22 13 July 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113KIT LIST
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Find the
direction of light
The beauty of working with
daylight is that it’s one of
the best qualities of light
available and it’s absolutely
free! You don’t need to
invest in expensive studio
lights, after all, those studio
strobes are just trying to
imitate daylight. When the
sun is high, the light will
be harder and produce
strong shadows, but when
the sun is low, the light
will be softer and will
produce more even results.
The direction of light
matters, and placing your
subject in relation to the
sun is crucial. I fi nd this
position by placing my
hand out in front of me
and turning around in a full
circle. This may sound silly
and look odd but look at
how the quality of light
changes on your hand as
you move it. Magic.Technique PORTRAIT TIPS
Chris Bailey
Chris Bailey is a professional portrait
photographer based in South West England.
Chris loves both the technical and visual
challenge of capturing people, as every face
is unique. Check out his portfolio of work at
http://www.chrisbaileyphotography.co.uk.Headshots
Professional photographer Chris Bailey
reveals his top tips for capturing
headshots using only natural light5-in-1 refl ector
A reflector is my go-to tool
for portraits and headshots.
When used correctly it
acts as a second light.
Adding a reflector under
your subject’s chin will
provide a touch of light in
the shadow areas.Sigma 85mm f/1.4 DG HSM | A
Generally, 85mm primes and longer focal lengths are
best for headshots as they capture facial features in a
more flattering way. If you’re just starting out, a
50mm f/1.8 lens from
Canon or Nikon is a
relatively cheap lens
which delivers
fantastic results.Lastolite EzyBalance
Selecting the correct white balance can be tricky
when working with daylight as
the light temperature can
change very quickly,
especially on a cloudy
day. I use a grey card
to get the correct
white balance.Shadows are
your friend
Creating shadows on the
face adds character, shape
and dimension. You can
completely change the
look of a person’s face
by where you allow the
shadows and highlights to
fall. Try placing the side of
your subject’s face near a
wall and watch their face
gently fall into shadow.Background separation
and bokeh
Bokeh is a term photographers use to describe the
softness of a background while the foreground stays
sharp and in focus. Bokeh is achieved by using a
low f-stop such as f/2.8 or f/4 to help make your
headshot ‘pop’ from the image and separate your
subject from the background. After all, we are trying
to make a two-dimensional image look as three
dimensional as possible.Background
When selecting a background for your headshots, bear
in mind that our eyes are drawn to the brightest part of
an image. Try not to choose a background with too
much highlight as it takes attention away from the face.
Ideally you want to aim for the face to be the brightest
part of your image. I fi nd that placing my subjects
against a wall or in an alleyway helps to create depth
and perspective in my images.ALL PICTURES ON THIS PAGE © CHRIS BAILEY