This is essentially the same sort of set up, with less power for my main business of actor portfolios and masterclasses for stage actors who want to transition to cinema. Most are shot in my small 45 sq meter studio across the hallway of our larger class toom. The ceiling is 6.6 meters high so very little light reflects from the white flat ceiling. Yesterday did 15 child actors who attended drama makeup classes, from 6 to 13 years old and next week have 60 adult actors in a 3-day class with casting directors where I will do headshots and full length in one day. Keeping it simple is essential for consistency and a good pace. I do not use the background either since our walls in the studio are dark blue and grey. The large windows on the top floor have a southern exposure so excellent light is possible just from the windows but for this consistency is important so we draw the blackout curtains and with a fall off the wall 10 feet from the subject to the rear, appears dark for a smooth featureless background. I like your easy confident direction, something beginning photographers struggle with more than the technical aspects. I use home built 600 was strobes but higher-end speed lights an octobox main and a large reflector is enough light for f/8 at 1/100 at 200 IS0. The self-designed strobes are overkill for this so use wireless 968 Yonguo flash or SB900 speed lights. Beginners really have to forget expensive equipment, it is not needed. Keep it simple but deliberate and cause the images to be great using good posing communications, decent light does not have to cost a lot. Later on, sure good gear is more flexible and is almost a lifetime investment. Any camera made in the last 10 years is enough, with a good lens. It does not have to be fast, since for this type of portrait you are stopping down anywhere so it will be plenty sharp. Wide open is where quality pays for itself but if you can shoot f/4 to f/8, any lens is going to be pretty sharp. If you can't afford a 1.2 prime, don't feel your work will not be good enough. You control the background with separation and fall off so you have no need for creamy blurred background and you can focus on what is important: light and good posing. Good posing is a skill that when developed pays off forever. It helps to have an outgoing friendly positive personality to make it fun for the subject. They will look better when relaxed and not on guard. Regarding the traffic and commutes: I moved out of California 22 years ago after 25 years as owner of a large 3 studio recording studio complex and 197 gold and platinum albums, and moved with just two suitcases to a stunning highly cultured eastern European city and have loved every minute of it and started several businesses and one being photography for ballet, actors, opera, fashion and portraiture. Also have a school that puts on masterclasses for stage cinema actors which provides a lot of clients. Not having a car here for the last 22 years has been liberating, with low cost convenient public transportation and walking distance to great cultural landmarks, drama (200 theaters) opera(5) ballet and symphony halls(54 and more world-class museums than all the US combined, the extra time saved, and $10,000 a month saved by not have a car collection has been a real improvement in quality of life.
Hi Travis - a little late to your video but really appreciate you taking the time to show us what goes on behind the scenes. Your use of the sunbounce panel for the bottom fill is a great idea! It is a much sturdier set up than just using a regular reflector. It looks like you are using the zebra pattern. Did you have any particular reason for using the zebra versus sliver or white? I am assuming that you may have wanted warmer skin tones. Thanks again for posting the video!
Hey thanks so much I really appreciate that. No no particular reason you could use either it's just a slightly different tone of color but honestly anything would work just as well
Travis, nice explanation of your setup. Is it common with the corporate headshots to post edit the female faces (8:01), but not do any touch-up to their arms? (freckles, etc.) Also, does your assistant help to notice flaws like the one in the last shot where the lady's white jacket arm (8:35) on the right is folded & bent out of shape? I love the drop-off in light on the background Thanks!
LOL. You probably would have done a better job brother. I am still learning. Everything is pretty subjective with photography, everyone sees something different.
Steve Carrillo Hey! Yes.. it is this one.. California Sunbounce Mini (head shots) - amzn.to/2Iio3cv Out of all the gear that I have bought and sold over the years.. these panels are my fav. Truly the best of the best. Buy once, and done!
i may be doing some REAL corporate headshots soon but ill be using 600ex-rts. ive got a decent softbox (about 40") and then ive got a 6-1 reflector/skrim but i havent got anything but a reflective umbrella for the rim-light. any suggestions? ive got some fixed lighting softboxes (ive done some product LIKE stuff that numbered in the 1000s so i needed something consistent) should i use the constant lights? im going to do what i can to use the same 10yd-off the background process vs a backdrop... any tips? i know youre setting up a patreon but im not in a position for that just yet.
Travis... wanted to check if you're sure that's a Sunbounce mini? It looks larger than 2x3. Maybe it measures by the reflective area. I've been using the Eyelighter but the curved shape is so specific. Any movement changes the quality of bounce.
Hi Harris, Could you explain a little bit about the background when you shooting? As I see that the background is white, but when you took a photo, it is gray? how can you do it?
One question: What kind of car is it with which you transport your equipment? It looks very practical, what is the name of the manufacturer and where can you buy it?
@@travisharrisphotography Hi! Thank you for your quick answer to my question. I asked about the cart on which you transport your equipment and which is collapsible. But now I've found a cart like this in Amazon. I also asked you questions about one of your videos (very good and informative!). So that you don't have to search for it long, I repeat it here: You had two flashes in use. Did you both run HSL, or just one that acted as the main light? I have two Profoto B10-Plus flashes, but I haven't had any experience with HSL yet, so the question is: Isn't HSL's power consumption very high? Greetings from Munich, Charly
Great video Travis as I am just starting in headshot photography. I see we have a lot in common from name to flying fast RC gliders (hotliners) and I just lost 40lbs in 30 days👍😁😎.....subscribed.
Ah! haha.. Very nice :-) Congrats! Yeah, its a hard time to be into photography right now, (Covid-19). But, its a great time to learn new things. Soon, I will be launching an education platform on Patreon. Stay tuned! Keep up the great work!
amazing work! I just subscribed to you, I'm learning photography and i always thought you needed seemlees background for this kind of shots.... but you did it by underexposing the wall... I am speechless!! I hope one day i can take pictures like yours
Aw, thanks man! Yeah, I hear you.. I once thought the same thing.. but, then realized that you can create whatever you want by using light, and exposure. A white surface can become almost anything you want depending on how its used.
This is great stuff! However, you can have the same results using speedlights. I personally use them and I also shoot tethered which I feel is essential for big commercial jobs and headshots in general. Clients should see their images pop up on the screen and make adjustments as you go and then pick their favorite image on the spot which will save you tons of headache and time in post.
I agree shooting tethered is great. Clients love it. But still often don’t have time for them to pick their image, just put them online gallery, better than trying to rush and pick during session.
What’s up man! Why do you personally choose to have some people’s feet/body go away from the light while their face goes towards the light? Basically why do you change the lower half position of people?
This is to control depth and to make a "shadow side" of the face. Its more flattering. Too much to type.. but, I cover all this in my education platform on Patreon :-)
YES! Exactly. Ironically.. I think more photographers would do far, far better if they stopped watching other photographers (except for me of course LMAO), and watched people like Grant, Gary V, etc.. these people truly "get it" and will always be far, far more successful then others. I think in todays world, getting inspiration OUTSIDE of the "creative" landscape is key..
Hey Travis. Another great video - thank you for sharing your knowledge. Question: have you ever brought your Rock n Roller cart on a travel trip, packed it? Do you think it can be brought as packed luggage? Thanks !
steven joseph that cart weighs 43lbs. So yes it can travel, but it maybe a pain depending on the airline. They also make a smaller one and is nice. It's about 20pounds.
Really good - glad you explained in detail the light placement and reflector. Question - is there a "right" answer to have people stand or sit when doing a headshot? I've seen both, and I'm not sure what benefits there are for either.
I prefer standing.. it lets the body hang naturally.. I can have them lean into the shot and put focus on the face, while minimizing other features. With sitting, I may get a chair back or something in the shot.. and posing is slightly tricky because you then have to deal with the arms more. Also, people tend to feel more confident standing vs. sitting (especially men) so this helps as well. But, no real "rules" or anything.. just my opinions.
Great lighting setup. Although you know what I HATE about using strobes, you can't just fire off a burst of shots to capture true emotions like you can with continuous light. The result is that many subject look visibly "posed" and not really themselves.
Terence Kearns yeah this is a draw back for sure. Check out Peter hurlys work, he uses static light and his personality to get the best shots. You maybe interested in his approach.
Hurley's use of constant light is definitely convenient for capturing moments. That said, you can learn to time such moments. Also, the recycle times aren't so bad as long as you're not cranking the strobes at full power.
Great video Travis! I really like the collapsible cart that you brought along to the shoot. Can you tell me where you got it or write down the link? I like the way it can hold the light stands and all of the gear.
Hey Chub! Thanks for the comment. It's funny how this video keeps getting views, and comments. Of all my videos, I dont understand why this one is so popular, lol. I'll be honest.. I don't really do a lot of head shots. In fact, in 10-years I could count on one hand the amount of times I have done them. This is mainly, (guessing) because I do mainly weddings, or other styled sessions etc. So, because of this.. I charge a lot ($1500) when I get asked. This is because I dont "need" to do them, and its not apart of my normal business. Without a studio (like me) this kinda work is a PITA. You saw all the gear we had to load in.. its a full day. Which, becomes impossible to do when typical people except to pay next to nothing for them. So, my advice is to look at your own local market and see what people charge. Do they do it on-site, or in a studio? Is it something you can do, or do better? How can you provide a better value than "Joe" down the road? Do, you have a way to market? So many variables come into play with this kinda work.. which is why I really dont like it :-)
@@travisharrisphotography thanks for replying. It's funny because I see you're also in Miami. I'm the opposite though, I mostly do newborns but since I need the work because I'm still growing, I will consider doing other types of shoots even if I don't post them or advertise them on my various accounts. I'll take a look at your other videos too.
Great work. Love watching your work. You explain things so well. I am about to do a corporate headshot shoots soon and this really helps give me more confidence. Thanks!
Travis I'd just like to ask about your setup for this headshot gig. Do you zero out all the ambient as part of your setup? I see you used a white wall for the background and the inverse square to get it grey without lighting it, is that correct? If so, then there is some ambient before firing up your lights?
Under exposed the background, meaning the flash lights up and properly exposes the subject, but the white background remains under exposed because no flash is hitting it and his shutter speed is too fast to expose that back wall...hence it is under exposed...and looks great with the light gradient from the window.
What is the boom arm do yo use and others accessories ? I plan to by a Kupo kit with a Kupo Baby drop down pin because I have 2 ELC 500 and a ELB 400 which are not compatible with an Avenger boom arm for example without an accessory. Thanks.
It is an Avenger C-Stand. But, I am using the Ranger heads (bigger) then the Quadra / ELB400 heads. You may need a adapter to make them work on that stand.. but, I am surprised they wont fit?
No I bought an Avenger but didn't know that I should add something and I sold it. It was a Avenger 600Cb I think. So I think that Elinchrom need something to add only Elinchrom boom and Manfrotto can fit without an additional accessory in my opinion.
Sunbounce mini, with their proprietary grip head attached to a heavy-duty portable (not C) light stand. Though you could just as easy use a large piece of foamcore held by a disk reflector holder.
Hey Travis I know this is an old video but do you remember what focal length you like to shoot headshots on the 70-200. I’ve been sticking with 100mm but not sure I’m happy at the focal length
I have to imagine it will depend on how much room there is in the room in which you're working. I have had to shoot with my 24-70 for headshots when I'm stuck in a small room. I can't speak for Travis, but I typically shoot somewhere between 90mm and 120mm. I just did a gig the other day at 119mm. Loved the shots.
Hi I did this by doing just that.. underexposing the wall by about a stop or more. This turned it grey vs. white. Then it was just a matter of dialing in enough power on the lights for the subject.
Awesome work man! Looks like you might be using a 70-200 lens? What focal length do you find yourself using for these shoots? As for the fee mentioned in the comments...how many subjects did you shoot for this project? Do you do your own retouching or do you farm it out? Have you found that corp's have a particular time of year that they do their head shots? Or, do they update as they bring new hires onboard? Would love to break into this biz! Contacts at the corp? Would you try to work your way in to HR for establishing relationship? If not, suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks so much. Yeah, I use the 70-200 a ton.. maybe 90% of the time. This shoot was only the subjects in the video. One one else. It literally only took about 5min each.. (not much longer then the video LOL). All the time was really in the setup, and breakdown. Re-touching is subjective, so this is nothing that is included.. and if needed I do it myself as it's pretty simple and quick. I explain that I will take a ton of shots.. and then you pick the ONE you want for print etc.. and then this I can process extra if needed. I dont do a lot of this type of work, and like you I would love to do more. I think relationships with anyone in the company is key.. and this was the case with this assignment too. I would focus less on the end results (images) and more on just being their friend, and providing value beyond that of "photography" and this will help for sure. I million people can do in and take nice shots.. (who cares).. but, there is only one of you ;-)
lol this video came as a surprise, wasn't expecting one anytime soon haha. great stuff Travis, hope I'll be able to pull some similar shots using speedlites and an 85mm 1.8
LOL, yeah its hard to make the videos.. and part of it is deciding what to speak about, and cover. For SURE you can do the *exact* same thing with any light source, especially speed lights. For speed lights, you will want to try and have a darker ambient if possible so that you are more efficient with the lower power ranges.
I see this pretty old video, I m photographing for about 6 years and just started wedding photography as a professional work so I found your style the best in all here and wanna ask what is the focal length of your longer lens cause it looks like longer than 70/200, thanks
Love these. Simple but effective setup. Would like to see how you edited the these. One of the issues I have is keeping the background a consistent shade of gray throughout the editing. Possibly because I do most of my editing in Lightroom as opposed to PS where I can apply the edits only to the subject. Thanks for sharing the great work.
Thanks so much RJ! Yes, I will be doing some basic edit videos soon on my channel, and will also be starting a paid subscription on Patreon soon for a small group of people who want to really jump start their learning on everything from A-Z. Exciting times ahead!
Love your way of shooting, Travis. BTW, mostly I have seen you shooting with 70/200 f2.8L lens which is also my favorite one. Is that your favorite lens?
🧢off topic but what are the best times to drive in Miami (I remember you mentioning getting there ahead of time. like 6 am to be somewhere at 9 am) but also what are beautiful times in the p.m. and a.m. to avoid that crunck smh
Anything! Anythibg from a speedlight, to a cheap strobe of any kind would also work. Speedlight you just would need a less bright ambient setting. But the last thing you need is costly gear!
I know this is a very late response but if you're still looking for good info (I always am) Sean Tucker has a bunch of videos on speedlight portraiture and headshot.. Great stuff. I personally think you can create the head shot look from this video equally well with speedlights and a much cheaper reflector and much less set up.
Clients can expect to pay between $1K and $2K depending on whats involved on a production shoot like this. I don't offer anything based on time (per hour) or anything like that, and quote everything based on what I know is going to be involved. To be totally honest, shoots like this.. are about 3% of my annual sales.. and because of that, I try and maintain a higher price, less volume, and more production value. IF.... ALL I did was head shots.. THEN, the pricing would be much different.. (less) and priced for volume and consistency. (maybe $300?) BUT, less setup, and likely in a studio space to crank them out as cheaply as possible. So, it all depends.
LOL. I really like the concept of vlog / BTS. When I make videos like this.. I am not JUST making them for the general public who like photography... I am making them for my clients so they can see me in action, and get a sense of WHO I am as a person too. This is how I use RUclips to build my business, and foster relationships. Different people want to see different things ;-)
Not a bad video, good equipment but overkill, the background still has a gradient you said you don’t want, the first girls photo looks like her short is unbuttoned and her head is in a strange angle, the second girls shirt/jacket looks messed up and you are shooting above their eye level on both women and below the mans. Great basic video though.
and yet another meaningless comment from someone who has nothing better to do than voice their opinion on other peoples work, who dont seek it. It should be a requirement to comment.. put your website, and Instagram account with all comments so that everyone can see, and validate the source. Look, I appreciate that everyone has their own thoughts on what "they" think is best. I do. We all have that. BUT.. I am not seeking anyone's opinion. I am showing what I do, take it or leave it. Perhaps take a look at some of the more recent videos.. and see if you feel the same ;-)
Hi great work. Question what reflector is that?
This is a large California sunbounce panel
@@travisharrisphotography thanks dude
Best Corp headshot video on RUclips Travis, always found it useful
I have learned a lot from commercial photography in your video. thanks for sharing.
Fabulous photos. May I know how did you get that grey background. You explained but could you slightly elaborate.
Thanks
This is essentially the same sort of set up, with less power for my main business of actor portfolios and masterclasses for stage actors who want to transition to cinema. Most are shot in my small 45 sq meter studio across the hallway of our larger class toom. The ceiling is 6.6 meters high so very little light reflects from the white flat ceiling. Yesterday did 15 child actors who attended drama makeup classes, from 6 to 13 years old and next week have 60 adult actors in a 3-day class with casting directors where I will do headshots and full length in one day. Keeping it simple is essential for consistency and a good pace. I do not use the background either since our walls in the studio are dark blue and grey. The large windows on the top floor have a southern exposure so excellent light is possible just from the windows but for this consistency is important so we draw the blackout curtains and with a fall off the wall 10 feet from the subject to the rear, appears dark for a smooth featureless background. I like your easy confident direction, something beginning photographers struggle with more than the technical aspects. I use home built 600 was strobes but higher-end speed lights an octobox main and a large reflector is enough light for f/8 at 1/100 at 200 IS0. The self-designed strobes are overkill for this so use wireless 968 Yonguo flash or SB900 speed lights.
Beginners really have to forget expensive equipment, it is not needed. Keep it simple but deliberate and cause the images to be great using good posing communications, decent light does not have to cost a lot. Later on, sure good gear is more flexible and is almost a lifetime investment. Any camera made in the last 10 years is enough, with a good lens. It does not have to be fast, since for this type of portrait you are stopping down anywhere so it will be plenty sharp. Wide open is where quality pays for itself but if you can shoot f/4 to f/8, any lens is going to be pretty sharp. If you can't afford a 1.2 prime, don't feel your work will not be good enough. You control the background with separation and fall off so you have no need for creamy blurred background and you can focus on what is important: light and good posing. Good posing is a skill that when developed pays off forever. It helps to have an outgoing friendly positive personality to make it fun for the subject. They will look better when relaxed and not on guard.
Regarding the traffic and commutes: I moved out of California 22 years ago after 25 years as owner of a large 3 studio recording studio complex and 197 gold and platinum albums, and moved with just two suitcases to a stunning highly cultured eastern European city and have loved every minute of it and started several businesses and one being photography for ballet, actors, opera, fashion and portraiture. Also have a school that puts on masterclasses for stage cinema actors which provides a lot of clients. Not having a car here for the last 22 years has been liberating, with low cost convenient public transportation and walking distance to great cultural landmarks, drama (200 theaters) opera(5) ballet and symphony halls(54 and more world-class museums than all the US combined, the extra time saved, and $10,000 a month saved by not have a car collection has been a real improvement in quality of life.
Hi Travis - a little late to your video but really appreciate you taking the time to show us what goes on behind the scenes. Your use of the sunbounce panel for the bottom fill is a great idea! It is a much sturdier set up than just using a regular reflector.
It looks like you are using the zebra pattern. Did you have any particular reason for using the zebra versus sliver or white? I am assuming that you may have wanted warmer skin tones.
Thanks again for posting the video!
Hey thanks so much I really appreciate that. No no particular reason you could use either it's just a slightly different tone of color but honestly anything would work just as well
@@travisharrisphotography Great - thanks Travis!
Travis, nice explanation of your setup. Is it common with the corporate headshots to post edit the female faces (8:01), but not do any touch-up to their arms? (freckles, etc.) Also, does your assistant help to notice flaws like the one in the last shot where the lady's white jacket arm (8:35) on the right is folded & bent out of shape? I love the drop-off in light on the background Thanks!
LOL. You probably would have done a better job brother. I am still learning. Everything is pretty subjective with photography, everyone sees something different.
Great work! great help
Great video. Wish This video popped up before watching a whole bunch of other ones
Haha. Me too Steve! Me too! Thanks buddy!
no problem. where did you get that reflector from? does it have a pattern? Travis Harris Photography
Steve Carrillo Hey! Yes.. it is this one.. California Sunbounce Mini (head shots) - amzn.to/2Iio3cv Out of all the gear that I have bought and sold over the years.. these panels are my fav. Truly the best of the best. Buy once, and done!
Kind of nice to see photographers moving their own stuff around, I remember the days before assistants, oh my God, hahaaaa the not so good old days.
For real!
Really good!!
Can you please share what you use to transport all gear from car to site? It looks like a wagon but isn't... Thanks
Its called a rock & roller R12. Google, and it will come up in Amazon.
Hallo can you give name your all produkt.
Thank you
Hi, Thanks for the comment.. but, I don't understand what you are looking for?
Nice captures!
Thank you very much!
i may be doing some REAL corporate headshots soon but ill be using 600ex-rts. ive got a decent softbox (about 40") and then ive got a 6-1 reflector/skrim but i havent got anything but a reflective umbrella for the rim-light. any suggestions? ive got some fixed lighting softboxes (ive done some product LIKE stuff that numbered in the 1000s so i needed something consistent) should i use the constant lights? im going to do what i can to use the same 10yd-off the background process vs a backdrop...
any tips? i know youre setting up a patreon but im not in a position for that just yet.
Video starts at 3:15
Hi Harris, Can you please tell me what is the brand and model is this trolly? thanks a lot
Called Rock and roller r12
Thanks for sharing! Man I hope you got to do more than three headshots for all that set-up!
You bet! lol. There were a few more too. It was more simple of a setup than it looked. Thanks for watching Paul!
Travis... wanted to check if you're sure that's a Sunbounce mini? It looks larger than 2x3. Maybe it measures by the reflective area. I've been using the Eyelighter but the curved shape is so specific. Any movement changes the quality of bounce.
100% mini.
SB micro mini is 2x3. The mini is 3x4.
Thanks for the inside look. A DD veggie begal and hot chocolate was my start of day.
Very nice Brent! Thanks for your support to my channel.
Nice video. Learned a lot on how to move the subject.
Awesome work Travis..
Pretty awesome of you to share!
I appreciate your support to my channel.
Cool video. Interesting to see your set up.
Great studio setup. by the way what is the brand of mic you were using?
Thanks man. I am using the Rode Lav mic. Using the little H1 pocket recorder.
@@travisharrisphotography cool thanks for your reply
Fantastic work
Hi Harris,
Could you explain a little bit about the background when you shooting?
As I see that the background is white, but when you took a photo, it is gray? how can you do it?
That shot @08:00 was a great capture.
Thanks so much!
One question: What kind of car is it with which you transport your equipment? It looks very practical, what is the name of the manufacturer and where can you buy it?
Lexus RX 350. I however no longer have this car. I have a sports sedan now. I have learned to do more with less gear :-)
@@travisharrisphotography Hi!
Thank you for your quick answer to my question. I asked about the cart on which you transport your equipment and which is collapsible. But now I've found a cart like this in Amazon.
I also asked you questions about one of your videos (very good and informative!). So that you don't have to search for it long, I repeat it here:
You had two flashes in use. Did you both run HSL, or just one that acted as the main light?
I have two Profoto B10-Plus flashes, but I haven't had any experience with HSL yet, so the question is: Isn't HSL's power consumption very high?
Greetings from Munich, Charly
Really good 👌
Thank you so much!
Great video Travis as I am just starting in headshot photography. I see we have a lot in common from name to flying fast RC gliders (hotliners) and I just lost 40lbs in 30 days👍😁😎.....subscribed.
Ah! haha.. Very nice :-) Congrats! Yeah, its a hard time to be into photography right now, (Covid-19). But, its a great time to learn new things. Soon, I will be launching an education platform on Patreon. Stay tuned! Keep up the great work!
amazing work! I just subscribed to you, I'm learning photography and i always thought you needed seemlees background for this kind of shots.... but you did it by underexposing the wall... I am speechless!! I hope one day i can take pictures like yours
Aw, thanks man! Yeah, I hear you.. I once thought the same thing.. but, then realized that you can create whatever you want by using light, and exposure. A white surface can become almost anything you want depending on how its used.
This is great stuff! However, you can have the same results using speedlights. I personally use them and I also shoot tethered which I feel is essential for big commercial jobs and headshots in general. Clients should see their images pop up on the screen and make adjustments as you go and then pick their favorite image on the spot which will save you tons of headache and time in post.
Ammar Selo exactly! Totally agree 2000%
Can you show us, will be nice. thanks
I agree shooting tethered is great. Clients love it. But still often don’t have time for them to pick their image, just put them online gallery, better than trying to rush and pick during session.
What’s up man! Why do you personally choose to have some people’s feet/body go away from the light while their face goes towards the light? Basically why do you change the lower half position of people?
This is to control depth and to make a "shadow side" of the face. Its more flattering. Too much to type.. but, I cover all this in my education platform on Patreon :-)
Magnificent results
I listened to all Grant Cardone's book. He is phenomenal.
YES! Exactly. Ironically.. I think more photographers would do far, far better if they stopped watching other photographers (except for me of course LMAO), and watched people like Grant, Gary V, etc.. these people truly "get it" and will always be far, far more successful then others. I think in todays world, getting inspiration OUTSIDE of the "creative" landscape is key..
Hey Travis. Another great video - thank you for sharing your knowledge. Question: have you ever brought your Rock n Roller cart on a travel trip, packed it? Do you think it can be brought as packed luggage? Thanks !
steven joseph that cart weighs 43lbs. So yes it can travel, but it maybe a pain depending on the airline. They also make a smaller one and is nice. It's about 20pounds.
Where did you get the cool fold up cart for hauling your equipment?
J.D. Small Thanks for the comment. On my phone now, the cart is mentioned a few times in comments below 😁
So helpful as always. How many shots approximately do you shoot of each person? Thanks!
Thank you! I'd say maybe 20 to 30 frames. Especially for the women.
What cart is that?
Very very very helpful video.
Thanks man!
Really good - glad you explained in detail the light placement and reflector. Question - is there a "right" answer to have people stand or sit when doing a headshot? I've seen both, and I'm not sure what benefits there are for either.
I prefer standing.. it lets the body hang naturally.. I can have them lean into the shot and put focus on the face, while minimizing other features. With sitting, I may get a chair back or something in the shot.. and posing is slightly tricky because you then have to deal with the arms more. Also, people tend to feel more confident standing vs. sitting (especially men) so this helps as well. But, no real "rules" or anything.. just my opinions.
Great lighting setup.
Although you know what I HATE about using strobes, you can't just fire off a burst of shots to capture true emotions like you can with continuous light. The result is that many subject look visibly "posed" and not really themselves.
Terence Kearns yeah this is a draw back for sure. Check out Peter hurlys work, he uses static light and his personality to get the best shots. You maybe interested in his approach.
Hurley's use of constant light is definitely convenient for capturing moments. That said, you can learn to time such moments. Also, the recycle times aren't so bad as long as you're not cranking the strobes at full power.
Great video Travis! I really like the collapsible cart that you brought along to the shoot. Can you tell me where you got it or write down the link? I like the way it can hold the light stands and all of the gear.
Thanks James! Yes, the cart that I use is this one.. rocknrollercart.com/collections/multi-carts/products/r-12-multi-cart
Awesome! This is quite a ingenious cart.
Yeah, this is the best $350 I have ever spent on gear! Ill tell you that!
Travis Harris, have you ever seen the GripNGaff bag for that cart, it's pretty amazing and a bonus for your cart!
www.gripngaff.com/collections/bags
How do you charge for something like corporate headshots?
Hey Chub! Thanks for the comment. It's funny how this video keeps getting views, and comments. Of all my videos, I dont understand why this one is so popular, lol. I'll be honest.. I don't really do a lot of head shots. In fact, in 10-years I could count on one hand the amount of times I have done them. This is mainly, (guessing) because I do mainly weddings, or other styled sessions etc. So, because of this.. I charge a lot ($1500) when I get asked. This is because I dont "need" to do them, and its not apart of my normal business. Without a studio (like me) this kinda work is a PITA. You saw all the gear we had to load in.. its a full day. Which, becomes impossible to do when typical people except to pay next to nothing for them. So, my advice is to look at your own local market and see what people charge. Do they do it on-site, or in a studio? Is it something you can do, or do better? How can you provide a better value than "Joe" down the road? Do, you have a way to market? So many variables come into play with this kinda work.. which is why I really dont like it :-)
@@travisharrisphotography thanks for replying. It's funny because I see you're also in Miami. I'm the opposite though, I mostly do newborns but since I need the work because I'm still growing, I will consider doing other types of shoots even if I don't post them or advertise them on my various accounts. I'll take a look at your other videos too.
Great video...do you ever shoot tethered on location?
Love the videos bro! Btw, one the reasons why I try and stay away from Miami ....the TRAFFIC!!!!
OMG, I can't stand it! When I moved here from Vermont.. it was the first thing I had to get used too.
Yeah I here you. I've lived here all my life and I don't think I'll ever get used to it.
OMG! Try LA or San Francisco. Faster to walk. Thanks for the vid.
Great work. Love watching your work. You explain things so well. I am about to do a corporate headshot shoots soon and this really helps give me more confidence. Thanks!
Travis I'd just like to ask about your setup for this headshot gig. Do you zero out all the ambient as part of your setup? I see you used a white wall for the background and the inverse square to get it grey without lighting it, is that correct? If so, then there is some ambient before firing up your lights?
I love your work Travis, beautiful👌🏽I have subscribed to your channel all the way from South Africa 🇿🇦
Thats incredible! Thanks for the support! I would love to visit one day!
How did you get the black background?
By getting the main lights very close to my subject, it resulted in the back "falling off" more and thus created the darker result.
Under exposed the background, meaning the flash lights up and properly exposes the subject, but the white background remains under exposed because no flash is hitting it and his shutter speed is too fast to expose that back wall...hence it is under exposed...and looks great with the light gradient from the window.
Cool video. Great job. 👌🏼
What is the boom arm do yo use and others accessories ?
I plan to by a Kupo kit with a Kupo Baby drop down pin because I have 2 ELC 500 and a ELB 400 which are not compatible with an Avenger boom arm for example without an accessory.
Thanks.
Do you mean the boom stick with the ball at the bottom? or.. the C-Stand that I use with the boom arm?
Only the boom arm and what you add pin or other things.
It is an Avenger C-Stand. But, I am using the Ranger heads (bigger) then the Quadra / ELB400 heads. You may need a adapter to make them work on that stand.. but, I am surprised they wont fit?
No I bought an Avenger but didn't know that I should add something and I sold it.
It was a Avenger 600Cb I think. So I think that Elinchrom need something to add only Elinchrom boom and Manfrotto can fit without an additional accessory in my opinion.
Thanks I think I will buy a Kupo c stand with some pins and adapter.
Travis, about what fstop were you at?
Thease were taken at about f4.
Hey mate what are you using to hold your sun bounce reflector like that?
Sunbounce mini, with their proprietary grip head attached to a heavy-duty portable (not C) light stand. Though you could just as easy use a large piece of foamcore held by a disk reflector holder.
very good informative video
Thanks man!
Do you ever do workshops?
You make it look sooooo simple... :)
Thanks Dominique! You can do it too. Its not hard.
Hey Travis I know this is an old video but do you remember what focal length you like to shoot headshots on the 70-200. I’ve been sticking with 100mm but not sure I’m happy at the focal length
I have to imagine it will depend on how much room there is in the room in which you're working. I have had to shoot with my 24-70 for headshots when I'm stuck in a small room. I can't speak for Travis, but I typically shoot somewhere between 90mm and 120mm. I just did a gig the other day at 119mm. Loved the shots.
Can someone please explain how he underexposed the wall?
Hi I did this by doing just that.. underexposing the wall by about a stop or more. This turned it grey vs. white. Then it was just a matter of dialing in enough power on the lights for the subject.
Very good work
Thank You Sir!
What model is the dolly you have?
Rock N' Roller R12
Thank you appreciate it
Awesome work man! Looks like you might be using a 70-200 lens? What focal length do you find yourself using for these shoots?
As for the fee mentioned in the comments...how many subjects did you shoot for this project? Do you do your own retouching or do you farm it out?
Have you found that corp's have a particular time of year that they do their head shots? Or, do they update as they bring new hires onboard? Would love to break into this biz! Contacts at the corp? Would you try to work your way in to HR for establishing relationship? If not, suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks so much. Yeah, I use the 70-200 a ton.. maybe 90% of the time. This shoot was only the subjects in the video. One one else. It literally only took about 5min each.. (not much longer then the video LOL). All the time was really in the setup, and breakdown. Re-touching is subjective, so this is nothing that is included.. and if needed I do it myself as it's pretty simple and quick. I explain that I will take a ton of shots.. and then you pick the ONE you want for print etc.. and then this I can process extra if needed. I dont do a lot of this type of work, and like you I would love to do more. I think relationships with anyone in the company is key.. and this was the case with this assignment too. I would focus less on the end results (images) and more on just being their friend, and providing value beyond that of "photography" and this will help for sure. I million people can do in and take nice shots.. (who cares).. but, there is only one of you ;-)
very nice
This may have been asked already but where did you get your eyelighter-relfector panel? I searched and couldnt find where they sell them! Thanks!
Trina Tunstall it's made by California Sunbounce.
lol this video came as a surprise, wasn't expecting one anytime soon haha.
great stuff Travis, hope I'll be able to pull some similar shots using speedlites and an 85mm 1.8
LOL, yeah its hard to make the videos.. and part of it is deciding what to speak about, and cover. For SURE you can do the *exact* same thing with any light source, especially speed lights. For speed lights, you will want to try and have a darker ambient if possible so that you are more efficient with the lower power ranges.
Do you use 70-200 majority of the time?
What kind of trolley is it you are using?
www.amazon.com/Rock-Roller-Multi-Cart-Model-R12/dp/B003AYLJXU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494174585&sr=8-1&keywords=rock+n+roller+r12
Thanks Travis. Just found your answer down below. Appreciate it.
Nice shoot, thanks for sharing
You're awesome!!!! Thank you.
Thanks so much Yesenia Gonzalez!
You're welcome. Love your work
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching Manuel!
Thanks for this. I am looking to get into doing headshots and this is helpful.
What cart are you using?
Rock'n Roller R12
what set up did you use to hold the sunbouncer?
It's a round clamp that comes with the sun swatter pro? Thats all I know. You can just use a regular manfrotto clamp I think too.
Yes! This will work!
I see this pretty old video, I m photographing for about 6 years and just started wedding photography as a professional work so I found your style the best in all here and wanna ask what is the focal length of your longer lens cause it looks like longer than 70/200, thanks
Hi and congrats on starting your photography business! Very exciting! Yes, the longest I use, ever is 70-200mm. :-)
@@travisharrisphotography Thank you
Nice, am just confuse the background is grey/black on BTS its white... thanks
Yes, it was a white wall in reality. But, using the light I was able to underexpose this and turn it grey in camera.
@@travisharrisphotography thanks
What lens are you using?
Canon 70-200 2.8L IS
The young cat does tremendous work ..
dude...where you get that cart? great vid
Joe Cerda Looks like a Rock'n'Roller cart. I've got one and I find it really useful for bringing all the gear in in one trip from the car.
@@michaelteak which model is yours? R18RT ?
seems like the whites are blown out on my monitor, but nice lighting setup
It could be the case. I may have overexposed the edits a bit. I have a nasty habit of doing that.
awesome! keep up the good work mate 👌🔥👍
Love these. Simple but effective setup. Would like to see how you edited the these. One of the issues I have is keeping the background a consistent shade of gray throughout the editing. Possibly because I do most of my editing in Lightroom as opposed to PS where I can apply the edits only to the subject. Thanks for sharing the great work.
Thanks so much RJ! Yes, I will be doing some basic edit videos soon on my channel, and will also be starting a paid subscription on Patreon soon for a small group of people who want to really jump start their learning on everything from A-Z. Exciting times ahead!
Very helpful thanks
Can this look be accomplished using two speed lights and two soft boxes?
Myron Fields absolutely. There is zero need for all the costly gear I'm using in this video. I could have done the same with speedlights.
Love your way of shooting, Travis. BTW, mostly I have seen you shooting with 70/200 f2.8L lens which is also my favorite one. Is that your favorite lens?
Yes, this is true :-)
🧢off topic but what are the best times to drive in Miami (I remember you mentioning getting there ahead of time. like 6 am to be somewhere at 9 am) but also what are beautiful times in the p.m. and a.m. to avoid that crunck smh
Thanks!
You bet!
Rock n Roller cart.. great investment
yeah, if you have a ton of gear.. for sure!
What kind of cheaper setup would you recommend that would also work?
Anything! Anythibg from a speedlight, to a cheap strobe of any kind would also work. Speedlight you just would need a less bright ambient setting. But the last thing you need is costly gear!
Not long enough Travis , good video though .
On the Eosr what SD CARD do you use ? .
Couple ad200s and a reflector.
I know this is a very late response but if you're still looking for good info (I always am) Sean Tucker has a bunch of videos on speedlight portraiture and headshot.. Great stuff. I personally think you can create the head shot look from this video equally well with speedlights and a much cheaper reflector and much less set up.
God photography, from Denmark. :-)
Thank you kind sir! :-)
Good stuff!
lol that ended abruptly
That was the end of the shoot. Three people, three head shots. Anything more, and the video would have dragged on. Hope you liked it.
Travis Harris Photography what is your pricing for something like this since it was only 3 headshots?
Clients can expect to pay between $1K and $2K depending on whats involved on a production shoot like this. I don't offer anything based on time (per hour) or anything like that, and quote everything based on what I know is going to be involved. To be totally honest, shoots like this.. are about 3% of my annual sales.. and because of that, I try and maintain a higher price, less volume, and more production value. IF.... ALL I did was head shots.. THEN, the pricing would be much different.. (less) and priced for volume and consistency. (maybe $300?) BUT, less setup, and likely in a studio space to crank them out as cheaply as possible. So, it all depends.
Thank you for the openess to answering the question!
2:31
highly recommend to own this one
what's the model of that?
@@corbanswain Looks like a rock n roller
Great Job
Nice video Travis. BTW, what lens did you use? 85mm!?
Canon 70-200 2.8L IS
Overall a very enjoyable video the backgrounds look great, however, the faces were overexposed by perhaps 1/2 of a stop give or take.
Agree. I have a habit of doing that in post for some reason, lol. It could be my monitor needs calibration.
Skip the crap. Good stuff starts around 3:00
LOL. I really like the concept of vlog / BTS. When I make videos like this.. I am not JUST making them for the general public who like photography... I am making them for my clients so they can see me in action, and get a sense of WHO I am as a person too. This is how I use RUclips to build my business, and foster relationships. Different people want to see different things ;-)
Hi
You forgot to have them squinch. Not bad.
LOL.
Barky Von Schnauzer lakakámOajiqo
?ala!l!
la!olaa
Hes more of a Wegiel than a Hurley
Cool
Thanks man!
Not a bad video, good equipment but overkill, the background still has a gradient you said you don’t want, the first girls photo looks like her short is unbuttoned and her head is in a strange angle, the second girls shirt/jacket looks messed up and you are shooting above their eye level on both women and below the mans. Great basic video though.
and yet another meaningless comment from someone who has nothing better to do than voice their opinion on other peoples work, who dont seek it. It should be a requirement to comment.. put your website, and Instagram account with all comments so that everyone can see, and validate the source. Look, I appreciate that everyone has their own thoughts on what "they" think is best. I do. We all have that. BUT.. I am not seeking anyone's opinion. I am showing what I do, take it or leave it. Perhaps take a look at some of the more recent videos.. and see if you feel the same ;-)