upcoming portrait session

[Curtis Cunningham]

I have an upcoming on-location session (in a home) and I would like some advice.

A couple days ago I visited the home where I'll do the session and photographed the main rooms/areas where the family has indicated they'd like the images taken. I've created a couple of contact sheets with these images, and if you feel like commenting, you could refer to them as you answer the following questions:

LIVING ROOM (everything you see is movable, except for the tree)
1. As indicated in photo E, the family (parents and two children who are 12 or so and 21) would like a photograph around the tree. As you can see it's quite a bright light source already. My first inclination is to just use that as my sole light source. Do you think that's the best way to go, or should I use my studio lights I'm bringing along to supplement?

2. They have also indicated they would like a few images taken of the whole family sitting on the hearth in front of the fireplace. With them being so close to the brick is there anything I can do about the shadows cast from my lights? Should I just raise my lights as high as possible and aim them down?

STAIRWELL (the painting on the wall can be moved, as can the piano and stool (photo D)
1. The photos (A thru D) are the 4 different possible angles I thought of using. I shot these test shots all from the floor, but I'm wondering if it would be better to shoot from an elevated level (i.e. bringing a ladder)?

2. My favorite perspective would be to use (C) with my main light source placed at the top of the stairs (as indicated in photo B-right behind where the man's head is in the photo). What are your thoughts/comments/suggestions as it pertains to using the other perspectives)?

Thanks very much.

[DougAxford]

First thought: This is why you always visit a home prior to photography - good for you for doing that.

Now the bad news: Yuk. I photograph inside a small percentage of homes that request a portrait at-home due to exactly the problem you are faced with. Christmas trees are a no-no for family portraits. Do you want a portrait of the family or the tree?? The same applies to many other problems in a home. I learned this years ago when my in-home sales were far lower than I was expecting. I found that many people hated the decor in the home because it appeared so old. Gee, if the couch chair is 10 years old, do you think it will look brand new in the portrait?? Anyway, just my ranting, but there is a message here.

So, if possible, I'd keep the tree out. I'd prefer to go with shot A, minus the tree, which is essentially shot D. It looks like these were taken with a wide angle lens. If the room is as small as I think, I'd go elsewhere. The dad is a bit heavier and anything other than a longer lens will not be flattering. I like the fireplace and I like shooting into corners. You may need to shoot a separate image of the fire burning at max to make it look good and then pop it into the family shot. It looks like a real fireplace, not gas and if so, the people will be too hot that close if the fire is strong enough to photograph well.

I'd pose mom or dad sitting in the big chair with the other 3 grouped on the near side. If one person can be seated on a foot stool, all the better. You want a casual grouping and it will not look good if one person is sitting and three standing behind. Try to move the chair away from the wall as far as possible. If there is a smaller chair, it would be better. I would not sit anyone on the hearth, it's just too narrow and too close.

I'd put one light right up to the ceiling, near the tree and bounced off the ceiling. It should fill-in all your shadows behind. Then 2 lights with umbrellas or soft boxes to light the scene normally. I'd unplug the tree. I have no idea what the WB is of those lights but I do know that if you unplug them, you won't have problems. also, watch out for the spot lights on the ceiling. You don't want those putting a nice yellow spot on their faces. It would be better if you can open the window shades a bit and let in some natural light. Just watch your WB. Window light, especially north facing windows, is real blue this time of year.

I would not shoot on the stairs. Too tight, he's too big and they are not architecturally significant. They may be to the client, but they aren't worth the incredible hassle you'll have IMHO. By the looks of your shots, you can barely see everything with your wide angle lens as it is.

One last thought - do not offer to take an in-home portrait on Christmas day. I did it twice and never again. Families were arguing, Christmas junk is everywhere, a promised order of several thousand never materialized, even though the images were good. After the mom wanted to change the order to $100., I told her nicely that she could order what she had promised or I'd toss the negs. I tossed them. Two years later she wanted to re-book. I suggested she try someone else.

The moral here Curtis is that just because a customer wants something, doesn't mean that they will buy it. It's your professional judgement that is needed to determine whether something will work in a portrait or not. That being said, everyone has their own judgement and it's yours that counts.

I expect you'll get a few other comments, probably different from mine, but that's the good thing that a forum provides.

Doug

[Dennis_Vied]

I would also forget the stairs as well, but if they insist, I would NOT shoot UP. It's the same effect as an unflattering up-the-nose shot. I'd get up on the balcony and shoot down. I'm not convinced that would work either, but it's an option.

[KevinStecyk]

Curtis,

You've gotten great responses thus far from Doug and Dennis.

I would add to their comments that if you forced to take a stairway shot, use "C" as your starting point with the following changes.

1. Swing camera right more to omit the top of the stair with the open doors on the upper level
2. Clear out piano and stool
3. Get rid of knick knacks on the stairs
4. Try to capture artwork on the wall, but be careful of the positioning of the father's head against artwork
5. Try to have lighting on father and everything is subdued...might want to enhance this in Photoshop later with a vignette...in essence you are just capturing a portion of the staircase (handrail) and allowing the imagination to fill in the rest while you capture dad.

Good luck!

Kevin

[Curtis Cunningham]

Originally Posted by DougAxford

So, if possible, I'd keep the tree out. I'd prefer to go with shot A, minus the tree, which is essentially shot D.

I'd pose mom or dad sitting in the big chair with the other 3 grouped on the near side. If one person can be seated on a foot stool, all the better. You want a casual grouping and it will not look good if one person is sitting and three standing behind. Try to move the chair away from the wall as far as possible. If there is a smaller chair, it would be better. I would not sit anyone on the hearth, it's just too narrow and too close.

I agree. Shot A (living room) was taken from the dining room (behind the railing in shot B). I just wanted to get an overall perspective of the room. Shot D is the rough idea of what I'd like to do. And we did discuss using the chair and the footstool. So thanks for the specific ideas about posing using these props.

Originally Posted by DougAxford

You may need to shoot a separate image of the fire burning at max to make it look good and then pop it into the family shot. It looks like a real fireplace, not gas and if so, the people will be too hot that close if the fire is strong enough to photograph well.

This might be possible if we do the photos in front of the fireplace at the end of the shoot. That way we can go look at proofs while the fire is being built. And then I can shoot the fire only after the flames get nice and big. Of course I'll need to remember to not move my tripod.

Originally Posted by Dennis_Vied

I'd get up on the balcony and shoot down. I'm not convinced that would work either, but it's an option.

I didn't think of that idea. But it's a good one to at least try.

Originally Posted by KevinStecyk

Curtis,

You've gotten great responses thus far from Doug and Dennis.

I would add to their comments that if you forced to take a stairway shot, use "C" as your starting point with the following changes.

1. Clear out piano and stool
2. Try to capture artwork on the wall, but be careful of the positioning of the father's head against artwork
3. Try to have lighting on father and everything is subdued...might want to enhance this in Photoshop later with a vignette...in essence you are just capturing a portion of the staircase (handrail) and allowing the imagination to fill in the rest while you capture dad.

Good luck!

Kevin

If I clear out the piano and stool (which I was going to do anyways), do you think it'll leave too much of an empty space in the lower right of the image? They do have a small tree that they might be able to move to fill in the space. My thinking regarding this is similar to what I'm assuming is your reasoning for leaving the artwork on the wall.

Was your comment about lighting only the father based on an assumption that he'd be the only one in the photograph? How would you light it since all 4 members (father, wife, son, daughter) are going to be in it? Since the father is the heaviest of the family, would you leave him at the bottom of the image with the rest of the family above him?

I think I'll either bring a ladder or use a chair to stand on to elevate the camera position for these shots.

[KevinStecyk]

Originally Posted by Curtis Cunningham

If I clear out the piano and stool (which I was going to do anyways), do you think it'll leave too much of an empty space in the lower right of the image? They do have a small tree that they might be able to move to fill in the space. My thinking regarding this is similar to what I'm assuming is your reasoning for leaving the artwork on the wall.

Was your comment about lighting only the father based on an assumption that he'd be the only one in the photograph? How would you light it since all 4 members (father, wife, son, daughter) are going to be in it? Since the father is the heaviest of the family, would you leave him at the bottom of the image with the rest of the family above him?

I think I'll either bring a ladder or use a chair to stand on to elevate the camera position for these shots.

Too much empty space? I am not sure. I don't have sufficient experience to know. I'd like to look through the the viewfinder and then judge. You might consider putting a smaller tree there to occupy space.

How would I light it? That's something I will defer to Doug, Dennis and others.

My impression that this was shot of Dad on the staircase. If it is more, then you'll have to adjust.

Father at the lowest position? Yes, he's supporting the other family members. I'd try if possible to have the railing covering some of his midsection. Your challenge is to say this in a polite friendly manner.

My vignetting comments are on the assumption that Dad is proud of this staircase. It's an architectural feature that he likes and identifies with his home. So I'd try to accommodate his request. But I'd try to leave out the top and bottom portions of the staircase when shooting for photo C. The top and bottom lead to open spaces. The top has other rooms and doors and clutter. The bottom shows other parts of the house. I'd try to just focus on the beauty of the wood handrail, human subject(s), and possible the artwork in behind. I'd use vignetting to hide the other visual clutter.

You mentioned that you plan to use a chair or ladder. If it were me, I'd shoot from every possible angle while I was there. I shoot from very low, from mid height, and from higher up on a ladder. I'd politely explain that this is, surprisingly, a difficult shot. You'd like to look at it from several different angles. Although I suspect the lower shot not to look good, do it anyway. See what it looks like. Learn from it.

I think it is Joe McNally that emphasizes to take lots of pictures from all over while you are on-site. It's cheap and easy to do while you are there, and most likely impossible to redo after you've left.

From the limited view seen through these photos, I'd try getting just dad (or dad and family) and the handrail. I'd vignette most everything else out of the picture. Allow dad to have his handrail prominently shown, but yet hide the clutter of the top and bottom of the staircase. You might even wish to zoom in and use portrait (as opposed to landscape) view, where the handrail is at the bottom of the frame and his eyes are at the top 1/3rd of the frame. Again, you'll need to watch the artwork in behind.

I have deliberately ignored the lighting considerations, because you'll get much better advice from others. I am likely to lead you in the wrong direction on lighting.

[JeffONeil]

This has really been an informative thread. As someone who's studying studio lighting at the moment it's been quite helpful.

Here's a question, and I don't want to hijack Curtis' thread. Why not treat this the same as shooting a headshot in an exec's office with a bright window in the shot? Mixing ambient with the strobe. Would it work the same or totally over expose the tree?

Jeff