Setup & the Portrait Recipe

Training · Deck 03

Setup & the portrait recipe

How a Mammoth setup looks and why every measurement matters.

Good vs not good

Photos of real setups. Not good is not acceptable.

The portrait recipe

Repeatable looks come from repeatable settings.

1. 01Booth 8 feet from the backdropAny closer and a white backdrop turns into a gradient.
2. 02Full flash at the proper angleEven coverage across the whole backdrop, not a hot spot.
3. 03f/10
4. 04Precise mm zoom, every timeZoom in slightly on white so the bottom corners don’t go gray.
5. 05Measure itUse the pre-cut measuring rope. Knot marks the ideal standing spot.

Light

• Get people close to the light so they glow.
• Micro-adjust strobe power for skin tone and how far people stand.
• Use the light meter for an objective read. Under-exposed misses our look.
• Hairlight when the setup allows it. That’s what makes it a portrait shoot.

Framing

• Center the booth. Even lines. No offset shooting.
• Headroom at the right height. Clamps for the left and right margins.
• Know your mark. Keep moving people to where the light is best.
• Full-body portraits need 8 to 10 feet of clean floor in front of the backdrop.

Where it goes

• Look at your space. Think about it.
• Work with the client to find the best spot. Suggest ideas.
• Put the booth where people will see it. Never hide it in another room.

Backdrops

• Six panels wide.
• Pure white: zoom in a touch to avoid corner gradients.
• Custom prints are not 8×8 squares. Know what makes it into portrait frames vs landscape frames.
• Glass, plexi and LED signs in a backdrop will reflect. Plan for it.

Good vs not good photos

The difference between good and great, and how to get to great.

Before you leave the studio

• Everything present, everything clean, everything charged.
• Backup camera. Backup light. Backup cables. Backup kit sealed.
• Test the full kit for real: real distance, real backdrop, real photos.
• Take a photo of the kit and attach it to the event.
• Right backdrop stand. Right backdrop panels. Check it twice.

On site

• Photo and video of the finished setup. Required.
• A cocktail table with a linen for the printer. A second table for drinks keeps the shot clean.
• Verify everything is plugged in and charging.
• Wipe screens with a microfiber cloth before doors open.
• Keep checking lighting and framing all night.

Outdoors

• Heavier baseplates and a modifier that sheds wind instead of catching it like a sail.
• Extra power cables, always.
• Direct sun has limits. Tell the client the constraints up front.
• Extreme heat or cold and iPad batteries stop charging. Plan shade and power.
• Know the internet situation. No venue wifi means we need strong cell signal.

End of event

• Verify the uploader: every photo is up.
• Pack it how it was. Baseplate never against the unit head.
• Clean baseplates, cables, screens.
• Report anything broken, low, dirty, or “not right but not sure why.”

Make it. Measure it. Document it. Make it repeatable.

If you figure something out, write the recipe down so the next person doesn’t have to.