Taking photo of CEOs

[heroneo99]

Hi all.. need some advise here..

I might be needed to take a portrait of CEOs in different companies for a book published by my company.

I have a D70s plus kit lens, 50mm 1.8 and a old Tokina 80 - 200mm , no external flashlights.

Some queries:
1. do you think it is a must to get a external flash (maybe a SB600) for this job?
2. I heard the better lens to take portrait is abt 100mm (does my tokina fits this?)
or maybe my 50mm with the 1.5crop factor will be good enough? (cuz my tokina is old old
one.. hee)
3. any cam settings tat i should take note of?
4. lightings- any external settings necessary?

Thanks in advance!

[blurblock]

For such critical pictures .... I suggest you hire professionals.

[catchlights]

Agree with blurblock.

Can tell or share with you how to take corporate portraits, but don’t think is a good idea for you to take a corporate portraits for your CEO.

[billpepsi]

If your primary role in your company is not photography, it is better to hire a pro for the job. B'cos most likely, the book is published for bookstores or distributed to their customers. For portrait, the subject/reader usually expect higher presentation standard. You may be required to do post-processing touch-up to their faces, hairs, clothings etc...

Since you post this question, I've a bad feeling that your company is doing this for the 1st time.

[student]

Originally Posted by heroneo99 Hi all.. need some advise here.. I might be needed to take a portrait of CEOs in different companies for a book published by my company. I have a D70s plus kit lens, 50mm 1.8 and a old Tokina 80 - 200mm , no external flashlights. Some queries: 1. do you think it is a must to get a external flash (maybe a SB600) for this job? 2. I heard the better lens to take portrait is abt 100mm (does my tokina fits this?) or maybe my 50mm with the 1.5crop factor will be good enough? (cuz my tokina is old old one.. hee) 3. any cam settings tat i should take note of? 4. lightings- any external settings necessary? Thanks in advance!

Concur with the others.

Sorry, if you ask such questions, you obviously do not have the know how for the job.

[espn]

Hire me hire me!

[ortega]

I agree with the rest as well

If you are not confident then don't do it
it will cause more harm than good.

[heroneo99]

hmm.. maybe i should explian more clearly,

we were actually collecting photos from the different companies, but as u know, some gives good quality ones, some gave passport type and in very low ressolution.. . and we have to keep chasing for better photos from these ppl, therefore we suggested we can go down and take a photo of the CEO ourselves instead of waiting for them.

(we still accept the photos provided by them as long as they look decent and are of high resolutions)

So this is actually not a annual report type of project, but i still hope to do the best i could if possible..

thanks !

[espn]

I can provide you with very large sized images if you hire me... And you won't have to keep chasing me. How's that?

[heroneo99]

Originally Posted by espn I can provide you with very large sized images if you hire me... And you won't have to keep chasing me. How's that?

ha.. k k.. i will take note and propose to my boss if they are open to hiring professionals for this job. But from collecting photos from them and hiring pros for these photos is quite a big jump, so...

Thanks for all your replies anyway..

[catchlights]

Originally Posted by heroneo99 hmm.. maybe i should explian more clearly, we were actually collecting photos from the different companies, but as u know, some gives good quality ones, some gave passport type and in very low ressolution.. . and we have to keep chasing for better photos from these ppl, therefore we suggested we can go down and take a photo of the CEO ourselves instead of waiting for them. (we still accept the photos provided by them as long as they look decent and are of high resolutions) So this is actually not a annual report type of project, but i still hope to do the best i could if possible.. thanks !

Ok, a d7o with 85mm with an sb800 is min. bring a small backdrop.

For me, will use wall bounce instead of ceiling bounce.

That's is minimum and the fastest set up

[heroneo99]

Thanks lots for your advise !

Originally Posted by catchlights Ok, a d7o with 85mm with an sb800 is min. bring a small backdrop. For me, will use wall bounce instead of ceiling bounce. That's is minimum and the fastest set up

[Zplus]

I agree that this is more suitable for a professional to take the shot. You will get better shots for your magazine and probably please the CEOs too. But its your company and your method of running it... the better shots will of course increase the quality of your publication.


On to your questions:

Originally Posted by heroneo99 Some queries: 1. do you think it is a must to get a external flash (maybe a SB600) for this job?

If you intend to use the on board flash, your shot will look like a snap shot. Its better to get a SB600 for your D70. And then you gotta diffuse that. How?? see above....

Originally Posted by heroneo99 2. I heard the better lens to take portrait is abt 100mm (does my tokina fits this?) or maybe my 50mm with the 1.5crop factor will be good enough? (cuz my tokina is old old one.. hee)

Urm... knowing why people say a 100mm is good is impt. Else you'd be following blindly. If budget is a concern, your 50mm will be OK.

Originally Posted by heroneo99 3. any cam settings tat i should take note of?

THere is no "magic" setting. You gotta see the environment the CEO's office is in.

Originally Posted by heroneo99 4. lightings- any external settings necessary? Thanks in advance!

Related to 3. YOu gotta see the lighting in the CEO's office - flourescent, warm spots, etc etc.....

You can google these topics and try to learn but nothing beats experience.... if you have time, you can probably practice and get OK / good results...

Have fun!

[ortega]

if you don't get it right the first time
the CEOs will never want to let you do it again

so practice first

[heroneo99]

Thanks Zplus. have a bit more courage to take up this task out after reading your post. haa.. else was starting to think i might not be suitable to do this task.. ha.

[heroneo99]

Originally Posted by ortega if you don't get it right the first time the CEOs will never want to let you do it again so practice first

OK! will take my colleagues as models first and try it out in my own coy..

thanks yous...

[Zplus]

Originally Posted by heroneo99 Thanks Zplus. have a bit more courage to take up this task out after reading your post. haa.. else was starting to think i might not be suitable to do this task.. ha.

Just take note that it takes years for a professional photographer to learn techniques and develop a style of their own....so if you don't get it right... you gotta weigh is it good enough for your publication. Like Ortega said, you only get one chance sometimes.

If its not good enough, consider hiring a pro. Coz if your magazine sells well, then the cost of the pro is justifiable. If the pics cheapen a magazine... then its hard to recover from the reputation... you'd definitely want to coorporate with the CEOs in the future. Remember that the pros are paid for a reason.

[yqt]

shoot fast, most of the time you'll only get about 10 mins tops to shoot a CEO ( most of the time it is 3 to 5 mins ). You'll also need to know how to talk to them during the shoot so as to get a natural expression from them. I have to agreed with student that, reading your 1st post, you seem not ready for a shoot like this.

[heroneo99]

Originally Posted by yqt shoot fast, most of the time you'll only get about 10 mins tops to shoot a CEO ( most of the time it is 3 to 5 mins ). You'll also need to know how to talk to them during the shoot so as to get a natural expression from them. I have to agreed with student that, reading your 1st post, you seem not ready for a shoot like this.

yup.. understooded... Thanks for all your replies, I can see where I stand also.. ha.. but am going to grab this chance to learn something. (at least try to get something slightly better than passport photos.. hee)

I also think to be able to be at ease with the CEO's is really something difficult for me, talking to them and make them feel natural is even more difficult..

I will take note of all yr suggestions and comments. Thanks!

[Wai]

Originally Posted by heroneo99 yup.. understooded... Thanks for all your replies, I can see where I stand also.. ha.. but am going to grab this chance to learn something. (at least try to get something slightly better than passport photos.. hee)

if you want to learn, shoot your friends or family members instead.

firstly, your CEO will not have time for you to trail and error (you arent even sure what lenses or setting to use, do you think u are really prepared?)

secondly, you will be if your CEO not happy with the photo (if you hire someone and if he dun do his job well, at least it is not your fault)

thirdly, the photo going to be published for everyone to see (are you ready & confident that you can deliver photo that is up to standard or you just want to take the opportunity to shoot for YOUR OWN learning experience??)

if you insist on shooting, think will be better for you to get a P&S and shoot in auto mode...at least the tolerant for error is higher and you can blame the camera if your pic dun turn out well