Taking a step with my intended idea further, I've drafted an overall plan for my up and coming shoot. I'm going to focus primarily on the head and shoulders so that the images replicate passport documents. With this aesthetic incorporated into my work, it should surely challenge the viewers perception to some extent as one would normally assume that confidential material such as a passports are truthful pieces of identification.
Consequently I've chosen to go for a reasonably minimalist high key lighting set up. I very much admire the approach that photographer Martin Schoeller used in his "Close Up" portrait series of celebrities as this is very similar to what I anticipate my photographs to look like. Examining these two examples its obvious that ring flash was used, as the reflection is clearly highlighted in the eyes. I like how its managed to evenly illuminate the face, giving it a fresh healthy glow which is how i'd like to record the features of each person. It also appears that instead of using a backdrop a set of florescent lights have been placed behind the model to narrow the depth of field and in doing so bringing out the eyes and lips, key areas where expressions are most prominent.
In relation to this I've constructed a diagram of how my shoot will be laid out. Flash comes across as the better option on this occasion, compared to tungsten as it would cast harsh shadows, something I want to avoid immensely. Slightly mimicking the techniques Schoeller has introduced, I plan to place a medium sized soft box behind the models to act as a backdrop. This should give a soft and heavenly quality to the surrounding space. In addition to this I'll also be using a ring flash which will evenly illuminate the models from the front. For extra measure to ensure that the final composition doesn't result in too much flare overpowering the image, two dividing borders will stand either side of the model to enclose the glow of the soft box and to eliminate any shadows from falling onto the face two reflectors will sit at a 45 degree angle from the camera.
Contact Sheet
After reviewing the set of contact sheets from my first shoot, I can honestly admit that I'm not at all happy with the results. The lighting arrangement that I initially planned did not exceed to my expectations. Firstly the soft box emitted too much flare from behind the models which resulted in dense shadows covering the face, almost like a silhouette. I also experienced an issue with the Ring Flash, I found the the input of the flash was extremely strong and caused unflattering red eye.
In Conclusion to this, I've decided to re book the studio and try out a different process all together. This time around I'm going to give less emphasis on the background and give full priority to the face. I've switched the soft box with a simple white backdrop and I'm also thinking of swapping the Ring Flash for a beauty dish. I aim to have the beauty dish elevated quite a few feet above the model so the light is shining down on them. This should give a direct yet softening glow to the face and no trace of any lingering shadows. The final addition I've made is to place one last flash unit with a honey comb head attachment to stand behind the model but at angle to act as a hair light which I'm hoping will just boost a subtle amount of light to surround the models frame.
After having another session in the studio I feel much more positive about my new set of images and the rearrangement of lighting has made a big improvement to the final presentation. The face is evenly highlighted with no sign shadows in sight and the background appears much more neutral and sophisticated from being less overexposed. Having gathered a fair amount portraits, I now feel confident that I have acquired enough material to work with in terms of merging multiple faces together. I will now revert to Photoshop and persist with my structured intentions.
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