Photographing mature aged and elderly women

[Quadraphenia]

I'm looking for online classes, tutorials, articles on how to take flattering photos (headshots) of women over 50.

Google gave me almost nothing and all the classes I've watched on portrait photography and lighting use young models with few skin flaws.

Is there anyone who can point me in the right direction or better still give me some tips?

Much appreciated

 

[AlbertTheLazy]

Use big, soft light sources. Shooting outside in the sun is a recipe for wrinkles.

If you are planning to do this a lot I'd strongly suggest a proper studio environment, maybe with white walls and ceiling that you can bounce lights off. Main light would be a decent sized softbox. The whole idea is to see the shape of the features but minimise 'defects' like wrinkles, hairs, bad skin or whatever.

Be prepared to do some image softening, either in post or with a 'portrait filter' if you want to go the traditional route.

Ask in the Studio Lighting or Portrait forums -- I'm a bit rusty on this.

 

[jbcohen]

Go to images.google.com and enter Barbara Bush, take a look at some of the photos that the pros have taken of her and get some ideas.

 

[henryp]

Be prepared to do some image softening, either in post or with a 'portrait filter' if you want to go the traditional route.

For years and years I've used a Sailwind 3x3" Pro Soft Diffusion #3 filter. IMO it is perfect for this application. When I used it for weddings my proofs looked better than other people's finished retouched work. The mother of the bride and her mother were ALWAYS delighted.

I also recommend 3:1 lighting with a large softbox for the main light and a white (not silver) umbrella for the fill.

 

[hotdog321]

Broad, flat illumination, a real makeup person and a telephoto in the 180mm-200mm range. Finally, post processing cleanup can help a lot, too, depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

 

[dlpruk]

Look down on women and up to men. No, not being provocative; just suggesting that ladies become conscious of neck wrinkles and men of hair loss.

 

[geru]

Light, light and more light. The idea is to make sure that the face is well lit so that the wrinkles, crevices, and etc don't show up as dark lines.

Whatever you do never bounce light of a ceiling to capture a mature woman it creates ugly shadows and emphasises wrinkles and life lines. Nothing wrong with photographing outside just make sure you know how to use fill flash and I suggest you do it with off camera flash.



This is a photograph of my wife who will be 68 tomorrow. The photo isn't as much as a portrait but a demonstration of off camera fill flash (no modifier). She would kill me if I posted the no fill shot, it was ugly. The point is to light your subject so that the lines/wrinkles are filled with light. This is a straight out of the camera shot, no post processing.

Almost all photo/portraits of older women will require some PP just make sure that the PP is done with a light touch and the better lit the portrait is the less hard handedness you'll need in PP.

 

[hotdog321]

Look down on women and up to men. No, not being provocative; just suggesting that ladies become conscious of neck wrinkles and men of hair loss.

Good tip.

 

[Mark S Abeln]

I'd use a wide aperture lens wide open for minimal depth of field and maximal softness.

 

[kli]

Clamshell lighting. Key overhead, fill directly below; both diffused to be as soft as possible; camera between the two lights.

Having the lower light pointed upwards helps to fill in all the under-the-jaw stuff. I do it with two shoot-thru umbrellas.

In post, if you're in Lightroom, adding a touch of negative Clarity can also help smooth out wrinkles, but don't overdo it, or it'll start to look all vaseline-over-the-lens.

You may want to google "Peter Hurley" to get some tips on headshot posing.

 

[Quadraphenia]

some great tips, thanks everyone. :-D

 

[Quadraphenia]

Thanks Albert. I'll be using off camera flash, but I don't have a softbox (yet). I do have a flash diffuser (Gary Fong Lightsphere).

Hoping it will be enough to get started.

 

[Quadraphenia]

Excellent tip! Thanks jbcohen

 

[Quadraphenia]

I'll check out the sailwind - thanks henryp

 

[Quadraphenia]

Hotdog are you suggesting front flash rather than bounced flash? I'm not a pro and don't have a studio so sadly no makeup person but I can use the lens you suggest.

Thanks for the tips

Broad, flat illumination, a real makeup person and a telephoto in the 180mm-200mm range. Finally, post processing cleanup can help a lot, too, depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

--
photojournalist
http://craighartley.zenfolio.com/

 

[Quadraphenia]

nice suggestion. A bit concerned though that by shooting down I will create shadows under wrinkles. I'm restricted to flash because I'll be inside at night and it's all I have right now. Will a softbox help with the shadow thing?

Look down on women and up to men. No, not being provocative; just suggesting that ladies become conscious of neck wrinkles and men of hair loss.

 

[Quadraphenia]

Ahh I see. I thought that lots of light would be too harsh but your example shows not. thanks for posting the pic, it really helps.

 

[Quadraphenia]

Clamshell lighting. Key overhead, fill directly below; both diffused to be as soft as possible; camera between the two lights.

Having the lower light pointed upwards helps to fill in all the under-the-jaw stuff. I do it with two shoot-thru umbrellas.

Way above my skill and equipment level right now - but the suggestions help me to understand the required lighting better.

In post, if you're in Lightroom, adding a touch of negative Clarity can also help smooth out wrinkles, but don't overdo it, or it'll start to look all vaseline-over-the-lens.

Lower clarity - nice!

You may want to google "Peter Hurley" to get some tips on headshot posing.

Sha-bang

 

[dlpruk]

nice suggestion. A bit concerned though that by shooting down I will create shadows under wrinkles. I'm restricted to flash because I'll be inside at night and it's all I have right now. Will a softbox help with the shadow thing?

Look down on women and up to men. No, not being provocative; just suggesting that ladies become conscious of neck wrinkles and men of hair loss.

The shadow from the ladies' chin should help to hide them, then a Lightroom brush to soften any wrinkles that still seem unflattering. Or the spot removal tool set with low opacity.

(Dunno anything about soft boxes!)

 

[John Deerfield]

Thanks Albert. I'll be using off camera flash, but I don't have a softbox (yet). I do have a flash diffuser (Gary Fong Lightsphere).

Hoping it will be enough to get started.

Not really. Soft light is completely dependent on the size of the light source. The GFLS does not create a larger light source on it's own. It only creates a larger light source when bouncing the flash off a wall or ceiling. At which point you probably don't need the GFLS! As others have pointed out, you really need a large light source to create the softest possible light. Direction of light will reveal depth, color and texture. So it really becomes a balance of what you want to achieve: more direction reveals depth, color & texture. Less direction (light on the lens axis) gives you a flatter light which can be desirable when photographing the elderly. Personally, I would still opt for a direction of light with low contrast. I would be aiming for 2:1 or less (3:1 is a bit high for my taste and the elderly). Although I like the idea of using a soft focus filter.