Portrait

Octabox Corporate Headshot

Lighting setup

A single octabox on grey delivers a clean corporate or LinkedIn headshot with even skin, readable eyes, and no fashion drama.

Lighting breakdown

1
Octabox Key
A 90–120cm octabox at 30–45° provides soft, even corporate light with a subtle shaping shadow.
Medium octabox · 0.9
Octabox
2
Optional
Fill Reflector
Optional white bounce opens the shadow side toward 2:1 without adding a second strobe.
White reflector opposite · 0.7
Reflector
3
Optional
Hair Rim
Optional high rim from behind camera-right catches the crown and the camera-right hair edge for separation, without changing the facial key:fill ratio.
Strip box or snoot rim · 1.2
Stripbox

Base setup

Approachable light. Neutral background.

Top view

Complete setup · 1 light · 2 optional

Learning path

This setup appears in curated assignments — continue the sequence when you are ready.

Step 6/8Beginner portrait lighting
The commercial deliverable from a single soft key: even skin, readable eyes, and a background separated by tone rather than by another light.
Light Builder Next: Clamshell Beauty →

Lights: 1 + 1 optional
Contrast: 2:1
Catchlight: Large octagonal catchlight
Key position: Octabox 30–45° camera-left, eye height
Light quality: Soft light
Mood: Soft / Commercial / Documentary
Quality: Soft Light
Subject: Male Portrait
Environment: Studio / Dark Background

Mood variations

Farther More Shape

Pull the octabox back for slightly harder shadows and more jaw definition.

Hair Rim Accent

Add a high gridded strip or snoot behind camera-right — a bright edge traces the crown and the right side of the hair against the grey, and the face key:fill holds.

Final look

Base setup

Corporate headshots need trust and clarity, not mood. A medium octabox slightly off-axis gives soft skin with a gentle nose shadow, while neutral grey keeps wardrobe and skin tones honest.

Camera & framing

Exposure

ISO

ISO 100

Shutter

1/160s

Aperture

f/8 – f/11

Lens & framing

Lens

85 – 105mm portrait

Camera height

Eye level

Framing

Head and shoulders, full face in frame — chin, forehead, and both ears visible; comfortable headroom; no edge crop

Try these settings → Key : fill ratio →

Key notes

1Keep the octabox at eye height and slightly off-axis — centered light looks like a driver license photo.
2Match grey background luminance to mid-face exposure so the subject separates without a halo.
3Use a small white reflector opposite only if eye sockets go dark; corporate should stay bright, not moody.
4Crop at the sternum or mid-chest; leave headroom consistent for LinkedIn and team-page grids.