While in the studio last year, I reserved some time to make headshots for TEDx Tysons contributors. These were all done prior to the pandemic lock down. At this time they still had speaking and other events to prepare. From speaker coaching, venue logistics, and coordinating volunteers, it is a team effort to pull them off.
With this in mind, I wanted to contribute more than just the event photos to their efforts. I have been exposed to some incredible people while photographing these events. Of course, the talks and the speakers are as inspiring as you have seen on videos.
However, I have been equally inspired by the people working behind the scenes. They are driven to build a community in Tysons. Moreover, they create places for discussion with other attendees between talks. It is here that I see the power of what they are building. These ideas as spreading face to face, not on an internet comment board.
By all means they are planning to return to their events once this is all over. For now, they have many presentations available on their YouTube channel. It is inspiring to listen, absorb, and participate!
Since we are weeks into this quarantine – video conferences have replaced in person meetings. To be sure this is not my favorite way to network and meet business contacts. However, the current state of our world has forced this style of communication for everyone.
While the advances in technology have made the webcam an adequate conduit for this communication, I am a photographer. Thus, I want to have the best picture quality! Of course I would look better myself, but it would also help my business profile. If my little box looked the best out of all of the boxes in the meeting, it would stick with some people that I know how to make a good looking image online. Moreover, it would show how much I care about how I project myself online, and how professional I can make my clients look. To this end, I looked at how I could use my professional cameras to stream online. My lenses and lighting could then be used to elevate the look from my studio.
Video conference lighting setup
Quarantine 2 – Video Setup
As an overview, my laptop is positioned next to my camera on a tripod. The lens is set to a 50mm focal length. If you are using a smart phone for your calls, I would select a portrait style mode to zoom in closer to your face. Seeing that this is the most important thing to see in the video, fill your frame up with your face! The microphone captures a nice clean audio from me sitting about a foot and a half away from the camera. The background of my shot is 10 feet away from where I am sitting. With the difference in distance, the background is blurred out nicely. As long as there is some difference between you and the background, you can have this same effect.
Camera tethered for video streaming with shotgun microphone
Once you have the camera set, the HDMI cable comes out of the camera and into a video capture card. For this setup, I used the Magewell USB Capture HDMI Gen 2. From here the audio and video is transferred by USB to my laptop. From here, you can choose your USB connection as your webcam in Zoom, Skype, Facebook Messenger, whatever program you would like to use. Both your audio and video will be sent through.
HDMI to USB capture card
Lighting Setup
Similar to the separation of your face from the background, the lighting setup follows. I have a very cheap shop lamp with an LED bulb to my right. It is shining into an umbrella that softens the shadows but still gives dimension. With the bright light only about a foot from my face, the exposure is set for my face with the background becoming dark. This makes for a nice dark background. As a matter of fact, this is a good way to hide a messy work room 🙂
Shop Light firing into an umbrella
Again this may be overkill for most video conferences. However, I want to be remembered as a photographer. With this setup, it makes it easier to make an impression as someone that produces professional images! Please let me know if you have any suggestions, or questions. I am very knew to this, but am pleased with the results so far!
Today, I wanted to look back at some 2019 Business Portraits as we start a new year. In the first place, I have Marty who owns a flooring installation company. Marty has a great personality who thinks out of the box and uses his creative mind to solve problems especially when working in client’s homes. With this in mind, I wanted to try something off the wall after getting the standard headshots.
This next set is from a shoot with Noel and his team from N &D Landscaping. On this occasion, they were on a job site taking down a series of tall trees. For his website and social media, these photos of rigging to secure falling limbs, and men standing high in the air will make an impact! Moreover, it will give their customers an idea of the kind of work that it takes to remove trees in neighborhoods.
Washington, DC
Finally, I have some images from a session with Sherrita in Georgetown. Being that I see her at all the TEDx Tysons events, I know she is a talented wordsmith. Not only does she help coach speakers, but she is an author and entrepreneur in her own right. There is nothing like a bright morning in Georgtown Waterfront park for beautiful outside portraits.
