More Profoto Telezoom portraits

Here are some portraits I took the day before the author portraits, using the Profoto Telezoom reflector shot through a Chimera panel with diffusion material. The main differences are the background (here a white cyc, on the author portraits a brown paper background closer behind the model) and the position of the background light (here outside a window pointing in at the background, on the other one also pointing at the background but with a different effect).

This is a standard headshot, but taken at the same position and with the same lens as the author portrait below. Ok, one is a man and one is a woman, but very interesting to see how just small changes but the same main light can produce so different looking portraits.

It is an easy exercise to modify a working theme into many versions just by changing a small thing here and there (just changing the model changes a lot as well, of course). I should do that more often.

For more behind the scenes shots and details of the lighting setup, see the previous post: Profoto Telezoom and a large diffusion panel.

Here is the last portrait from this series, and the effect from the light outside the window (a Profoto D1 with a Magnum reflector) is barely visible in the bottom left corner where the light hits the most.

My idea was to have light coming in through the window to create a pattern on the background, but with the settings I used, the main light (together with the distance) didn’t allow for that to happen. Will try a different method next time, maybe flag the main light or use a smaller aperture.

Similar setup with Magnum reflector

Anyway, this is a nice light. I like it. It is easy to use, and works well for both half length portraits as well as headshots with an even light that still has a nice contrast to it with defining shadows in the face without making it too harsh.

Above is a business portrait using a similar technique, but used a little closer and with a Profoto Magnum reflector instead of a TeleZoom. See Business Portrait with 3 lights for more details on that portrait session.

To only problem is raising two light stands holding the Chimera panel by myself. It wobbled a bit from time to time until I got it as high as I wanted it.

The result may vary a bit depending on where you use it, the white ceiling and walls close by affects the portrait a bit, so if you have a larger space or use it outside it might get more contrasty. I guess.