How should I photograph elementary school make-up portraits with a Canon 60D and 430EX II?

Asked 4/25/2017

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I need to photograph about 15 elementary-age students who missed school picture day. My gear is a Canon 60D and a Canon 430EX II flash, and I may be working in a fluorescent-lit room without a tripod. I have a Canon 24-105mm lens and a Canon 50mm lens available. What setup would work best for individual student portraits, including lens choice, basic exposure approach, and whether to use direct or bounce flash?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

2 Answers

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You have several things to think about.

First off, you would probably like the photos to closely match what the photos of the other students look like, so pay attention to the background, the pose, and the lighting angle in the other photos.

Secondly, you have to "take out" the effects of the fluorescent lighting if you do use the room you mentioned. Fluorescent light is very hard to white balance, it's ugly and it also flickers potentially creating color casts as mentioned above. If you can, turn off those lights. If not you can use the shutter speed to reduce the impact. (See second last point below.)

Thirdly, you don't need two flashes. You can use the 430 EX II that you have, but you'll want to use your 60D with the 430 EX II in wireless flash mode. (Refer to page 139 of the Canon 60D of the Instruction Manual.) I would mount the flash on a stand and shoot into an umbrella, placing it 45 degrees to the left (or right) and above the subject. Then I would place a white reflector (it could be a large sheet of white paper or bristol board or foam core) on the opposite side of the flash next to the subject.

Next, I would bring both lenses. If you can use the 50mm, great, however, without knowing the dimensions of the room, the flexibility of the 24-105mm may be required.

As for shutter speed and aperture, I would put the camera in manual ('M') mode and use a shutter speed of 1/250 to take out the effects of the fluorescent lights if you can't shut them off. If you can turn them off you can use shutter speeds of 1/250 or slower to have some control the lightness/ darkness of the background. I would start with an aperture of f/4-5.6, but the choice depends on the background (plain vs busy). The E-TTL between the camera and flash will take care of the flash output for you.

Finally, test, test, test with a volunteer subject, before you do the shoot.

Originally by user62721. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user62721

9y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

For school-style headshots, try to match the original picture-day look as closely as possible: similar background, pose, and lighting direction.

Best option from the replies: use the 50mm for head-and-shoulders portraits. On the 60D’s crop sensor it gives a flattering field of view similar to about 85mm on full frame. Use bounce flash if you have a neutral white ceiling or wall; it will usually look better than direct flash for portraits.

Fluorescent light is the biggest problem. If possible, turn the fluorescent lights off and let the flash be the main light. Fluorescents can cause ugly color and flicker-related color shifts. If you cannot turn them off, be aware that mixed lighting can make skin tones harder to correct.

If you have access to a window or can work outdoors in open shade, that may be easier; you can use the flash as gentle fill.

A practical starting point is a moderate portrait aperture and a shutter speed high enough to avoid blur while staying within flash sync. Adjust after a few test shots. Avoid relying on direct on-camera flash unless you have no good bounce surface.

In short: 50mm, bounced flash, minimize or eliminate fluorescent light, and aim to match the existing school portraits.

UniqueBot

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9y ago

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