Any portrait photographers on here?

[Globalti]

This weekend I will be in a YHA in Scotland with my long-time climbing buddy and about 45 of his oldest friends, celebrating his final Munroe by climbing it en masse. I actually climbed his first Munroe with him in Torridan about 20 years ago.

As a commemorative gift for my buddy I plan to do one of those picture books, which you can make online and get printed, containing a portrait of each couple or individual. The side benefit will be that it will feed my own growing interest in portrait photography.

I will be shooting with an oldish Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ7 and I understand the principles of portrait photography so I will try to stick with a focal length of 80 -100 mm in order to keep facial proportions real. If I can't get good shots outdoors on the mountain I will be shooting indoors using a higher sensitivity, hence a little more noise and the possibility of some blurring. At least with digital you can bracket and delete. My biggest concern is that YHAs are mostly lit by flourescent tubes, which could cast a nasty greeny blue hue on my pics as well as shadows, although probably not as bad as incandescent lights. I don't want to use flash. Actually I think the Lumix has a setting for flourescent light, will check.

Anybody got any suggestions or ideas?

 

[ianrauk]

Ping @ttcycle

 

[8mile]

Hi Globalti, Soonds like a excellent weekend.

There should be a flourescent and incandescent setting on the camera's white balance setting. To avoid camera shake without the flash you may be able to select shutter priority where you can select a speed upwards of 1/30 th sec and the camerra will select appropriate apterture and ISO settings. If you are at the YHA in daylight hours I would try using window light to create a natural studio for more dynamically lit portaits.

For outddors I whilst longer focal lenghts are great for portraiture you could also try wide angle shots with subject to one side and some of the scenery to the other for a bit of context.

Cheers.

 

[Doseone]

I'm no photographer, but if you're shooting inside I wouldn't bother messing with the WB settings, they almost never come out right. If you shoot in RAW it makes it nice and easy to correct the WB if you need to later when you edit.

I think unless it was throwing it down with rain I'd be busting a gut to shoot outside.

Have a great weekend, sounds like it should be brilliant.

 

[snorri]

Don't rely on an online spellchecker to check proper names in photo captions before going to final production of the album.

 

[Norm]

The FZ7 is a nice camera, I'd be amazed if it didn't sort out the white balance without any intervention.

 

[amasidlover]

If you can take a small tripod that will help avoid blurring, failing that use whatever you can to brace your arm against when shooting.

You can still use natural light indoors providing the building has windows - set-up yourself and the subject so the line between you is parallel with the window, i.e., light from the window will fall on one side of the subject's fave; add a reflector (£10 off ebay) or as big a piece of white/silver paper or card as you can find to reflect light to the other side of the subject's face (you may need an assistant to hold it - the paper/reflector, not the subject's face...)

 

[david1701]

The FZ7 is a nice camera, I'd be amazed if it didn't sort out the white balance without any intervention.

lol never trust the computer to make the right decision they never nail it canon 5d/1d user

@globalti lighting is the biggest thing here so shoot indoors only if you have a nice funky window for some window light or something else funky going on otherwise go for outdoors and a little bit of open shade with maybe a reflector knocking around to increase/decrease the contrast ratio. All the standard stuff about v big apertures for individuals and keeping the shutter good and high as blur looks shoot (like 1/250 is probably best else the keeper rate falls dramatically). Oh and nowt wrong with overshooting when you aren't sure

Oh and if you're designing a book try using lightroom to handle all the raw files as it now has a book maker in it that works with a few diff companies. Theres a 30 day free trial and you might just fall in love with it as the ultimate photoediting/management tool

 

[ttcycle]

Sounds fun!

With the focal length you're working with - you've got to be careful with camera shake. A tripod if you're indoors but bear in mind that with that tele you'll have to shoot from relatively far back - does your venue have room for you to shoot two three metres back?

Window light suggestion is always a classic as you're replicating a natural soft box- if there are neutral or darkish coloured curtains that is a good backdrop but be careful it doesn't become too destracting - obviously a low aperture setting nicely blurs out the background.

On the mountain (imagine the views!) you may want to take a wide angle as well for versatility. Depending on the weather, I'm guessing if it isn't pissing it down it'll be grey and overcast -which is actually nice and even lighting (sunlight can be a nightmare and you would need a flash or a reflector at minimum to work away those unflattering shadows).

Why don't you take a back up digital cam with you as well? I'm just thinking it gives you a bit more room for error.

Hope you get some lovely photos for a memento.

 

[ttcycle]

I don't know the lumix?
It should be ok for auto balance settings but as David says above me- often the camera doesn't always get it right - Canon 5D II user here too.

whoops forgot to say - have you got a grey card or one of those Macbeth colour chart cards- helps with accurate colour profiling when you come to editing it.

 

[ttcycle]

Ping @ttcycle

Somehow that ping didn't work- no alert so just saw this now!

 

[Norm]

lol never trust the computer to make the right decision they never nail it canon 5d/1d user

Pretty typical comment from a Canon user.

If you are lucky with the weather, @globalti, and can get the pix outside, watch the position of the sun. Shooting into the sun will cause issues with backlighting and possibly light scatter in the lenses, shooting with the sun behind you will have the subjects squinting. Easiest conditions for outdoor shooting are overcast or you could just wait for a cloud.

 

[ttcycle]

Pretty typical comment from a Canon user.

Pfffft...!

 

[david1701]

you guys make me chuckle

 

[Globalti]

Thanks for the words of advice. I've done a few weddings so I know that sunlight is not the photographer's friend. I'm hoping for a blend of atmospheric outdoor shots if the rain stops (forecast not brilliant) with some indoor as well. Outdoors, I will go for full-length shots as well as head & shoulders; when walkers stop at a gate or stile is often a good time to snap them in relaxed mood. There is room to shoot inside as it's a huge Victorian building with big rooms and windows, so plenty of light and it faces principally SW and SE. I think I will take my tripod even though that can tend to formalise the shot a little but there will be a couple of barrels or beer so I'm hoping to get people in a relaxed and happy mood. Even using the tripod as a movable prop will give me a better hit rate if I'm forced to shoot at low shutter speeds. I don't think I've ever stayed at a YHA with low mood lighting, they are usually well lit.