This article was published in the May 2013 issue of NZ Photographer Magazine.
Peter Hurley is a world renowned headshot photographer, based in New York America. He was approached by FStoppers (a must bookmark for any photographer!) to create a video covering the A-Z of headshot photography. I’m often asked how I know what I know, where I learnt, where I studied and so on. The truth is everything I know, I have taught myself. Whether that’s by getting on there with a camera and experimenting, or online resources such as this. FStoppers produce some amazing videos, so when I heard they were teaming up with Peter, I knew the result would not only be thoroughly educational, it would be an entertaining watch too.
Things that are covered:
- Starting Your Business From Scratch
- Natural Light vs Studio Light
- The Peter Hurley Signature Look
- Shadowed Lighting For Men
- Alternative Studio Lighting (Strobes)
- Tethering
- Camera Gear
- Understanding The Human Face (Mouth, Eyes, Eyebrows, and Body Position)
- Coaching and Facial Expression
- Creating Different “Looks” During Each Session
- Marketing
- Retouching/Printing
- Makeup/Hair
- Clothing
- Pricing
Once you understand the fundamental skills required to light various faces, the one thing a lot of photographers lack is human interaction, coaching and expressions. I found this section particularly interesting. One of my strengths as a photographer is my charismatic personality, and by being able to interact with your subject and get them to do certain tricks, you’ll bring out the best in your photography.
One technique I use on a lot of my clients now, is pushing the forehead towards the camera. While side on you may look like a turtle, from the front the skin around your cheekbone and neck is pulled tighter, creating a more defined jaw line. This is just one of the techniques discussed, and once you’ve watch the full video you really will be up to scratch to produce some stunning headshots.
I thought I was up in the game of headshots before watching this video, but after watching this excellent video, and learning from the best – it goes to show that you can never really give up on educating yourself, and should forever strive to learn and create your own eclectic style from a range of resources.
Want to buy the video: click here.
Edit May 2014: FStoppers & Peter Hurley have just released a second video which focuses on the techniques of actually illuminating the face. This is touched on in this video, but the new is purely focused on the technical aspect of head shot photography.