Getting Professional

Last week one of my school clubs asked me if I was interested in taking headshots for some students.  For me, it’s difficult to take a take proper headshots without a lighting system of some kind.  Conventional indoor lighting is always harsh and unflattering, so I had to get a little creative.  I picked a room that had large south facing windows, so that I could use it as a gigantic soft box to light the subjects.  Add in a small fill light on a tripod, and you can get somewhat professional shots.

I took photos of 13 people with a grand total of 947 shots that day.  Some say it’s overkill … and I would agree.  In the future if I were to do this again, I could probably settle for less.

Fun fact: this was my first ever “paid” photography job!  Although I volunteered my time and services to the club, they still decided to compensate me with a Starbucks gift card.  With finals season coming up, a Starbucks gift card is just what I need.

Special thanks to Amanda, Pratima, and Jacob for letting me use their photos for this post!