Photoshoot One:

My plan for my first headshots photoshoot is to take some images similar to passport like photographs, I will try to avoid any shadows and I want my models to have a very straight and plain face with no particular facial expressions, I think this helps to portray a very formal image which only has their shoulders and head in and shows their clear facial features.

Photoshoot Two:

For my next photoshoot I will be using diamond cameo, for this i will need to take some continuous photos of plain expressions. I would also like left and right side profile images and a large variety of many photos of my model looking in all different directions, I will then create my diamond cameo using Photoshop and editing tools.

Photoshoot Three:

For my third photoshoot I will then need to make some more multi-exposure photos, I will create this in Photoshop and use my best editing skills. I will have my model look at the camera at all different angles with all different lighting techniques to be able to accomplish the best image possible.

Definition: a type of portrait photography typically used for websites, press releases, publications, and social-media profiles.

The term “headshot” or “head shot” just means that the portrait photo is cropped somewhere in the middle torso – so that the focus is on your face. The subject’s face should be the main focus, and the framing should be done in a way that draws attention to the eyes and facial expressions.

In headshots it’s important to consider:

• Lighting: soft, hard
• Framing: Headshots
• Focusing: focus on the eyes
• Expression: Explore different moods and emotions.
• Pose: Manner and attitude. Use hands too…

Soft and hard lighting:

Soft lighting has a few hard shadows that’s bright yet balanced. The transition between light and shadow is a gradient instead of being bold and separate from one another.

Hard lighting does not only emphasize facial features, it also create the dark and broody mood you want with a tone of mystery. Chiaroscuro and Rembrandt are good techniques to achieve this as they cast harsh shadows and draw attention to a specific part of a photo. In hard lighting, the transition between the light and the shadows is very harsh and defined.

Framing:

Rule of thirds is a good technique in framing the face in headshots so that the face is equally distributed across the image. For example, you should aim to align your eyes with upper-third line of the grid when cropping tight, and if you’re cropping wider, be sure that your head is positioned within the top third of the image. However if you are looking to be more creative you can alter this technique. The subject should look relaxed and confident by keeping their chin up and making eye contact.

Focusing on the eyes:

By placing your camera directly in front of your subject it allows fine-tune and focuses on the eyes, making them sharp. This way the colour and pattern in the eyes can be seen more as they are the most distinct part of a persons face. This makes the image more engaging for the viewer where they can look around the image more. Reflectors can help this.

Expressions and emotions:

Exploring different expressions is important as it highly reflects the mood and tone of the image especially if paired with the appropriate lighting. You want to project confidence and competence to make others feel at ease. The face is the centre of attention so it is important to have a compelling expression, yet not to over-do it entirely as this may make the image unappealing.

Posing:

The pose performed in the image also sets the tone and mood for the image. This can act as a cue for an emotion out of the viewer too so that it makes them feel something. The hands are very useful in this as they can also conceal certain areas of the face and add to the emotion of the subject. For example, the Power Pose is a classic stance that exudes confidence and strength. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, place your hands on your hips, and tilt your chin slightly up. This pose will make you look assertive and in control – perfect for professional headshots.

The camera settings I am going to use:

Camera settings (flash lighting)
Tripod: optional
Use transmitter on hotshoe
White balance: daylight (5000K)
ISO: 100
Exposure: Manual 1/125 shutter-speed > f/16 aperture
– check settings before shooting
Focal lenght: 105mm portrait lens

Camera settings (continuous lighting)
Tripod: recommended to avoid camera shake
Manual exposure mode
White balance: tungsten light (3200K)
ISO: 400-1600 – depending on how many light sources
Exposure: Manual 1/60-1/125 shutter-speed > f/4-f/8 aperture
– check settings before shooting
Focal lenght: 50mm portrait lens

I used photoshop to create these multi-exposure images using the photos from my headshots photoshoot. I did this by layering the images over one another and using blending options to change the opacity of the second image so that they would both be visible to give that mysterious look that I was trying to achieve. I think this has worked very well especially due to the coloured gels I used for my lighting as this made it more interesting to look at.

I especially like the last image as one image was a warm toned lighting however the other was cool toned which are polar opposites. I wanted to merge these together as they were separate sides of her side profile and I think its made the image look very mysterious. I like the way she’s smiling on the warm side however it’s unable to see her expression on the blue side, giving the impression it represents sadness.

These I plan on turning into diamond cameos once edited.

But with these two and maybe more I might have some fun with and do them like other creative inspiration I have seen.

My favourite 2nd photoshoot photos;

Info:

Henry Mullins, a photographer who arrived in Jersey in 1848, lived in the parish of St Helier. During his time here he owned a studio near the royal square where he would take professional Carte-de-visite’s of wealthy middle class of Jersey. With his most active amounts of work being around 1867 to 1872, This was due to the Royal family having their portraits taken on Carte-de-visites. Inspired by the monarchy people came to him in St Helier from his advertisements to get their picture taken. During this period he took numerous headshots of Jerseys ruling elite as can be seen from the Military styled uniforms worn by most of the men in his photos.

(From right to left, Cpt C de Quetteville, Mr Anley and Lt Egre)

(Cpt – Captain & Lt – Lieutenant)

(Advertisement for Mullins photography in the royal square)

From the period of 1852 to 1873, he produced 9,000 portraits of Islanders when the population of jersey was around in the 55,000s. Creating multiple Albums of the people of Jersey, this documentary photography formed a sort of ‘who’s’ who’ on the types of people in Jersey at the time (during the 19th century). This included examples such as Jurats, figures in the government and other people of a wealthy status.

(Part of Jerripedia’s list of names of who had been photographed by Mullins, note the Jersey last names, familiar to some locations)

(One of his portfolios filled with his portraits)

Now stored in the Societe Jersiase photo-archive, his work contributed largely into understanding the historic past and atmosphere of the people of Jerseys past. With around half of the population today, his achievements on capturing a large majority of it, helps show Jersey’s social classes at the time. And with Local last names possibly trace back, identify and visually see their ancestors.

His Experiments:

Using the whites from egg yolk, Mullins was able to create a faded effect on his portraits, this isolated the rest of the body until it was just the shoulders neck and head in the frame, this process of early editing created an interesting Headshot, and became more apparent in some of his portfolios in the mid-late 19th century.

Another one of his experiments can be seen with Diamond Cameos, where by having 4 angles of headshots placed in a diamond shape created a unique way of capturing his subjects.

Taking influence from Mullins, In my next blog post I will attempt to recreate this edited style with some of my own images.

In my photoshoots, I want to experiment to demonstrate more creativity than I did in my portraits to make them more exciting for the viewer.

First experimentation:

For my first plan I am going to use a Diamond Cameo. This is where four small oval portraits (1″ x ³/₄“) were placed on a carte de visite in the shape of a diamond, each portrait being of the same person photographed in a different position. To do this in my photoshoot I am going to have my subject sit straight on, side profiles of the left and right, then looking slightly off to the side of the camera. Then I will arrange it into the correct format shape – the diamond.

Second experimentation:

I am going to use double/multi exposure for my second experiment. This is photographs in which two or more images are superimposed in a single frame which gives off a very mysterious look due to the illusion it gives. I really want to use this experimentation idea because it makes the image become really interesting and adds motion to the image. This can be achieved in the camera settings, or on Adobe Photoshop by creating layers and then using blending options and opacity control.

Third experimentation:

For this I am going to use photomontage as I have used this method before during my art gcse and I took a big liking to it as it was really effective. This method consists of making a composite photograph by cutting, gluing, rearranging and overlapping two or more photographs into a new image. I really like this as you take a regular boring image and create an interesting piece out of it by taking it entirely apart and joining it back together in a completely new way. It adds a new perspective on the image which is something I want to put into my own work.

biography :

enry Mullins started working at 230 Regent Street in London in the 1840s and moved to Jersey in July 1848, setting up a studio known as the Royal Saloon, at 7 Royal Square. Initially he was in partnership with a Mr Millward, about whom very little is known. By the following year he was working alone and he continued to work out of the same studio for another 26 years.

His portrait were printed on a carte de visite as a small albumen print, (the first commercial photographic print produced using egg whites to bind the photographic chemicals to the paper) which was a thin paper photograph mounted on a thicker paper card. The size of a carte de visite is 54.0 × 89 mm normally mounted on a card sized 64 × 100 mm. In Mullins case he mounted his carted de visite into an album. 

this work was his style called receipt where he would print his images as 9×5 and create a unique looking set of images.

this style of his work was called cameos where he would take a variety of different portraits and use a few put into a certain layout and presented.

this style of his photography was called vignette where he would bleach the image leaving only specific parts of the image remaining to create a unique effect where the image is shown to fade.

more of Henry Mullins work:

Lighting :

In any photo, the light will fall on the subject in a certain way, creating highlights (bright areas) and shadows (dark areas). The highlights and shadows create contrast, which can help to make the photo more interesting but can also create problems in some situations.

soft lighting :

Soft lighting is a type of light with few hard shadows that’s bright yet balanced

hard lighting :

Hard light is a focused, often bright light that casts harsh shadows and draws attention to a specific part of a photo.

framing :

Framing in photography refers to the process of composing a picture. It involves choosing what you’ll include in the frame and what you’ll leave out. The goal is to create a pleasing composition that directs the viewer’s attention to the subject matter.

headshots :

 a type of portrait photography typically used for websites, press releases, publications, and social-media profiles.

focusing :

Focusing a camera is all about changing the distance between the subject of the image, the lens, and the sensor. 

focusing on the eyes :

expression :

What is meant by means of artistic expression in photography is the way we can make our photograph reach the viewer. 

explore different moods and emotions

pose :

Camera settings (flash lighting)
Tripod: optional
Use transmitter on hotshoe
White balance: daylight (5000K)
ISO: 100
Exposure: Manual 1/125 shutter-speed > f/16 aperture
– check settings before shooting
Focal lenght: 105mm portrait lens

Camera settings (continuous lighting)
Tripod: recommended to avoid camera shake
Manual exposure mode
White balance: tungsten light (3200K)
ISO: 400-1600 – depending on how many light sources
Exposure: Manual 1/60-1/125 shutter-speed > f/4-f/8 aperture
– check settings before shooting
Focal lenght: 50mm portrait lens

Chiaroscuro is a high-contrast lighting technique that utilises a low-key lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background.

photographs :

chiaroscuro lighting context/analysis :

Begin by defining your light source, a cardinal rule. Chiaroscuro is a symphony of five zones that flow into one another. These zones are the highlight, mid-tone, deep shadow, reflected light, and cast shadow.

Why should we use chiaroscuro?

chiaroscuro lighting is mainly used in film to create striking images or evoke a certain feeling. The contrast between light and shade can help frame a subject more prominently, drawing viewers’ eyes to things they might not focus on otherwise.#

chiaroscuro set up :

this is the setup you would need in order to get good photos of chiaroscuro photography.

my response :

contact sheet :

My best images :