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Face shots basics and rules

Photographers' discussions - about photographing face shots - often focus on the pose of the person to be photographed or on suitable backgrounds and angles, without addressing the actual exposure of the camera itself, noting that this topic is the most important for obtaining an expressive and appropriate face image that is far from traditional and artificial. .

Exposure is the most important for portraits, because in the case of overexposure, you get an unwanted double sharpness, especially if we want to get a picture that contains some romanticism. The method that leads to the loss of spontaneity of the image.
From here, we realize that there are foundations and a rule for light preparation that cannot be applied to all faces and in all cases. Rather, we have to study the correct type of light suitable for this type of footage or existence. Let us start first with the common light forms in the field of photography among amateurs, not inside professionals and studios.

Most of the facial photos that are taken inside the house can be taken using two or three lights with reflectors of several sizes, and confirm first that the flood lights (Photo Floods) give a concentrated light that is not technically desirable, so it becomes better to adopt 500-watt lamps of the type
(Arga Photo) or (Photo lita)
In order to obtain an ideal type of facial image taken indoors, a moderate speed film should be used in all cases and a tripod should be used for the camera. As for the exposure, it ranges between 1/8 and 1/2 of a second - an eighth and a half of a second - and when the stops are fixed, we no longer need the process of stopping speeds. There is another factor that has an influence, and it includes the structure and the focal length. Usually, a 17-inch reflector must be placed in the front, at a distance of five or six feet with slight lateral deflection, while the side and rear lamps should be placed approximately four feet apart.

With the use of 100-125 ASA (ASA) film, the optical reading will be about 1/30 of a second at an aperture of f / 4. If we are using a camera with a 105 mm lens, for example, we will be able to obtain a sufficient depth of field to cover the nose, eyes, chin and mouth. Getting a very detailed picture, but with a camera with a 150mm lens, it's completely different because we get depth
Too shallow at an aperture of f4 this is if we want to take a head and shoulders shot.

As for the pursuit of softness and romance, we will find that f / 4 is suitable for the full head as long as the focus does not shift slightly from the eyes, but we will often need f / 506 or even f / 8, and here we have to reduce the shutter speed to 1/15 Or even 1/8 of a second and here you are forced to adopt a theory - prove and see. In short, we have to open a 35mm camera lens and work at 1/60 of a second at f/2.8, which is fast enough for some flash cameras or small cameras. The same thing we can do with a larger body and more focal length to get a higher percentage. Very blurry pictures.

Taking all these things into consideration, we will find that 500-watt lamps with reflectors give the best different effects for face pictures other than fast cameras, especially using cameras above.
35 mm..

the flash

In the case of using a fixed electronic flash unit of medium power with a medium-speed film - for example - we provide a quick exposure in a small lit room, and in a range ranging between f / 4 and f / 5.6. When working with the fast camera, a lively expression or a bright smile becomes preferred. On the accuracy of the pointillism, so we find that fast film is often used in this case to allow smaller apertures with the resulting greater depth of field, and this provides a safety aspect if we take the shot at the same moment when the subject to be photographed bends slightly forward or backward. .

And if we have a group of studio flashes with lamps with strong and implicit holography so that you can notice the effects as it happens with ordinary tungsten lights, then we will be equipped with the ideal lighting means to obtain very sharp facial images.

We can also easily get better results - especially in terms of softness - if we use a light diffuser mounted on the lens, and when all the studio requirements are available, you can work with very slow movies while covering the flashes with ND filters to reduce the light, allowing the lens to open to a greater width. Limited depth in a romantic shot.
In the absence of the required equipment, there is an alternative that can be recommended, which is to seek help
With a group of two or three lamps of the so-called “flash-slave” or (Flash-slave) class (AS-22) and adding this group to the traditional fixed tungsten, these (AC-22) units are similar in shape to ordinary housing bulbs and have a (slave) - malleable It is a device that responds directly to the performance of another device with high sensitivity and is installed using the (ES) method in most 500-watt lamps of the type (Argaphoto) or (Photo lita).
These units operate from the main electric current, and all we have to do after that is to organize the lights with units - tungsten, then remove the lamps and replace them with units (22 - AC), and it will not cost us much effort to obtain results that may be similar to others, but they are quick and sharp.
And since (AC-22) does not fire except in response to the firing of another flash, that is, it cannot be fired alone by the camera. Therefore, you will need a suitable flash unit, no matter how small it is, linked to the camera's optical synchronization slider, and if it is connected to a wire, it is sufficient to direct it aside.

So that it does not affect the light arrangements, and whatever the method of its work, we must not direct it directly towards the subject to be photographed. The light generated by this unit will launch (AC-22) units
Preferred for three reasons, first because it is light and easy to transport, second because of its great sensitivity, and third because it is reasonable in price.
Finally, it is worth saying that whatever type of flash you are currently using, do not think that a good and fast camera requires complex equipment.
Rather, with a regular and fixed light unit, provided that the light is directed properly, you can get wonderful results. It is true that the small fixed units have a light and dispersing effect when they are launched from the ceiling in a room of moderate sizes, but to avoid that, you have to keep yourself and your model a few feet away from a light-colored wall and then face The flash is on the side, which gives a stronger light embodiment.

And you can get enough light around the room that includes the subject, and the color in the middle of the room will be much better here than if you worked from it. It is not difficult to make yourself a reflector that you put facing the model and direct the flash on it to get better lighting. This reflector can be made with a sheet of Bristol 20 cardboard. Or 30 inches, placing it five or six feet away from the model and at an angle of 45 degrees to one side.

As for the flash, it can be installed - after installing its link
With the camera - facing the plate 18 inches away from it and pointing towards the center of it. This measure would be ideal if you could mount the reflector on a bracket, higher than the face of the model or parallel to its height. If your cameras are not equipped with an isolated sensor, you would have to increase the aperture up to about 2 stops for the flash. Direct at the same distance between the flash, the reflector and the subject Combine the two distances together and be guided by the table on the flash unit - but you should know that with a single lamp you will not get as comprehensive a work as with the group (22 - ACC) - once you get a satisfactory arrangement, you can achieve focus with the help of light The glow of the room to take snapshot after snapshot.
With the reflector moved in zigzag directions time after time to get a different effect, this measure will give you light in front, with effects on the sides for added interest.
Which cannot be achieved with a single light.