How to reduce shine on face?

[Weber101]

I am openig litlle studio for portraits (passport photo).

Now I have only one flash strobe 180W with 33" white/black umbrela.

Of corse, I will buy more eqiupment, but for now I tray to learn basic with this simple setup.

After few test shots, photos are solid, but i on the face (forehead and nose) is too much shine, looking too bright.

I know to reduce that in program, but I don't want to loose so much time for that. What can I doo with lightnih equipment to reduce shine on peoples face?

Tnx!

 

[TiagoReil]

Makeup, good care of skin. There is nothing you can do with lights. The skin is acting as a shiny surface. You can try to find an angle where it is not reflecting, but as it is a curved surface, not flat, there will be always a spot where it reflects.

I am openig litlle studio for portraits (passport photo).

Now I have only one flash strobe 180W with 33" white/black umbrela.

Of corse, I will buy more eqiupment, but for now I tray to learn basic with this simple setup.

After few test shots, photos are solid, but i on the face (forehead and nose) is too much shine, looking too bright.

I know to reduce that in program, but I don't want to loose so much time for that. What can I doo with lightnih equipment to reduce shine on peoples face?

Tnx!

 

[Sailor Blue]

Proper lighting will reduce the amount of shine on the face but even with the best lighting it can still appear if the skin is oily. As TiagoReil said, good makeup is a necessity. Unfortunately normal makeup doesn't work as well as it should with photographic lights.

The better photographers work with professional makeup artists who have special makeup for photography, and neither the makeup artist or their makeup is cheap.

In your case I recommend you do the following as an absolute minimum.

Buy one of B&H's Impact brand 60" umbrellas for your flash. This large umbrella will give you softer lighting and reduce the size and intensity of reflections from the skin. Position the opening of the umbrella 8'-9' from the subject with the center about face high. A line from the camera to the subject to the center of the umbrella should form an angle of about 35° to 40°.

Place the umbrella opening 90º to the subject, i.e. parallel with a line between the subject and the camera lens. Adjust the position so that the subject is only lit by the back edge of the umbrella. The rest of the face of the umbrella will send soft light onto the shadow side of the face.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/423631-REG/Impact_UBBW60_60_Convertible_Umbrella.html

Go to any makeup counter or even to a 7-11 and buy packages of those oil absorbing papers that girls use to blot oil on their faces. Go to a good makeup counter and buy a soft brush and some Clinique Transparency 3 powder. Go to a drug store and buy some rubbing alcohol.

Blot the subject's face with sheets of oil absorbing paper then brush on a very tiny amount of the powder. Keep brushing until you can't see any powder on the face. There will still be enough there to kill the shine but it won't show up in your photographs.

Sterilize the brush between clients by swishing it a few minutes in a jar of rubbing alcohol then air dry it.

CAUTION! Rubbing alcohol is flammable so never do this when smoking or when near an open flame.

 

[Weber101]

Thank you!

I can't use make up to photograph people for passports
So I need to do that with light, even just for reduce shine

What's better to use, one umbrella 60" or two light with ubrela 33" for reduce shine?

 

[TangoMan]

Use a polarizing filter. Rotate it until it eliminates the unwanted shine.

Just be careful to always use the camera in the same orientation (portrait vs landscape), as rotating the filter will make its effect stronger or weaker.

 

[jeffcpix]

Using what you have...
either bring the umbrella much closer to the subject so that
the spectral highlight (what you call reflection) is much broader
or do not use the umbrella and move the source as far
away as possible, thereby reducing the size of the reflection on
the skin surface.

 

[itsDing]

Quick fix. For men give them a big tissue/towel to wipe their face dry. For women some finishing powder if they are already wearing makeup. Have you got a reflector the opposite side of your light, if not then get one or use a white wall.

 

[itsDing]

l dont know how high your ceiling is but the picture of me was taken bouncing the light off my kitchen ceiling which is 8ft high, minimal hot spots. The bounce was from a light angled behind me about 60 degrees and slightly off centre. Always meter this kind of lighting, if on auto you will be forever messing about with EC. If the light is camera mounted always keep the same distance to subject (use a tripod) and zoom.

 

[itsDing]

More! You can use a light stand positioned between you and the subject (off to the side a little) to mount your light on if you dont want to have it on camera, angle it backwards into the ceiling. Start by pointing it backwards so the beam will hit the ceiling roughly above the camera, you can play around a bit with height and angle to get the lighting you want. You dont need a studio light or umbrella. A simple flash gun like a Vivitar 285/283 on manual will do the job, half power will give you faster recycling. Just alter the iso to match the f stop you want. Once you get the setup how you want then mark the floor where the light stand is used so you can always go back to the same settings if you need to take the gear away for other work. Hotspots will be minimal with such a large spread of light., no need for makeup, quick and easy. Good luck !

 

[HarlieO]

Hi. Try Shineoff software from Image Trends. Ive used it and it works pretty good. Here is the link. http://www.imagetrendsinc.com/products/prodpage_shine.asp and they give you a free trial period too.

 

[srbh41413]

Thanks, HarlieO. This worked pretty well for me, too. Hope they can refine it though.

 

[gsrokmix]

Hi,

I use Johnson & Johnson's "Clean & Clear" films. They are little travel tissue sized wipes that will take the oil right off of the skin. You can buy large quantities of these from China, and they are really cheap. You can give someone usually one little wipe, and that will work for their entire face. It takes a second, & then they throw it in the trash, very simple & effective.

I always have several little packages of these in my bag, and use them all the time.

Thanks,

George

 

[Abrak]

I know to reduce that in program, but I don't want to loose so much time for that. What can I doo with lightnih equipment to reduce shine on peoples face?

Tnx!

There is a plugin called 'shine off' from 'Image Trends' which does exactly as the label implies and takes less than 30 seconds.

 

[itsDing]

That will work for men but women who have makeup already on will need a facepowder to dull any reflections. Which brand l dont know, ask a woman.

 

[Ellis Vener]

The "powder papers" don't really add or hide any facial feature just knock down the shine on oily skin.

 

[DavidNJ100]

I am openig litlle studio for portraits (passport photo).

Now I have only one flash strobe 180W with 33" white/black umbrela.

Of corse, I will buy more eqiupment, but for now I tray to learn basic with this simple setup.

After few test shots, photos are solid, but i on the face (forehead and nose) is too much shine, looking too bright.

I know to reduce that in program, but I don't want to loose so much time for that. What can I doo with lightnih equipment to reduce shine on peoples face?

Tnx!

I was shown this 10 years ago with respect to video. Does the job right away. However, the J&J wipe info in another post looks good and possibly better, less objectionable to the person be photographed.