Lessons

Lesson Info

Point of View

Telling the story is about a point of view clients looking for your point of view clients looking for your point of view how do you feel about fashion? How do you feel about the world what's happening in the world right now everybody is looking for your point of view and this is how you stand out as photographer from everybody else out of the millions of photographers in the world eva has their own point of view what's yours what's your point of view how do you feel about the world around you what's happening in it? And how do you show that in your work? This is why copying somebody else's work will never get you work copying somebody else's work would never get you work you're copying their point of view but you have your own the secret to success is finding your own unique point of view the secret to success in photography is finding your own unique point of view and sharing it visually with the world once you do that you never work about have to worry about finding work ever again b...

ecause they'll find you looking for your point of view look at all the famous photographers out there throughout time they all have a point of view what's yours italian vogue and steven meisel this guy's with my favorite photographer's I've loved his work since I was a photo assistant I've loved his work since I was a photo assistant look attain vogue every month, so the the american magazines will have editorial in the back and maybe they'll be eight to ten, maybe twelve pages at the most attack in vogue every month it could be twenty pages shooting a twenty page story. It is very hard you have to have a distinct point of view. Steven mayes l is a fantastic photographer because he takes whatever is happening in life at the moment and turns it into a fashion story, the big spill in the gulf last year here in the states, he turned that into a fashion story, and it was amazing when the war started, you know, couple years ago he took that and turn it into a fashion story. So right now we have something going on in the states called a occupied wall street imagine that as a fashion story imagine that and everything is having in the world right now that you have passionate about that's going on, imagine turning that into a fashion story, and how do you do that? You take the models and you create a scenario, you create a storyboard, you tell the entire crew about the story you want, and then they play a role just like you're doing a movie. All of a sudden you have a point of view you know what it's a lot more fun doing this this way then just take a girl out and she's taking pictures and calling it fashion beauty you have an idea, a concept and you're showing how you feel this is very important for you to show how you feel about everything that's happening in your life around you that you're passionate about if you're not sure your passion is take time now to think about it regress back to childhood and think about your favorite book what made you feel alive? What's the last move that you saw that you love was that last song you heard the last song made you feel alive that's a hint of where the inspiration lies and have research so I have a dozen books filled with years and years and years of tear sheets and I used these to find inspiration not to copy, to find inspiration, to find inspiration, to find inspiration ideas and put your spin on it to find a story, start looking at magazines and looking at the editorial toward the back the fashion stories the magazine that you have you have the first part, the magazine you have all the advertising the advertising pays for the magazine in the back you have that magazine's brand their version of fashion or beauty or travel or lifestyle we're still life or whatever it is in the back they have their brand the front of magazines, all advertising and that pays for the magazine. The back is the brand, all the fashion, all the energy all of thought goes into that study that study it look at it, think about how the stars were shot it what was it with any thinking about what the concept was? The story look at the title of the story look at the title of the story, the opening page, the story whether they want you to feel were they trying to tell you so now as photographers? What are you trying to tell your viewers? What's your point of view? Find the hero, find the hero and make it sing jump off the page, jump off the internet, find your hero as you shoot now this had changed everything from this day forward. This changes everything because now you're shooting with intent as you shoot like a shooting for pretty shot, you're finding the hero in your pictures from this day forward find your hero because every picture has one. Every successful picture has a hero jury is the hero baby shot has a hero skin as the hero. Every shot has a hero. He is a version of me shooting a story I did us live in a class like this, and it was the done the day after the inauguration. So I'm excited about the inauguration this's the inauguration back in two thousand eight where obama's chill selected as president and sworn in so as in l a for that inauguration day that flew to new york the next day so my mind is fresh with that so I did a story called stars and stripes it's a beauty story so how do I shoot how I felt about the moment that special moment how do I shoot that as my version in front of a class I'm teaching a class on lighting so this is the story I had that we did in front of the class stars and stripes stars and stripes stars and stripes this is me doing my version of documenting that time so I see these images I think about that class and doing this but it was me giving the way I felt at the moment so how do you feel now how you feel tomorrow when you're shooting what's happening in your life now put it in your work no matter what you shoot beat a wedding portrait yes using for a client but it's you shooting and you're in there you're weaving your thread through all your images you're weaving your thread through all your image is how you feel about the world finding your hero making it means something to you it's not just a job it's not just a picture it's your picture filled with your life in and yang I have a book of ideas I have all my my my research material that in a book just filled with ideas so if I get a blank I got my idea book and in that idea but I have opposites and I have my interns do this as well to keep my my list growing and growing and growing it's the first day of internship they have to write opposites hot code big small yin yang my list goes on and on, but I'll go to it and I'll do ideas based off of my opposites so here's my version of yin and yang well before I do that though I've got to go to research, go online and find out what seon what's yang clear that all the time like we hear fashion beauty but what does it really mean? What is yen and what is your name? Before I can hire models, get the hair and make up for the crew together I don't know what to tell them so I go online into my research first let me clear about what yeon is and what yang is then I sketched out my idea to bring to life before this point is just in your head it's just in your head I sketch it out first get out your head and put it up into paper sketch out your ideas then you see right then does it make sense still makes sense up here first well it's on paper you start taking it apart dissecting it and finding out if it really makes sense or not then you bring it to life then you bring it to life when I first shot this I shot it like this and I showed it like this then an editor so I said oh let's make a small change that's the team together each achieves mohr all I could see was this because I had the blinders on it was so obvious when my editor made that small change and it brought it to life share your ideas together each achieves mohr share your ideas the team the hair the makeup the stylists the models open that dialogue for people to say how they feel and get input give you input all the questions right now always there will always be questions at every channel's good copper blue ass can you give advice as to how to find one's personal inspiration for telling stories without being literal when it is not for a client but personal pursuits absolutely we're gonna go through that later on in detail and how we're gonna do is I'm going to share inspiration that came to me when I wasn't looking for it I'll give you a little sneak peek now I was invited goto on opening to a gallery and I didn't want to go but my girlfriend's a son and he is having a six years old and he want to go see this exhibit and I really didn't want to go but I went because he wanted to go and going changed a lot for me so I'll go to that process later on so stay with us because I'll I'll show you that I'm glad that question because we're always looking for inspiration but sometimes it comes we're not looking for it. I went to india for the first time seventy years ago and that trip I went to clear my head I went to india for a month and being there open this door that wasn't expecting it uh led me to start working on a journey and I've been working this project ever since I've been working on this personal project for now almost seven years and it's the biggest project of my life it's the most fun I've ever had a camera in my hand and is based off of that trip to india inspiration comes when you get out explore life thanks for the question we'll go deeper into that later on so sketchy at your ideas mix a lot so I can't sketch to save my life at all now sketch my ideas out and then my girlfriend who khun sketch very well and draw because she's an artist painter, designer jewelry designer she'll bring my sketches to life so before you had my horrible sketches like what is this and now she brings it to life and thank you nozomi thank you very much I got because I'm us you have these sketches that come to life now and now the entire crew can see it so first we see this first we had the sketch and then I've been the sketch to life it doesn't have to be exact at all it's inspiration to get you in the ballpark so then you can play story ideas how do you find those concepts those ideas to shoot how do you find them? You shoot what you love you shoot what you love what do you love not what do you like? We like a lot these days and sometimes I think the word love around but really think about what you love not what you like I like a lot of stuff I like a lot of food I like a lot of food but I love sushi it's a big between like and love your shooting what you love and that takes thought regress would you love as a kid was the first movie you loved the last movie you loved what was it and what did you love about it? I see it a question there on the the sushi comment how do you turn that into a photo shoot so oh like how you go from that love of sushi too beauty or fashion I did a beauty shoot years ago I said I wish I had that shot in this presentation but I didn't I didn't abuse shoot a long time ago why did lipstick and I had the model eating sushi so the whole siri's about her eating different sushi was about the lipstick that's the intent thanks for that question and I think we fast because I love that you put your love's in your work and he was surprised when the people love what you love but you're loving your work what moves you what makes you feel alive gives you goose bumps what is it? So now when those things happen that make you think ok how they use this in a shot and I put that stuff that I love in my work your work should be a filled with images that you love things that you love places that you love, how you feel about life current events, favorite movies, favorite books what are they? Would you remember what stands out to you there's the old move called from here to eternity it's an old movie from like the forties and fifties and is a famous shot you see all the time when they show movies so I went and watched the movie turned that story that movie and to a story from here to eternity candy girl he is my version of candy girl shooting for layout when I'm shooting I'm thinking about the layout I'm shooting for coverage also I'm showing it full three quarter tight getting options so I could have great images for my layout so when you are shooting and this is a matter what you're shooting with the shooting ah wedding again or portrait ce or or landscapes or still life think about how these will lay out either how they lay out in your portfolio how they lay out in your book people are used to looking at images side by side we all used to looking at em just side by side so say you have a magazine and this magazine is going to figure out what goes on the left page in the right page you don't want to images that looked the same you don't want to images that looked the same in the beginning my career when I put my portfolio together to show my work to clients I show images that look the same side by side I didn't know any better and then an editor pulled to the side and taught me the language of opposites if you want you just to be impactful to be strong you want to show not names that look the same you want to show the language of opposites what is that big versus small full body versus tite fille energy versus moving images implied motion versus still black and white versus color the language of opposites this is a big deal once you learn how to see this way it changes the way you shoot and how you show your images it changes the way you shoot and how you show your images you shooting for layout to have great complimentary and just working together it's much stronger having this than having this tight versus full body black and white versus color now you go home where she online still looking at your favorite magazines and you will see this everywhere now everywhere everywhere the language of opposites the language of opposites if I had two big faces right beside each other it's not a strong they compete against each other they fight each other we have the options going on you have a great sprayed and all the great magazine speak this language if you shoot this way and show images they know what you're doing you know what you're doing any questions about this language of opposites? This is very powerful guys no matter what you shoot anything landscapes portrait ce find three magazines they're very different for a travel magazine a fashion magazine what's in the magazine uh lifestyle magazine they all speak this language all of them travel magazines, fashion magazines, lifestyle magazines they all still like magazines products it doesn't matter they all speak this language design don't worry quick question from the internet a nikon gal thirteen fifty seven go oh, sorry that's actually the question was from sibon thirty seven can you use the language of opposites for online editorials? Absolutely absolutely it doesn't matter the media you can use this anyway you show in just side by side online as well they're spreads as well there you have one spreading across we have one long horizontal image we have two verticals could very easily show this very easily it works in any medium thanks for the question we're shooting polar bears we're shooting fashion models so I want to shoot polar bears for fun for fun I'm still thinking about the language of opposites some freezing my butt off in cape churchill in manitoba, canada seeing polar bears and I'm thinking about how could I find my tight shot in my long shot? I'm blown away by the polar base of they're everywhere I'm protective of course I'm in a vehicle where I'm safe but I'm shooting for a spread how much fun is that full vs tight looking directly at me want to eat me and running a couple more questions on that um digital purposes is asking always two pictures or cannot also be done with three doesn't make it stronger or weaker very good question doesn't make a stronger a week here I've seen ads ah lot where you'll have mohr than two images on a spread like wanting to have two or three images then one will have one I think a little weaker that's my personal opinion I like it when it's like this just to images because I think less is more, you know, fighting for attention but depends on the images as well, but my personal opinion I love the spray was just two images I think is what stronger there have a question from train who would like to know how often do you shoot in landscape versus portrait? And would you shoot this in a landscape mode I would and I did actually when I'm how could I shoot landscape horizontal versus vertical? Um I'm used to shooting from magazines or ads well, there's sometimes I'm shooting an ad where's horizontal landscape and sometimes I'm shooting vertical so when I shoot this stuff from me I'm shooting both ways horizontal and vertical so I'm not sure how I'll use it at the end I will make sure I have coverage shoot it both ways that was a great question thanks again guys online keep those questions coming in anything your stoop for magazines is that normally portrait most of the times but their times also when you have a spread and that image is cross to page, there are times when you do that and it's quite beautiful when you do that so I do it both ways great questions air coming in online, more line all right, so a question from shane uh shrug e who was one of our regulars a cz with the language of opposites will you do it with colors as well and then another ad on question that's kind of great question eyes from emily from casey, missouri kansas city, missouri oh, not my pr emily who was here last time um I noticed that the tone in this shot this side by side shots are very similar. So the tone here is this done on purpose to make it a unified feeling two separate questions yes, this one it is and her question earlier about would you do in the language of opposites of color? Absolutely it is a matter of fact on our fashion day we're going to do just that we have bright colors and then we have black and white gramps is well yes is long you're speaking lynch of opposites absolutely you can have one one page was call one tone in the fashion and then have bright clothes on the other one you could have an image where one model is jumping on one that one's like looking right at you long is showing the lady opposite it works there dozens of ways to do this it's so much fun doing this it changes everything it could be anything it's long, but I'm saying if we're doing opposites of color but with regards to the image itself would you have one where you focus directly on the face and then the other would be like a full body or a full scene what could you do both ways within the same you can you're gonna have for example so you have a girl it's full body okay you can have two images were both india's the girl full body but one is in bright colors of the ones more muted tone that's still the opposites okay as long as it pulls your attention in some way is not exactly the same you have stronger spread and visually you should look at this take two images that you have and look them side by side that look alike you in light room push the l button twice it goes totally black like those two images side by side that look just alike then find a different one that shows the opposites again to the habit of looking at those side by side and you'll see how powerful this is versus this. So your question carlos yes I guess a little bit the question would be we should find just one opposition let's say instead of playing with three different things that are opposite you know if I put color and in black and white and then jumping and one anyone it should be one it should be just you infused try to do all that in one's brand it would be less is more don't confuse yourself make it easy and find one way to do it you can have different ones for going through that say a ten page spread can have different ways of showing the lingotto opposites but make sure you're having fun doing it you know take your time and find it in each one you can't do the same thing for twenty pages but people can't even see it and two you're aware of it as you go home tonight find a magazine and look through it and look at that length of opposites and how they tell their story through each page and sometimes very often it's very subtle matthew have a comment sounds good elvis castillo he's one of our regulars alot of life he would like you to know that this is such a wonderful section of the workshop fantastic info and everybody in the creative lounge is really loving thank you thank you very much for that thank you very, very much it's good to hear that because you've never liked anybody shoot really getting what you're saying so it's really cool to hear that thank you guys very very can I can I add another one it's another gushing one from only and c s u this is a question for creative life for feature presenters please show this as a master class in how to teach oh ji he is freaking amazing thank you I love this I love sharing how I feel, I love ah being to reach out to people and share my experience photographically and going back to goals going back two goals. So for my goals, part of my goals is to speak and share my knowledge. The thousands of people have that written down, and this more I'm saying, my goals, I say when I'm on the road as well, and I stopped when I got that point. Michael, my god, today I'm doing that. I was that in january and today, I'm doing that for the first time around the world, I had that in my goals, it's written down, I said every day, and today finally has come to its coming, really it's kind of crazy. I had shield this morning, I read my goals and I get to that part crazy.