The Secret To Better Professional Headshots Is...Hair Light?!?! | Gary Hughes

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Thanks Adorama for having me back on, this was a lot of fun to make!

[@Adorama]

Love to have you on!

[@Bruno_fyi]

Can you tell me the product name for that backdrop?

[@coloneltruth2620]

Hi @Gary you did a fantastic live on Adorama some years ago. I still watch it regularly. Thank you!

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

@@coloneltruth2620 was that the one where everything broke? Thanks for hanging in there!

[@coloneltruth2620]

@@GaryHughesOfficial Yes, that one! you overcame gear challenges and pulled things off nicely.

[@antonxravx]

I watch your channel from Russia and I really hope that our Government will not block KZbin, because I want to continue to receive useful information and skills from watching your videos. Thank you for your experience and professionalism! Peace to the whole world 🕊☮

[@Bert.Stappenbeld]

Wow! I'm impressed: not only because of what you tell us, Gary. But also the way you meticulously instruct the model on how to move. Really impressive. Further: Adorama and Gary I hope to see this collaboration more often. Because you have made some very nice episodes now. Keep up the good work!

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Thank you! There are more videos in the works!

[@storyworkz]

Excellent demonstration. Thanks Gary!

[@darkfable199]

As a headshot photographer that travels/needs a mobile studio, this was such a perfect set up for me to really take my shoots to the next level with minimum effort! Excited to try this out!

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Heck yeah, good luck!

[@bala1000mina]

Really happy to add to my photography knowledge from your informative video! Tips are very useful! Please keep creating!

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

More on the way, appreciate you taking the time to watch!

[@L.Spencer]

I didn't know hairlights were 90's, but that could be cool to try to get that vibe if I want. But what I'm most impressed with, and learning from, is how you direct the model. Little by little I'm working on that, learning how to do it.

[@juliefiorettihughes8633]

Your 1993 portrait is my new favorite thing

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

I bet it is

[@AdoramaEvents]

love this! need to get Gary to the Event Space for a live demo! 😊

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Any time, would love to!

[@LouCondon-j1v]

I was professionally schooled back in 1980 and you used a hair light for portraits, period. Good and proper use of a hair light. Also photographers these days that were not schooled like I was do not know how to properly use a background light also. I used to set my background light so it would separate the subject from the background. 50 school portraits per day you must have everything looking even for yearbook production.

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Volume photography will certainly train you up right. Thanks for watching!

[@borciladorinelphotography]

Great photo tips. Must use it on my next portrait projects 😎📸

[@leonjohnson3780]

Gary’s a great educator!

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

thank you, my friend!

[@StevenSmith-nq5xe]

Great tutorial. Thank you!

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

:)

[@cahallsr]

Love it, thanks much!!!

[@kennypringle4580]

Good info👋🏻

[@alicekivlon2281]

Very nice photo and direction from your point. What is the stand that held the last light (pointing at the backdrop for separation)?

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

That is the FLashpoint turtle base c-stand with boom arm attachment. They actually released a new version that comes in black with some MAJOR improvements. adorama.rfvk.net/JKkE5R

[@EdgarGarcia81]

Great video! I don't see the C stands on the gear list. I really like those 90 degree arms and wondering what the models are.

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Those are Flashpoint C-stand kits from Adorama. The new ones are such a huge upgrade (and they come in black)

[@RawGreySun]

Could you use a 53 deep umbrella w/defusion instead of big softbox?

[@ClarkSandersPhotography]

Gary always knocks it out of the park! Love these techniques!

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Thanks buddy!

[@yvonnemin9143]

Great video. Any suggestions for when shooting on a pure white background and not having the hair sort of disappear into the white?

[@MicahTischler]

If you're talking about how to prevent losing hair detail due to blowing out via a light on the background (which may not be what you mean, but it sounds like it could be), Gavin Hoey (who is another Adoramite (Adoramian?)) has recommended metering the back of the subject's head and adjusting your background light until the value there doesn't exceed that of your key by their face.

[@markbyerly9094]

“Subtle” is the word. Well done, sir. Thank you!

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Well thanks for taking the time!

[@NoelDelPilar]

Super!

[@cheersaccount4649]

How do you feel about some crazy non-traditional colors for some hair lights?

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Great idea! Color can fashion up an image something nice

[@JR-ro5kv]

Always learn/pickup something from your videos. Thanks for sharing. What stand/grip did you use for the background light?

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

@@JR-ro5kv that’s the flashpoint C-stand with boom attachment. Use it every day :)

[@manoharmgr8235]

Super

[@NicolasKalogeropoulosPapaGeek]

Great point, Gary! We're working with three-dimensional beings on a 2D medium, yet we still strive to make them appear 3D. I love how light helps achieve that sense of depth and the feeling that the subject is almost 'popping out of the screen.' Fantastic tutorial, as always! I have a quick question about the Eyelighter-how far can you push its use for portraits? For example, it works beautifully for head-and-shoulders shots, as you've shown here, but does it still perform well if you back up and shoot the full upper body?

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Absolutely. It can do a lot of heavy lifting. You may not get the benefit of those curved catch lights quite as much, but it works well for 3/4 length. The trick is going to be keeping the distance of the key light similar to the distance of the reflector.

[@mark_allgood]

I wonder if I’m doing the corporate headshot for men with blue suits, what background color should I pick for nice but not too dramatic look?

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Savage makes a paper called Ultra Marine that is a favorite of mine for blue suits. I also like a grey canvas with a blue tint

[@Archontasil]

Would be a lot better to use a dark haired model

[@PeveVisuals]

Nothing you cannot do with a blank adjustment layer and a simple brush in Photoshop

[@GaryHughesOfficial]

Absolutely! But boy would that eat up a ton of time to do it to a whole bunch of images. Might be easier to grab it in camera. Editing is certainly amazing and can do almost anything, but my goal as a working pro turning out a ton of images is to nail it in-camera as much as I possibly can. Appreciate the perspective, thanks for watching!