Simple High Key Head Shot

Let me walk you backwards through this process. This is one of the potential retouched photos. I used the software program Portrait Professional to do the touchups. You may not like any of the touchup, but I wanted to show you often you may make some touchups for various reasons. This software will helped speed up the process.

This here below is the photo after shooting it and doing very minimal adjustments in Adobe Lightroom.

I really like working with a white background. To be sure you white background remains white the general rule is 1 to 2 stops brighter than the subject. I find it is best to slightly angle the background so that it is not acting like a mirror and creating a flair in the lens.

Camera Perspective

For this setup I chose to use more of a copy stand setup with two large soft boxes on either side of the camera. Straight above and slightly behind the subject is a hair light with a 30º grid pointing down onto the back of her head and shoulders.

Top View

Here is the diagram of the setup.

I put two mono-blocs on the background duplicating the same angles as the soft boxes on the subject. Again the background is 1 stop brighter than the subject.

Side view

With this setup the model can change poses and move side to side with similar light. This let the subject play with expressions and body positions without have to change the lights every single time we moved the model.

I started with the stool and found that the chair gave the model more to work with and feel more relaxed. Each person is different so you must together work to find those poses and expressions that bring out the best in the model.