Portrait Photography for the Cosmetic Dental Practice

Fondriest

Improving Your Portrait Photography

BY James Fondriest, D.D.S. Introduction Lake Forest, IL Whether it is for documentation of clinical circumstances, to celebrate the [email protected] UH finish of treatment, or to market your skills to future potential clients, improving your skill at taking portraits has great value. Single lens reflex (SLR) cameras Dr. Fondriest is a curriculum are becoming commonplace in dental offices for intraoral use. The same SLR author and Lead Faculty for the camera that you use intraorally is excellent for exposing beautiful portraits as Esthetics Continuum at the Pankey well. Interesting and emotion-generating portraits can be created with these Institute. He has lectured cameras by changing the light source, lens, and camera settings from the typical internationally and published extensively in peer-reviewed intraoral setup. This article provides details on how to set up professional style journals. Some of his memberships lighting in the dental office and how to capture better portraits. include the ADA, Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics, the Academy of Osseointegration, and the AACD. Most of the patients coming for your services understand that quality esthetic dentistry requires artistic talent. Good portraiture His office focuses on esthetic showcases your artistic talents. restorative dentistry. https://lakeforestdentalarts.com/ Lighting FlashSystems

Typical intraoral camera set-ups have a ring or dual-point flash system mounted to the lens. The ring flash positions the light very close to the lens, allowing illumination of everything visible in the viewfinder. A dual-point flash has two separated light sources, making it slightly more difficult to get light into the back of the mouth with retracted shots, but the indirect lighting effect makes your porcelain restorations look nicer and less opaque. Both flash systems yield a high- Fondriest

Figure 1: Portrait taken using Canon 20, 100mm Figure 2: Postoperative portrait taken with two macro lens, Canon MR-24EX twin flash. The patient’s symmetrical strobes/softboxes as main lights, hair proximity to the black background causes a shadow light strobe with parabolic and grid diffuser, Nikon to be formed on the background. D200 camera, Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF zoom AF-S lens.

contrast, detailed image good for for taking close-up pictures of small lights around the patient to see how documentation purposes; but they objects. Studio lighting can offer a the face and teeth are directionally typically also produce a very flat, less harsh and contrasted result, illuminated and evaluate the harsh, and less appealing quality and the light can be directed from exposure (i.e., level of lightness or when portraits are taken. They leave a many different angles (Fig 2). With a darkness of the photograph) before single specular reflection in the shorter lens, the photographer can the picture is taken. This kind of center of the pupils, which gives a move closer to the subject, making it lighting creates the dependability of easier to expose images at different “beady eye” look (Fig 1). “what you see is what you get.” angles. Because these camera systems However, there are drawbacks to usually have a 100-mm macro lens, using continuous lighting in the small the patient should stand at least The better artistic images elicit an emotional confines of a dental office. These seven feet away from the camera so and/or intellectual response from the viewer lights are hot and will heat the room. that his or her entire head can be As a result, your subject will tire more photographed. The actual required Natural lighting offers the most quickly and begin to perspire, so you distance depends on the camera’s artistic opportunities in portraiture, but will not capture as many chip size. The seven-foot distance time and logistic limitations make photographs; nor will you have a challenges the onboard flash system artificial lighting the most convenient chance to experiment with as many to throw sufficient light to your subject. for dentists. Studio lighting offers Dental photography suppliers poses, lighting set-ups, or wardrobe recommend setting the flash com- unlimited artistic expression when changes. photographing your patients. pensation at + 1 to + 1 2/3 to over- Strobe Lighting come this exposure deficiency, but Continuous Lighting Strobe lighting is the most common this flash compensation may create a Studio lights can be divided into studio lighting selection. Basically, a tendency to overexpose the in- two categories: continuous lights strobe light is a light system that traoral images. (spot lights) and non-continuous synchronizes its flash with your Better portraiture lighting can flash lights (strobes). It is easier to camera’s shutter opening or to other be achieved by removing the on- use continuous lighting (i.e., the strobes. Just like the flash on your board macro flash. Macro flashes studio lights are always on). With camera, strobes power up a charge and lenses are specifically designed continuous lighting, you can move the and release a flash of light when the

Figure 3: The strobe light can be supported by a tripod Figure 4: Higher-contrast portrait taken with a for ease of positioning, and softboxes can be mounted beauty dish as the main light, two hair light strobes on it to diffuse and soften its harsh flash. with parabolics and 300 grid diffusers, Nikon D200 camera, Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF zoom AF-S lens. camera demands it. Strobes have be attached to strobes. Umbrellas dish as the main light is seen in Figure rheostats or digital exposure adjust- (e.g., reflective and trans-illumination 4. ments that allow you to adjust the variations) are inexpensive and Lighting set-up amount of light that is thrown. You can easy to use, and they soften the Setting up a studio light system in set your ideal camera settings harsh light of the strobe. Soft- boxes a dental office requires very little room. manually and then adjust the strobe are used more often in studios, I use a small area adjoining a narrow light output to create an ideal exposure. require less room, and offer the hallway previously used as a Panorex Your subject stays fresh longer because greatest softening effect. Softer light nook. It provides a rectangular space of he or she will not become tired due to shows fewer visible wrinkles or skin heat. Also, because you can keep the 6’ x 4’ (Fig 5), in which there are two imperfections1,2 and yields very nice lighting low between shots, the pupils main strobe lights with 24” x 32” reflections off porcelain restorations. stay dilated, which many in the softboxes attached, each supported The closer the strobe with an attached professional portraiture industry believe by moveable tripods. Having them softbox can be placed to your produces a younger, healthier look. on tripods enables me to move them subject, the softer the light will be. The Strobe lights can be triggered by your around easily and quickly. For larger the softbox, the softer the light camera via a wire, radio transmitter, or documentation photography, I keep is.3 by other strobes firing (i.e., “slave them equidistant from the patient and triggering”). Strobes typically are the camera. The general rule is that a mounted on tripod light stands (Fig 3); Creating a quality portraiture area in your office is well worth softbox should be placed no further or, in the small space of a dental office, the investment. from the subject’s face than the sum of sometimes on walls and ceilings. its dimensions (i.e., 24” + 32” = 56 When they are wall-mounted, the ability to experiment with lighting is limited. Parabolics and beauty dishes inches). I tend to keep them less Wall mounts (e.g., Mathews baby are other common strobe diffusion than 36” from, and at the same plates [Mathews Studio Equipment, attachments used in the modeling height as, the face. Often you can Inc.; Burbank, CA]) cost an average of business, but these tend not to flatter tell what lighting was used in a $17.50 each, versus tripod light older patients because they produce portrait by looking at the specular stands, which cost approximately light that is high in contrast and reflections in the eyes. $40 each. shadows that exaggerate skin Many different diffusion devices imperfections.2 An example of a high- that yield different light qualities can contrast image taken with a beauty

Figure 5: Ideal portraiture set-up for dental office. Background has hooks to hold black velvet curtain. Set-up requires a minimum space of 6’ x 4’.

Figure 6 was exposed with closely when the hair light strobe fires for the photographed with the main lights placed symmetrical softboxes. This exact same length of time). firing, as seen in Figure 10. lighting set-up fully illuminates the The hair light is a light pointed The hair light has a parabolic diffuser buccal corridors (Fig 7). from above that illuminates the with a 200 grid. The grid collimates the A third strobe, the hair light, is hair and/or shoulders. Hair lights light into a small circle, illuminating mounted 2’ (3 to 4’ would be better) are used to create a visual separa- only the subject’s head and above the patient’s head on the back tion between your subject and the shoulders. This keeps direct light wall. The height is limited by my background. If your subject’s hair or from coming back into the camera ceiling. This hair light strobe is clothing has little contrast from the lens, which would cause lens flare. synchronized to the camera shutter background, the distinction between Using a lens hood also helps to via a radio transmitter (e.g., the two is lost (Fig 8). The illumination reduce lens flare from a hair light that Pocket Wizard Plus transceivers, that the hair light produces without cannot be placed high enough above Pocket Wizard; Elmsford, NY) that is the main light(s) firing is the patient’s head due to ceiling height mounted on the hot shoe of the demonstrated in Figure 9. The limitations. I have a small rectangular camera. The two main light strobes individual in Figure 9 also was area on the floor, demarcated with duct are slave-triggered (i.e., they will fire tape where the pa-

Figure 6: Portrait taken with two symmetrical strobes Figure 7: Show off post-op results with the symmetrical with 24” x 32” softboxes as main lights, hair light illumination of the buccal corridors obtained using strobe with parabolic reflector and 200 grid, Nikon symmetrically placed softboxes. D200 camera, Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF zoom AF-S lens. tient should stand so that the hair a “fish eye” look. I tend to keep my buccal corridors evenly to avoid a light will hit its target. If the patient zoom lens setting between 45 mm distorted or even an asymmetric stands outside of the rectangle, his and 70 mm (Figure 11). appearance of the teeth. When you or her hair will not be illuminated well. are capturing facial images, you may Backgrounds want to experiment with uneven Lens I prefer non-patterned and non- lighting. Professional portrait pho- A fast close-up zoom lens (e.g., distracting backgrounds and suggest tographers prefer the more sophisti- Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L USM black, gray, or white. My Panorex cated, artistic effect they achieve by [Canon USA; Lake Success, NY]; Nikkor nook has been painted a glossy placing the two softboxes at different 28-70mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF-S lens [Nikon white that appears gray in photo- angles and setting the strobes with Inc.; Melville, NY]; or equivalent) is best graphs when unlighted (Fig 12) or different F-stop exposure settings.1 By for dental portraiture.4 Space is always bright white when illuminated by adjusting the tripod placement to limited in the dental office, so select a another slave strobe on a tripod hidden different angles and distances, one lens that allows you to get closer to your behind the patient (Fig 13). We also strobe becomes the “main” or “key” subject but still enables visual capture have hooks in the walls that support light and the other becomes the “fill” of more than chin to hairline. The a large black velvet curtain. Ideal light, creating interesting effects (Fig closer you can get to your subject, backgrounds of different colors can 14). the more acute the angles from which be purchased in the form of rolled you can take images. The shorter paper on a rod that can be held up Settings lens also will allow your patient to by wall “J” hooks or tripods 6. If you do While there are no “rules” for stand further away from the not use a hair light, use backgrounds settings in portraiture, the lens aper- background so that the flash that provide contrast to your subject’s ture setting for photographing one shadow does not appear on the hair color. person generally is wide open (2.8 to background (e.g., Fig 1). Be careful 8). This yields a shallow depth of field not to cause image distortion by Set-up Variation that softens the silhouette of the hair coming too close to the face with your The set-up described above and makes the background less 4,5 lens; set at 30 mm or below. Using a (Figs 5 & 6) is the most ideal set-up defined. The lens is set on center- shorter lens can create for taking dental portrait photog- weighted autofocus; always center raphy. It is important to illuminate the your lens on the teeth. The

Figure 8: No hair light was used to Figure 9: Portrait taken with only hair Figure 10: Portrait taken with a distinguish the patient’s hair from lights aimed at the top of the head hair light and two asymmetrical the background, and the distinction and shoulders to distinguish the strobes with softboxes. The main between the two is partially lost. subject from the background. light is to the right and the fill light is just left of the camera. camera is set to manual mode (e.g., RAW files actually are considered to been retouched or “interpreted” by ISO 100, RGB color space [Adobe be the digital “negative” but are not in software. No photographer throws Systems]), image-quality RAW + a useable format; they must be away their negatives before they see large JPEG, with the shutter speed converted to a file format such as JPEG, the prints, and no dental educator anywhere from 1/125th to 1/250th of TIFF, PSD, or PNG to be used in visual should ever delete their RAW files, a second. Be sure that your radio presentations or printed. which have potential educational transceiver will synchronize at the use. Image File Conversion shutter speed you select. By setting Once the RAW converter “develops” the shutter speed faster than 1/160th There are many software purveyors your image, save a downsized and of a second, the influence of ambient that have written software for RAW compressed version called “copy” light in your studio becomes negligible.3 file conversion or development, but so that you do not overwrite your Note, however, that even when I am currently the most popular one is original JPEG. A 500 KB to 1 MB JPEG working at a shutter speed of 1/250th Photoshop Elements (Adobe Systems file is a suitable file size for placing into a of a second, I keep the room lighting Inc.; San Jose, CA) RAW converter. PowerPoint (Microsoft Corp.; Redmond, subdued in order to dilate my sub- The conversion process allows much WA) or Keynote (Apple Computer ject’s pupils. of the same latitude that developing real film allows, such as adjusting Inc.; Cupertino, CA) presentation, or for exposure, saturation, and contrast, e-mailing to your specialists and ImageFiles depending on the software. Anyone laboratory. The image later can be The newest cameras capture two with minimal computer knowledge cropped, rotated, and perhaps turned types of image files: RAW and JPEG. can learn to develop a RAW image in into a grayscale image to fit your RAW files offer the best and fullest minutes. It is not possible to make a needs. digital rendering of the image cap- change to a RAW file and resave it—it tured and are preferred over JPEG can only be saved as a new file type; Investment files, which are already processed RAW files are digital proof that an With a minimum investment in and compressed, with most of the image has not equipment and office space, you data having been thrown away.7

Figure 11: The angle of view varies with lens length (the shorter the lens, the wider the angle of view).

can make major improvements in  two sync cables (this connection  one Mathews baby plate with your ability to communicate clinical from the camera to strobes fires 5/8” stud (wall mount for hair- circumstances to your patients and the lights synchronized to the light) those with whom you work. You will shutter)  two Chimera 24” x 32” shallow find that creating a quality portraiture  lighting guide DVD/user booklet. throw softboxes with baffle and two diffusers area in your office is well worth the Optional additions: investment, and it will enable you to  one or two Mathews baby plates  one Elinchrom reflector and grid better share the beautiful dentistry you with 5/8” studs (wall-mounting set, includes: 8.25” reflector; 80, create with others. Either of the arms if space is too limited for 120, 200, 300 degree round following strobe lighting set-ups will light stands) honeycomb grids (attached to facilitate quality portraiture the hair or background monolites;  Microsync (www.microsyncHU - photography in the dental office. collimate the light) digital.com)UH strobe sync radio 1. Budget Version (approximately transmitter.  two Pocket Wizard Plus transceivers (sits on camera hot shoe; $900): 2. Professional-Quality Version (approximately $3,700): syncs camera with strobes) Elinchrom D-Lite 4 compact  Savage Port-A-Stand kit; seam- monolight Flash Kit (Adorama Camera,  three Elinchrom 300RX digital style monolite strobes (used as less backgrounds (recommend Inc.; New York, NY), includes: key / main lights) black, white, or gray) with support.  two Elinchrom D-Lite 400 Ws  three Chimera (Boulder, CO) monolights (strobe lights with Conclusion quick-release speed rings for flash strength of 400 watt sec- An image’s ultimate use is the Elinchrom digital style monolites onds) best determinant of how it should be (connectors between strobe and composed. If the images are to be used  two Manfrotto 9’ light stands to softbox) for treatment planning, com- support strobes with attached  two or three light stands to support munication, or educational pur- softboxes strobes (if two, then order the  one 25.5 x 25.5” softbox wall-mounting arm)  one 21 x 21” softbox

Figure 12: The lighting used here consisted of two symmetrically placed strobes with 24” x 32” boxes, a hair light strobe with parabolic, and 200 grid.

Figure 13: The glossy white background wall is illuminated with a strobe, with a 12” x 36” softbox behind the patient shooting up from the floor.

Figure 14: Artistic portrait taken with asymmetrically placed and lit main light and fill light, both with 24” x 32” softboxes attached; and a background strobe with a bare parabolic diffuser. poses, then the images are enhanced 3. Hurter B. The Best of Photographic Lighting: Capture your viewer’s imagination. Techniques and Images for Digital Photographers. when taken with specific patient The better artistic images elicit an Buffalo, NY: Amherst Media; 2006. positioning, focus points, and expo- emotional and/or intellectual response 4. McCartney S. Mastering Flash Photography: A sures while simultaneously providing from the viewer. Try to make the viewer Course in Basic to Advanced Lighting Techniques. symmetrical illumination.8 Other dentists wonder about your other patients’ New York: Amphotos Books, an imprint of Watson-Guptill Publications; 1997. may appreciate a straight-on journeys from beginning to end, as 5. Bengel W. Mastering Digital Dental Photography. documentation-style photograph, well as to speculate about what is Hanover Park, IL: Quintessence; 2006. but if your intention is to show your beneath the surface. 6. HauserM. The Light of MarcHauser (DVD). Chapter successful treatment results or artistic References 4: Lighting the Full Length. Aurora, IL:

Shootsmarter.comHU ;UH 2007. flare, then it is not as critical to follow 1. Grey C. Master Lighting Guide for Portrait documentation guidelines. Telling Photographers. Buffalo, NY: Amherst Media; 7. Galer M. Photoshop Elements 4.0 Maximum 2004. prospective cosmetic clients that the Performance. Burlington, MA: Focal Press, an 2. Crockett W. Digital Portraiture Basics I [DVD]. imprint of Elsevier; 2006. beautiful images they are viewing of Aurora, IL: Shootsmarter.comHU ;UH 2006. 8. Fondriest J. Documentation versus artistic your other patients were taken in your photography. Quintessence Dent Technology office can have a powerful positive 2008:Vol 31, 127-133. impact. Most of these patients will understand that quality esthetic dentistry requires artistic aptitude. Good portraiture showcases your artistic talent.