Hi, I'm currently in the process of learning portrait photography, hopefully towards taking actors headshots in the future.
After some research and lots of help here on the forum (thank you!) I've decided to purchase a Godox DP600iiiv and a Godox MS300v. I already have a Godox TT600 speedlight with an umbrella, which I've been using to help learn flash with the help of the Strobist blog.
I'm going to use the DP as the main light and experiment with using the MS as a fill, hair light, background or kicker light. I'll have the TT600 to add into the mix as well.
I now need to work out what modifiers to get. I'm thinking of a big soft box for the main light but there's a bewildering amount of options...
I've seen that there are parabolic soft boxes that come with diffusers and grids so you can use them in a few different ways. I've seen ones from Godox, Neewer and Smallrig. Do you think one or two of those would be a good option? Or maybe one of those for the main and a strip box for fill or hair light? I'm also unsure which size would be most appropriate for headshots?
As I'm ultimately hoping to use these for actors headshots I want light that's soft and flattering but not like a beauty portrait, the shots need to honestly represent the subject... at the same time I don't want very hard dramatic light that could be a little too phorensic!
Ideally the shots would look like they've been taken in golden hour but I imagine that's often what people are aiming for so apologies if that's a no brainer!!
Thanks in advance for any help.
Jon
Hey Jon!
You are correct in pointing out that there are enough softboxes on the market to wrap around the Earth and diffuse the Sun- excuse the hyperbole but it can drive someone who is trying to create a particular setup, NUTS! Everybody has their favorites, there is every size, shape configuration, standard, hybrid and physical construction. Separating the advertising claims and hype for reality can be mind-boggling. At the end of the day, all a softbox is, when you boil it down, is an enclosure with a interior reflective surcae (a soft reflector) with a convenient mechanism to support a scrim for a bit more diffusion. It converts a small source such as a monolight or standard lamphead into a significantly larger one. The larger the light source is, compared tothe size of the subject, the softer the lightg effect will be. Theoretically, you could make a softbox out of a cardboard box with a frosted plastic shower curtain or a worn-out section of a discarded bedsheet- but it would be awkward to employ.
Here's my point- You can buy any decent softbox or hybrid modifier of the highest quality and it won't necessarily produce the effect you are after. You can attach it to your lights but it will not magically produce the results. It's all in the technique and that goes beyond the lighting. There are sophisticated focusable Parabolic/Softbox hybrids but those also require their own set of techniques.
I have emphasized the italicized paragraph of your question because of the effect you are aspiring to is not strictly modifier-based. The aspects of softness and hardness, realism and fantasy, flattering the subject area all valid points. I know "headshots" are the current and accepted term but I prefer " theatrical portraiture" which I have been offering for many decades. I find that different agencies, theatrical production companies, casting agencies and directors, modeling agencies, and of course, the actors themself may have differet requirements and guidelines. I have had requests for everything from "raock hard- show all the warts" kinda character actor studies to total fuzz and everything in between. Much of these effects can be produced with one or two simple modofires on the main light and the aplication of numerous techniques.
If your basic goal is flattery yet realistic, besides and including the important lighting applications, you need to consider facial analysis wich involves camera position, viewof the face, and lens choice.
Some folks think of theatrical photography as fake, fuzzy, "Vasoline on the lens" and overly retouched. Even the "Old Hollywood" master didn't do that. It's the best camera angle and great lighting!
Facial analysis has to happen quickly. It is a matterof emphasizing the best facial features de-emphasizing the unflattering or any undesirable aspects and avoiding distortions. Distortion does not ONLY result from workg too close with a shot focal length lens. It can occur due to a bad camera position that shows half an ear, lengthens, and nose because it intersects with the upper lip, excessively widens or narrows a face, emphasizes a sagging jaw or neckline, or a receedig hairline. Too high a main light darkens the eye sockets and makes the subject look tired. Catchlights are important but they should math the light source. A large softbos is not going to produce pinpoint catchlights. The only catchlights I find distracting or objectionable are the types that look like donuts (from ring lights) or the ones that show up in the dead center of the pupil- it creates a kind of manic gaze. the list goes on! As for realism- will it be a full face, 2/3? profile? Eye contact? Lighting issues combined with camera position pose are broad or shot lighting, clamshell, butterfly, loop, Rembrandt, Split? Skin texture is somewhat governed by feathering. Contrast is a function of the lighting ratio.
Sadly, so many of the online courses and tutorials are equipment-based, and very little is discussed AESTHETICS where soft and hard are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg!
I wish I could recommend my favorite brand or model of a softbox. I am at a disadvantage because the one I use mostly at my studio is old- I have no recollection of where it came from, the label fell off and I don't know who made it. It is about 24 inches square and it is hooked up to a monolight. I use it for "headshots" and 3/4 lenght portraits and I have some bigger ones for groups and full-length shots. I have umbrellas, beauty dishes, and all kinds of metal reflectors. If however, I have to shoot the entire cast of a play, 30 headshots for an agency, or a bunch of new kids for a modeling or theater school, all in a limited time frame, the old nameless softbox does the trick.
If you do not have a studio or frequently have to work on location and need to set up and break down, hurriedly at times, the build and mechanisms of softboxes and foldable modifiers have to be considered. You will pay more for better quality construction and more durable materials.
If you have a permanent setup, I have included a BASIC lighting diagram based on waht I have in daily use. It is set up so I can work quickly and accurately and concentrate on the aesthetics and capturing natural expressions. The main light is completely mobile and moves quickly to any on or off-camera/subject axis. The (fixed) fill lights a large softbox at zero degrees behind the camera. The kicker is also mobile and comes in form anywhere from 90 to 135 degrees on the same side where the main light is placed. The highlight is on a boom and also coming in the same direction as the main. Righ or the left- the accet lig follows the ad for a unified direction of light. For a special kind of "stage lightig effect," I may use a double kicker- both sides. The background light can be a small unit aimed at th background e or a bare bulb. Or a small unt aired, from behind the subject's head, at the hair. Basic exposure is for the main light, Contrast/rate is controlled by the power settings on the fill unit. The accent lights all come in at a steeper angle of incidence and they may appear brighter to avoid burned-out highlights you may need to reduce them, defuse them more, or feather them accordingly.
Golden hour? I like it! Well, it may pertain to out-of-doors natural light in the late afternoon before sunset when the light is extremely directional and warm. The "magic hour" is just after sunset before the sky goes black and the skyscape is kinda of azure blue, especially yo white baleis set for warm street or tungsten lighting. If you want warm skin tones you can adjust the white balance, filter your lights, or use a "gold" umbrella.
Well. are we having fun yet? Don't become confused. upset or frustrated. Setting up is like a vacation trip. It's expensive and half the fun is getting there!
I hope this helps.
Ed Shapiro- Commercial and Portrait Photographer. Ottawa, Ontario Canada
