I’m Craig, and I run The Headshot Pro studio in London, UK.
I leapt from amateur to full-time portrait and headshot photographer in the summer of 2020 after being made redundant from my previous career in IT.
I discovered the world of headshots and corporate portraiture by accident.
As I was wondering where to take the following steps in my life, several friends contacted me to take their headshots for their Teams calls, Zoom and LinkedIn.
As the world changed to remote working and spending more time connecting online, there was a growing desire for fantastic profile pictures!
When I got started, I used the gear I already had. My Canon EOS 5D MK III was a birthday gift from my wife, and I had various flashes from shooting friends’ parties and events and fun test shoots.
Canon EOS 5D MK III – I still use this camera today for my headshots and portraits.
The colour and image quality are fantastic, and while I’ve considered moving to a Canon EOS R5, it’s unnecessary for my work. I’m drawn to the new eye-focus technology but put off by managing much larger file sizes, and it’s always tempting to get the latest gear.
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 – This is my go-to lens for ninety per cent of my work. It gives me the versatility to go from half-body to tightly cropped headshots.
Again, it’s tempting to go for the f/2.8 version, but I find it unnecessary for corporate work. I like to keep my kit as efficient and cost-effective as possible, and this lens is a workhorse.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 – My secondary lens for portraiture is the classic nifty-fifty. Another budget lens that outperforms its price. I love this lens for my more creative work when I might want a narrower depth of field or simply a change of perspective.
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 – Often, I’ll be asked to shoot some group shots or teams, capture environmental shots or brand imagery. This lens allows me the most incredible flexibility to get those wide-angle shots. It was the first lens I purchased after my kit lens, and it is still one of my favourites.
Godox FL150R – I switched from a four Godox AD200 Strobe setup to constant LED lighting a year ago. The kit is super light and portable, has way more power than I need, and has the benefit that I can see exactly the light I’m getting before taking the shot.
Godox FL60 – This small square LED constant light works perfectly with the Godox FL150R lights to provide additional fill and comes in handy if I’m doing any video work.
Godox AD200 – I love these lights! My first professional lighting kit was built around four of these gems.
Although I’ve moved to constant lighting, I still use the Godox AD200s for background lighting, in my travel kit and for other work. The quality, build, reliability, and battery life are outstanding.
Godox XPro II Flash Trigger – I control all my lighting with this flash trigger. It’s simple and reliable, and I’ve never had a problem with it!
Westcott X-Drop Background – One of the lightest, most portable background setups available. As most of my work takes place on location, I can ensure that I have great, clean backgrounds that are consistent and reliable. I may move to the new X-Drop Pro system for additional coverage, but this is all I need now.
ThinkTank Production Manager 60 – This case has been one of the most essential pieces of kit I’ve purchased. When I started, I was working from my home studio, but this case has enabled me to take my entire studio out on location.
Without this, I wouldn’t be able to take my kit out on corporate jobs and produce the level of quality that I do on location. It’s huge and heavy but an essential bit of kit.
Manfrotto MT190XPRO4 Tripod – I use a tripod ninety per cent of the time rather than a handheld to help with my framing and consistency. I have this paired with a Manfrotto XPRO Head.
Grooming Kit – an often-overlooked part of my kit that can make a difference on a shoot. With corporate work, we mostly do not get the luxury of a hair and make-up artist, so having disposable hairbrushes, oil blotting sheets, and eye drops can be a lifesaver.
I also highly recommend Teenitor Oil Blotting Sheets for oily skin, a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product spray for fixing frizzy hair and Rimmel London Stay Matte Primer for shiny skin.
CaptureOne Pro – This software was a game-changer for me. Tethering my camera to my laptop with the Tether Tools cable allows me to instantly review images with my clients, make adjustments and ensure we have the perfect shot before the client leaves the room.
The colour rendition is excellent and gives me a perfect base image before moving to Adobe Photoshop for final retouching.
Evoto – While I prefer to do my retouching by hand, sometimes we need good results quickly. Evoto’s AI retouching technology is impressive and can help if you have a high volume and need a fast turnaround.
In particular, removing the glass’s glare does a better job than I can in Photoshop!
Corporate work may not be as glamorous as fashion or editorial work, but there’s a growing need for great headshots in business.
Whether for your company page, LinkedIn, Zoom, or Teams calls, your headshot is one of the most important assets you have to present yourself to the world!
Credit : Source Post
