Tip for head shot w/ wide or round face

[Vidau]

She has a pretty face but something wide and round:



The pose and the hair helps to thin the face:

 

[Stephen Knox]

She has a pretty face but something wide and round:

How about this method (exaggerated for effect)?...

The pose and the hair helps to thin the face:

Yeah, but you can't do every shot in a series just like that, so the wide face will show in other pictures anyway.

Probably the best way, without cheating like I did (some cams offer it as a feature), would be to narrow the face by the use narrow lighting.

Having said that, I don't see a problem with how she is.....a very attractive woman, more so in the first picture than the second IMHO.

Please don't tell me that you asked her, "Do you want me to do something about your fat face?

(just kiddin')

 

[Daniel Diaz]

She has a pretty face but something wide and round:



The pose and the hair helps to thin the face:

Beautiful lady, if you want to make people appear thinner use a wider lens setting, 18mm works well.

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[FriscoRon]

Short lighting would thin out her face.

 

[Vidau]

Thanks for your answers Stephen, Daniel and Frisco, but I disagree with slimming face with wider lens, does not give naturally thinner Appear, gives noticeable distortion.

Agree to use the flash light to the purpose, but these pictures are with natural daylight.

My solution is only one resource among many, that I share with pleasure with my DPreview friends.

Best regards.

 

[Brev00]

Not a portrait guy at all, but the first pic might benefit from a reflector, maybe a gold one to add warmth to the bluish shadows. I might try a few steps back and a longer lens. But, she is pretty and you might be overstating the issue. A little more light should do the trick.
--

brev99

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[Maxxuman]

I think people thought your subject heading was seeking tips for head shots with a wide face. I know I did.

Thanks for your answers Stephen, Daniel and Frisco, but I disagree with slimming face with wider lens, does not give naturally thinner Appear, gives noticeable distortion.

Yeah, I didn't understand that response at all. A wider angle lens seems the opposite of what you'd want.

Agree to use the flash light to the purpose, but these pictures are with natural daylight.

But the suggestion about short lighting could also be used with natural light. Having the light fall on the side of the subject's face away from the camera, then having them turn their head a little toward the light, so they're not facing you directly, could also help to narrow the face.

My solution is only one resource among many, that I share with pleasure with my DPreview friends.

The idea of tilting her head down with the hair hanging down at the sides has certainly helped give her face a slimmer appearance, so thanks for the suggestion. But it's not the sort of look most people would choose for their head shot.

 

[Vidau]

Not a portrait guy at all,

I do not find connection between your comment and the thread.

but the first pic might benefit from a reflector, maybe a gold one to add warmth to the bluish shadows. I might try a few steps back and a longer lens. But, she is pretty and you might be overstating the issue. A little more light should do the trick.

The title of the thread: Tip for head shot w/ wide or round face

Anyway thanks for participating. Best regards.

 

[Jon Tr]

Hair plus lighting and slight tilt:

 

[Jon Tr]

Hair plus lighting and slight tilt:

 

[Stephen Knox]

Not a portrait guy at all,

I do not find connection between your comment and the thread.

Hi Vidau, he's just saying that he's not a portrait shooter, but.....

Then he goes on to tell you what he thinks even though he's not a portrait shooter and stepping back and using a longer focal length can effect how big the face is portrayed, i.e. shooting wide angle can make the head, which is a bit further away from the lens, look smaller and that in turn will make the face look bigger. I think that's where he was coming from. I'm sure he'll say if it isn't.

but the first pic might benefit from a reflector, maybe a gold one to add warmth to the bluish shadows. I might try a few steps back and a longer lens. But, she is pretty and you might be overstating the issue. A little more light should do the trick.

The title of the thread: Tip for head shot w/ wide or round face

 

[Jon Tr]

Shorter focal lengths make the face thinner and longer make it broader:

http://petapixel.com/2011/11/07/a-striking-look-at-how-focal-length-affect-head-shots/

It doesn't mean that it will look better but stepping back and use longer focal length will certainly not make broad face look thinner!

 

[Brev00]

Not a portrait guy at all,

I do not find connection between your comment and the thread.

Hi Vidau, he's just saying that he's not a portrait shooter, but.....

Yes, I was just trying to indicate that I am not a professional so just sharing an amateur's point of view.

Then he goes on to tell you what he thinks even though he's not a portrait shooter and stepping back and using a longer focal length can effect how big the face is portrayed, i.e. shooting wide angle can make the head, which is a bit further away from the lens, look smaller and that in turn will make the face look bigger. I think that's where he was coming from. I'm sure he'll say if it isn't.

but the first pic might benefit from a reflector, maybe a gold one to add warmth to the bluish shadows. I might try a few steps back and a longer lens. But, she is pretty and you might be overstating the issue. A little more light should do the trick.

The title of the thread: Tip for head shot w/ wide or round face

What struck me about her face was not that it seemed fat. More uneven which I thought might have resulted from the lighting and/or the focal length. Even though another poster said that wide focal lengths make faces appear narrow, that was not really my point. They make faces distorted and uneven. But, no focal length info is stated. In terms of the lighting, her well lit cheek seems thinner than the shaded one giving a puffy impression that might be lessened by more light. Sorry if my thoughts are of no help to the op but Ithought I would explain fully so there is no misunderstanding.

 

[Kweide]

She is beautiful... Ways to change the appearance of her face are changing the light setup. Read about short light and broad light and what it does to a face and think of combinig it with differnt focal lenghts and viewing angles. Shoot a bit from above may have a slim effect as well, which is indeed enhanced using a short focal range. I would suggest 35 mm, not shorter .. And on the longer range something between 85 - 135 mm. But look out. The use of short focal range can have negativ, meaning distortion effects and the long focal range makes flat by compressing distances. I use telelens only fully openend to have the background smooth and with creamy bokeh. The same with 35 mm. Try to separate her from the background. Let the background run into bokeh and set your short light.

Use her hair as well. Let it run over her cheek, let it produce some long vertical shadow which has a slimm effect too.

And now have fun again and show more of her beautiful face...

 

[Hulamike]

Yeah. Makes her look like she just woke up.

whats wrong with her face anyway? lovely woman whose features are as valid as any other. I don't understand your goals and ambitions.

Vidau, if you're going to continue pretending to be a portrait photographer, you're going to have to learn lighting somewhere along the way.

 

[Irina Sh]

Very beautiful face, kind eyes, soft look. Preferable to choose a side lighting, it will help to visually narrow face. Perfect angle - shooting half-turned. You can also adjust the shape using hairstyles, hair covering her cheeks, or include in the frame arms, hiding part of her face and forming similes.

 

[Vidau]

Not a portrait guy at all,

I do not find connection between your comment and the thread.

Hi Vidau, he's just saying that he's not a portrait shooter, but.....

I'm clumsy with English, I translated "it was not portrait" I feel I owe an apology to Brev.

Thanks for your clarification Stephen. Best regards.

 

[Stephen Knox]

Not a portrait guy at all,

I do not find connection between your comment and the thread.

Hi Vidau, he's just saying that he's not a portrait shooter, but.....

I'm clumsy with English, I translated "it was not portrait" I feel I owe an apology to Brev.

Thanks for your clarification Stephen. Best regards.

Always happy to provide a translation service to keep things well oiled and running smoothly ;-)

Misunderstandings can be had among people of the same language, especially when not face to face, so it's to be expected when a person is reading things said in their second language.

The more of these misunderstandings you encounter and sort out, the more fluent you become and the less often it will happen. Just carry on posting and don't worry about it ;-)

Best regards to you too Vidau.

 

[Vidau]

Thank you very much Jon, for your interest and your valuable advice. Best regards.

 

[Vidau]

Brev00:

An apology for having mistranslated your valuable opinion, Stephen Knox, cleared my damaged brain, you have always been very kind to me and you have given me great advice.

Best regards

Vidau