the product. It's important to remember the difference between personal or editorial portraiture and commercial portraiture. With the former, it's just about being a photo of the person, whoever they are, their personality, and so on. With the latter, the person is the commodity, and you're trying to sell it. It's no different than if you were taking a picture of a car or a blender. You're trying to find out what it is that this thing does or is known for or what it is that should make other people want it, and bring that out in the best way. Whether it's the strength of a CEO, the beauty of a model, or the character of an actor. 

Lots of good stuff has already been covered in this thread about the lack of good posing and the flat, boring lighting. But the biggest problem, imho, is that nothing about these images makes me think Ren player, and nothing in them would make me interested in them if I were the kind of person looking to hire Ren players. heir ability to be in Ren fairs, and act parts, and play different characters, and have different looks is what you're trying to show and shell, and none of that is in there.

Above all, these people as actors, should have lots of personality. But from what I see, they either don't have personality, or they failed to let it shine through, or you failed to draw it out and capture it. Likely a bit of all three. I don't mean that to sound excessively harsh, but it's what I see. 

I think one of the big thigns with portrait photography, is being so comfortable with lighting and posing, that your entire focus can be on engaging and drawing out the personality that is in front of your camera.


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## GeneralBenson (Feb 3, 2011)

Also, correct if I'm wrong, but that is a fake bokeh, isn't it? As in, you made a selection of the people, and added fake lens blur to the background? It just doesn't look right, and I think that is a big part of why the images look off.


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## GeneralBenson (Feb 3, 2011)

Also, just found this. It's on some Hollywood. It's basically a video sales pitch for his headshot photography, and from a video stand point, is pretty poorly done. But I think there some pretty good info in it that might help you out.

headshots los angeles by michael roud | headshots los angeles


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