I was given the chance to provide head and shoulder shots for the local Madison company, Clearspring Energy Advisors. They did the Mini-Shoot Plan which is just $49 for each person; also, each receives his/her favorite photo from the shoot. It is a very cost-effective way, while providing professional quality, for businesses to get photos of their executives. The following are the images they chose.
Here are tips for good head-shot photography:
1) An attractive catch light (a small dot of light in the eye) should be off to the side in the iris, not in the center (the pupil).
2) There should be no distracting stray hairs.
3) The background should be appropriate and properly lit.
4) The eyes should be perfectly in focus.
5) The person is to be positioned well while looking natural.
6) The facial tone should be natural and attractive.
7) A mild shadow should appear to the side of the face. Shadow provides depth and dimension to the face.
8) A hair light (light on the hair positioned from the rear) should be used. This adds separation from the background.
James Studio takes care to provide all of these elements to professional head shots. Another benefit is that the camera is tethered to a large high-definition monitor. This means that after a few shots, the subject reviews the pictures. Together we analyze the images for lighting, body and facial position, expression, facial tone, and more. Photography continues until the perfect shot is acheived. Tethered shooting to a large monitor is a huge benefit in achieving the perfect portrait.
