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Lesson Info

Shoot: From Fantasy to Photograph

Let me talk a little bit about before we get started in our photo shoot what my mind set is the camera gear that we're going to use and the thought process it goes into this um first of all, I'm going to be using the nikon d for camera along with the seventy two hundred millimeter lens this is my favorite lens to work with I just like the compression of the background and it's a so very fast it's got very fast glass two point eight it allows me to blur some of the background out as well. Oh um my s o is going to be set at one sixty on my shutter speed? I'll let it fall where it may it'll probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of two hundred fifty two of a second at temperature two point eight or actually think I'm that three point five here um the environment is going to be the lighting rather is going to be all natural light just the lighting here in my studio and what I want you to notice, how can I get you to hold this for me? Johnny? Uh, I just wanted to share real quickly about...

the way that we're gonna actually compile this photo shoot you'll notice now that we have direct sun coming through our windows and we're softening that light source by putting our big white pieces of plastic in the window the great thing about the plastic is that pops out very easily so if I change my mind and I want to use that direct sunlight in a creative way I can do so um the other thing that I like you'll notice that with this light source is a beautiful broad soft light just remember that the larger the light source the softer the light sources and also the closer this subject is to the light source the softer that the light will become so we have a beautiful soft light on ferris face and the light is gonna come in at about I want to say about a forty five degree angle on her body and what I want you to notice is the way that those highlights kick across this dress to create beautiful texture on her gown you see all of this movement you can you see this beautiful movement in the dress and across her bust here and on her face as well because the main light is producing is coming from about a forty five degree position to fill in slightly on the right hand side we're using our reflector are and this is going to be great for just we don't want it to be as bright as the main light because if you do then you have completely flat light but I wanted to be maybe a stop under that so you'll notice that it's quite a distance from her and it's just going to fill in slightly her body I will have this young lady turned her body towards a light source, but camera position is critical. You see, I would not want to photograph flat into her body in the same direction as the light source. Why? Because it makes herb appear heavier, wider, and it also flattens out all of this wonderful texture on the dress. So and by the way, there are times when you want a photograph from the same direction as the light in this case, I just choose not to, um so that's kind of the basics of the shoot. The second thing I want to talk about is let's, turn this back around now, and we're going to talk about how to do that. How this photo shoot is a collaborative effort with other artists. One of the things that we'll do is we'll bring our yellow door over in a moment, I think it's going to actually look great as a new addition part of our prop for for this photo shoot, but in addition to that, we'll also collaborate in this during this session live with our hair stylist because they are artists as well as, you know, there's much an artist as a regular artiste is, and we can change up the look very, very quickly by what the hairdresser does next to whether she incorporates and puts the hair up, or whether she incorporates some sort of props in addition to the photo shoot and I think that's really important is when you are collaborating don't just hog the whole thing yourself don't make it be just all about you because you've got to learn to play nicely with other people and I have to tell you that sometimes it's hard to do when you have a thought process that you want to achieve and then you have other people are doing, but but but wait a minute, can't we do this? So relax and my goal for myself is to give myself time and to give to make this experience one that is educational but that's also fun for our model, a swell so I'm gonna do a few pictures up here have stuff a stand on this stand, and then from there will bring her down and we'll photograph from different various angles. Ok, are you ready? Farrel? Okay, so let's get started and any questions, by the way that you have during this photo shoot, police feel free to ask those questions because I don't mind taking questions actually during the session case affair, the first thing I want you to do is I'm kind of you push your hip the other direction you see pushing the hip one way or the other really changes the body language. Notice what happened? Stand flatfooted for me, sarah jane. I just want to take this foot that's closest to me and stretch it out a little bit beautiful. And now push your hip away from it. Beautiful. You see how it created a very nice s curve on her. Those s curves are great for helping your subject look more elegant and more soft. It really breaks it up a little bit. The next thing I want to do is I want to bend this elbow justice tiny, but little tiny bit of movement and then just turn. Yeah. That's. Exactly what? Your elbow back behind you a little bit. Let me tell you why. You see if this arm is out, we're seeing the heavier or the wider part of the arm now unfair. It really doesn't matter because she's a tiny little girl. But if the subject is a little larger than we may see all that light, see how bright this part is it's going to make that arm look a little heavier? So we want to flatter our subjects and I think that's the key that's one of the things that separates you from just an amateur with a good camera is that we actually want to take flattering photographs of our subjects not just take pictures and not just press the shutter a million times so let's, try this let's just take a few pictures and see what we get here. Um I actually don't move here that just looks beautiful just like that love it love it love it we'll shoot right now one quick picture. Okay. And now here I want you to turn your face a little tiny gorgeous right there with your eyes. Beautiful. This hand right here. Just bring it down. I'm just kind of like like this with your thing up love it. Farah that's beautiful! Oh, my goodness! I'm telling you right now tilt your head a little bit this way gorgeous and with your chin leaned towards me a tiny bit beautiful gore just I'm telling you, drop your chin just a little bit love it excellent darling baby she looking good now I said, oh, I'm loving that girl I'll just shake that here a little bit you see your energy actually now and that's exactly what talking about? Let it go in perfect shake it a little bit beautiful don't move don't you dare move oh, you live stinky girl love it, love it then this elbow right here, just put it on your head, your hip beautiful and now lean towards me love awesome her backto mooned oh yeah baby that's what? I'm going to get fooling shot of this see, I like the fact that her here is not perfect perfection gorgeous, gorgeous gorgeous let me see how that work some of them I'll show the bottom of the pillar and some of them I won't and now just so we can see what it looks to do it a little bit differently let's see what looks like to have you turn your feet this way you'll notice by the way that when I want my subject to move one way or the other, first of all, I don't use left or right and I don't on purpose because I find that when you tell people left or right who's left into his writer you're talking about so I prefer to say turn this way or that way one of the other things that I do is generally if I want them to turn in this direction I'll come and stand in that spot so that they know exactly where I need them to go because if you say turn left or turn right, then guess what? They don't know how far and so they may go go to extreme so okay about right there is where I want you to be and then point this toe right towards me right here beautiful push that have just a little bit out there. Gorgeous. And then what I want you to do, fairies. You're gonna turn your face only just a little this way. I want to light this cheek on this side of her face. That's important to me. Vera has a long face and we need to get we want to broaden that face out a little bit. I wanted to to give it a little bit of dimensional and make it a little bit broader. It's a very flattering way to photograph her. Also because that light is coming from this position over here about forty five degrees, almost between forty five and ninety, we can split light her, which means we go right down the center of her face, which only makes her face look longer. So I'm going to try to light a little bit broader in addition to that having if I move my camera position now, because she's facing mohr to the shadow side if I moved my camera position over here because she has a fairly long face, if I photograph on the broad site or where the lightest on the same direct side of the light as the light source, it'll make her face appear a little broader, which is good. Does that make sense to you guys? Okay? Questions. We do have a couple d n y c eyes wondering because you're shooting slightly from below and bambi says bambi, isn't it generally unflattering to shoot a subject from below? That is excellent, excellent question. Yes, it can be unflattering to do so, but there are some factors to consider. One of the factors is, is that you could make your subject look taller and more elegant if you photograph from a lower camera position, the other factor that goes into it. Did you notice that when I was photographing her that I had her lean forward with her chest slightly and then drop her chin? That makes a huge difference in the way that the perspective looks for the subject, so it can be, but it doesn't have to be it doesn't always there's, not it's, not an absolute, especially you have a subject you want them to make it look, make him look taller and more, uh, long, tall, rather then you want a lower camera angle can be a really good thing, but we have a couple of questions about the light and the windows. So the first one is lori okay, says, does the direction of the window faces matter? Is north light better or not, um, I think that well, this isthe south southwestern light source and I think it's fine on dwi actually get in the afternoon and we get bright sun well, in fact, it's it's listen, east is this way. Yeah, this is south eastern this side that's west, southwestern on that side, I get confused toa year all I know is that sometimes you get bright light through this window and what I do to alter that because because north facing window doesn't get direct sunlight day or night, you know, I mean day or night? Yes, I guess you would get too much at night. Would you? Um, north facing doesn't get direct sunlight. This does so we definitely have to compensate for that. So what? Ideo I change the way the light looks by adding the scrims, which softens that light and makes it appear more like you would have with a north facing window. Great question and just a quick follow up on that last question for now is from old red eye. Do you ever use colored opaque plastic on the windows for a friend? No, I haven't. I have to tell you, um, well, first of all, I had never thought about using a pink colored plastic, but I don't know that I would and it's because I really try to keep to keep the photograph itself pure I can do lots of I can add creative style izing after the fact, but I changed my mind too much to get stuck into something, so if I you know, if I was if I said ok, well, I'm going to add all these color gels and really alter it in capture then I'm that's one less decision that I can change my mind on later on and sometimes it's been my experience that when I'm taking pictures in my mind when I'm actually pressing the shutter I have, I feel one way and then when I see the image actually in real life, I find myself going, oh, well, wait a minute, this might enhance this particular technique might make this look more unusual, and my goal is always to create some images that are controversial, not controversial in a in a nasty or vulgar way, but controversial from the standpoint that they may be a little bit less perfect, like when we see sawing that stuff her hair, they may be a little bit just a little bit different because my goal is to create a variety of emotional responses I want that person when they're looking at the pictures to go wow, that's awesome! I want them to go oh that's really cool wow that's really different oh that's who I don't like that as long as they don't have that flip flip okay, you see, no opinion is your worst nightmare it's the worst thing you could absolutely happen because it's boring and you know it's really funny if you look at people who have made a name for themselves they're always doing something controversial, aren't they? You know, I mean, you know, the kardashian girls are perfect example being famous for nothing you know, famous for being famous and I think that I'm not trying to advocate you know, you being one of those jersey boys and doing those bad things that they do but there is something to be said about people that have found a way to make themselves look so unique that they become interesting and if you think about it interesting is always a good thing because it's like, oh, you're interesting and and maybe I don't like what you say but I really find you interesting and that means I want to listen mohr and then maybe you can turn them to your point of view or at least it gives you a new alternative ideas so you know, I hope that makes sense, okay? So let's do a few more pictures like a pharaoh like this and then I'm gonna take her off the box and will use this we'll have her sit down on the on the bottom it's hang on a second here, kiddo you're hooked up here one of the things that I tried to do is I'm going you'll notice that I don't take lots and lots of pictures quickly like I don't go I don't do that because I find that then capturing the good image becomes mohr a random experience and it's luck driven versus driven by something that is by thought process so it's my goal to capture images that I think of not just pictures that because I happen to get because I happened to toe actually press the shutter at the right time by accident I took a bunch of them I'm gonna have you take this foot in front just stretch it out this way towards me and stretch out more like to the side beautiful sarah don't move that is lovely lovely lovely for you stunning very, very beautiful miss what it looks like from a faraway lovely can I have just put a slight bend in that album bring your elbow back behind you beautiful. Bring it down just a little bit stunning, darling love farrah gore just beautiful can't have you turn your face up and just stretch with your shoulders dropped their shoulders down gorgeous and just straight ahead for your chin down a little your eyes down just a little bit love it love it love it excellent sarah look at me I need you to shake it out uh awesome actually roll that shoulder towards you just a little bit love it beautiful can you bring both of your arms in front like this? Oh, honey that's nice. Just tilt your head this way just a little bit and then turn your face down and look don't love it not quite so much tilt your head starting that just love it now do you see why I took the tilt off a little bit? Because you see when she tilts her head a lot see how that cord sticks out in her neck and it's a little bit it's not quite pretty it's not very pretty so if you just pull it back just a little bit we don't need tons and tons of the posters don't need to be real heavy handed just be real tiny movements are all we need to have beautiful fair now fair let me have you put both your arms behind your back just like that oh, actually don't move that stunning right there gore just how are my exposure's looking over there good right there love it. Can I have you now with your chest leaned towards me just a little tiny bit beautiful honey and then drop your chin just a tiny bit stunning off cash vera that's so pretty look at me a second right here awesome what's that ugly dudes name you're married so I forget beautiful. Can you take this hand on this side right here and just bring it up to your hair just like that? Stunning. But turn your face this way. Just a little tiny love affair off that's. Awesome. You know, it's amazing what they can do with those fake contacts now that you know, when it makes your eyes look really blew when they're really brown. Bear, look at me. Awesome. Okay, let's, have somebody help her down. I have a question. Yeah. Uh, what me during load do you use and you meet her at the eye. Great question. Yes. She's going to sit right there on that? Uh, hang on. Just a second potion that'll do. Baron. What? You come on the side of that bench? Um, hang on. Just and don't forget your question. Gonna come right back to it. I'm gonna have you. Parker, you're going to sit on your thigh she's not going to sit on her backside. I'm gonna have her sit on her thigh. So you going to sit right there? Beautiful. Just like oh, I like that already. Wow. In fact, I think I need my step ladder. Could I get somebody to grab my stepladder for me? Because I want to get a higher angle on her face now it's just beautiful now let's talk about don't move your body you're perfect you just look just freaking amazing hang on I gotta shoot this really fix fast and then I'll answer that question turn your face just a little this way gorgeous vera eyes down beautiful stunning okay now let's talk about metering mode I'm using the evaluative mita ring in the camera it's that little circle with a dot in the middle because I want the centre of the picture of my exposure to be on that I'm going to use manual meter mode in other words I want to set my aperture and I want to show set my shutter speed I find if I do that that my my exposure's would be more accurate I don't use apa itu just aperture priority or program or any of those I want to be in control of the complete exposure and that's important because there are times when you're the meter he might be a bit confused if there's a lot of white in the scene it may expose may say ok this is going to be correct exposure and you'll find that you're a bit overexposed or under exposed you see because you're the media ring system in any camera understands one thing and what's that eighteen percent meters everything in relation to eighteen percent grey don't move you look unbelievable is her it's your skin tone eighteen percent right no she's lighter than that her skin tones are lighter than eighteen percent great so it could it could it could make a mistake so I prefer to photograph in manual meter mode and that way I don't have to worry about that I know I'll get a more accurate meter reading great question okay, now with vera sitting right here I'm going to take a few images I'm gonna shoot from a higher camera angle now because I think this will be a very flattering angle on her face and in addition to that I also like to give a lot of variety when I'm capturing images for a client I won't take like twenty five pictures of the same thing I want to try to get um I'll shoot a few and then move them around a bit it keeps people from getting bored says they're not going okay this is getting boring you know I don't like doing this so let's see what it looks like from a higher camera position um let me try from right about here first beautiful that's so pretty okay, how does my meter look? Look, look there now good you know what I'd love to bring in this reflector a lil bit can we bring in a reflector? I know that it's going let's can we bring it like two right there it will it mess you guys up? Um so let me have my ask my assistant here just bring that reflect her over a little bit little tiny movements are all we need keep going right on then what I need you to do jimmy, can you go to the can you go to the left a little bit move your body to the left not I'm sorry mic the other way now you know why I never use left under by because unbearably I'm gonna be saying oh, left one on that right don't move that's just gorgeous. You know, the other thing that I like that this reflector did is to see how it kind of highlighted her dress a little bit. It gave us a little touch of a highlight on the background and let's see how this looks from here is done and gosh, sarah here I'm not joking. You look unbelievable on my little precious absolutely oh, doll and she looking good. Oh, yes, perfect core. Just a moondog. Beautiful. Now, farrah, let me have you. Can you set up a little taller from light their love it? I don't want a lot of weight on this just like that gorgeous done with your face your face is just stunning, beautiful. I almost want you stretching just a little lovely, gorgeous and now let me back up to get a full like shot of this. I think this is so pretty. And then we're gonna add a few props to her. This suit, this is a vertical. I think you are just fair. Look right at me. Stretch just a little bit gorgeous and then lead out perfectly with your lips leaned towards me a little bit stunning. Gosh, that's gorgeous, gorgeous. And let me tell you look about the way I compose and photograph. I generally like teo, get the photograph. I use the centre point for me during and then I'll recompose so I tried. Oh, I locked the don't move that's just beautiful. I like toe lock my focus and then recompose its just the way that I've always done it. Ah lot of people you know, move the little box across the page, you know, in the back of the camera so that they can use that as their focusing box. I don't like to do that. And the only reason is because I want to concentrate on one thing and that's getting the picture and it's just the way that I've always done it. I lock the focus and the night recomposed so a lot of people are really great at adding their other thumb and moving the box across the page and stuff do you understand what I mean by that? Okay, great. So let me come in really tight on this face right here and we haven't really talked to a couple really pretty head shot look down at your shoulder right there. Stunning ferre one, two, three beautiful look at me but I need a little bit of magic you look like you're doing your grocery shopping on a catherine wanted a bust out laughing for no reason one, two, three that's awesome! Fair, beautiful. And now this is crazy. Do you see what happens it's so ridiculous when you tell somebody bust out laughing for no apparent reason that's the cheesiest thing in the entire universe I learned that technique from jared eunice and I'm telling you, you can take that to the bank now I'm gonna keep you there for a second. Let's add our yellow door. Can I get some of assistance to just move the yellow door behind the curtain? How you doing, pumpkin? You doing ok? You having fun? Because if she's not having fun, we're not having fun, shake it out for me love except reckoned loving and baby look at that yeah, actually now farrah bust out laughing for no reason awesome stop right there one two, three right here beautiful that's my girl see, every once in a while oh actually like that can you just lean it up against the wall back there? Can you scoot it just a hair to the right perfect good job and then took it back towards the wall a little bit more actually have really liked that that's actually really interesting in fact, we might end up pulling our curtains away in just a moment so my goal is justice is said to create a bit of a to break things up you see the more that you can break up a photographic experience the model doesn't get bored you also create a variety of experiences so quite often when I'm doing a session I'll stop for a minute and I'll just say okay shake it out and I'm not afraid of being a fool ok? I'm sorry you've already seen it once it's not like we're not gonna die okay, so I'll just I like to get into it with him and I'll just go okay boo love just shake it up for me and notice what happens with your face okay, colin I want you to focus in on her face and okay ready on the count of three okay, give it up there's ready one, two three really? Is that the best you could do yeah so I love it I bet you do that for eric all the time we'll soon now there we go click click click now we've got the expression from her which I didn't get because I was doing is you busy talking and gabin beautiful love it perfect pair turn your face just a little bit this way stunning beautiful hey can I take this hammer here just hold your hair on the side love love love right here with your eyes stunning and bring your hand like more like this just rolled down like this more on the side lovett who done then there I am telling you what if you were a pretty girl this could be just amazing gorgeous just just amazing okay turn towards me a whole bunch you'll notice by the way that I was like oh god does that look even better eyes that I as I continue to work with her my energy level goes up because the more if I need to get it pull it from her I start pulling my energy up sculpture booty back a little bit right they're beautiful love it love it love it beautiful oh gorgeous stunning just absolutely let me get a full length on that I just really like this so pretty farrah dang it I like this I'm actually really enjoying photographing you today is this fun okay let me have you separate your feet a little bit give me thirty seconds and my hair solace over you're saying okay band it's my turn to play a little bit yeah like that awesome hang on just a second don't move laurie that's gorgeous hang on a second don't get full length shot of awesome beautiful gorgeous really nice hang on just a minute go lower myself can you lean towards me now let me have you cross your legs girl style just like that's fine stunning oh that's beautiful pharaoh that's lovely can you turn your face just a little bit towards window perfect with your eyes right here drop your chin just a tiny bit but I need a little bit of magic so I want you to love it on account three shake your head one two three god it's gorgeous but I need you I need lips I want laughter can you bring your hands right in front of your face both hands just like this oh actually that's nice tilt your head like all look at the puppy awesome and I'll bring your hands right in front of your face like right in front of your lips right there. Okay on the count of three I want you to bust out laughing ready one two, three go store just love it by the way you know what this is what we do with all the ugly girls I got you that time vera george is and I'm sorry I'm just trash talking I don't mean it at all you should be yelling at me getting mad because I'm like getting no girlfriend you just being so mean but I don't I'm not being mean spirited I say all kinds of stuff out of my mouth all the time but it's not meant to be uglier mean it's just a way of just being playful with your with your subjects okay, now write about their fair that's awesome! I love it and now let's we're gonna go ahead and shake it up now let's, bring our hairdresser over. I know she's been dying over here. Let me introduce you to my dear friend lori lopez, the owner of wild orchids. The salon you're goingto seymour from laurie this afternoon I've been collaborating with laurie who's, a za local hairstylist for probably fifteen years she was actually the person who inspired me to create this concept that I do called hair wars. This afternoon you're going to really get a real treat because you're going to actually see ah hair wars experience and what we do is we'll collaborate together. We'll get together oh, maybe every three months or something like that these days not quite so often and we each get an idea we get to play for the day she'll bring in hairpieces she'll play, she'll create all kinds of looks that she wants. Sometimes they do it for photo for hair competition. Sometimes we just do it just because it's fun and it's a great way for two artists to get together without the constraints and without the stress of having to perform for a client. In other words, because that we're not working with the real client, we're doing something that's just a little bit, a little bit more playful, so if it looks great, that's good, if it doesn't turn out all that great, then hey it's, no big deal we just wasted today, it's not, we're not going to die for that, so it gives us a really rare opportunity to practise new concepts and that's really the key. So if you folks are out there and you're thing, well, I don't know if I could do this. You know the thing with with the dress, you know, and create that kind of funky dress out of out of aa window screening or something take a play date, just make it a playdate worked with a local hair stylist or local artist and collaborate on different concepts, and that way you're able teo to try something new and I every time I do this, I have to tell you, I'll start with one idea for a subject and then it just evolved it just it just ends up going and working all on its own it really creates it's a life of its own do you have some questions for me? We definitely dio marie claire is wondering what fabric you using for these curtains and where did you get the pedestal that the models oh great questions. Okay the fabric is just a simple el cheapo organza that you can get it's not silk or against it's just like the el cheapo polyester kind what you want is is a kind of organza that has body. One of my friends is a bridal salon and they used to use this for making for changing wedding gowns and stuff but it's super inexpensive you can buy it online I bought a roll of one hundred one hundred feet and that wack it I could just play with it and if I get it dirty it's no big deal I can wash it or throw it, throw it away and start anew I just cut the edges raw. The most important thing is to see how much play there is in it. So sometimes we will will bring a fan over and we'll use a fan too cannot blow the curtains to give us a little bit more of it and give us that just beautiful windblown look in addition to that the pedestal that you see this is actually one of my favorite things I've ever bought my whole life this is a little bit more on the pricey side this I bought it restoration hardware store again at the outlet if there's one bite if there's an outlet that's where you want to go don't bite in the normal store it's ridiculous and I knew that I wanted it for photography it's a coffee table and it kept calling me I'm not as you can see I'm not extravagant about when it comes to buying things that I really try to spend very little money and later on I'm going to show you a lot of the secrets but occasionally I will I will pull a splurge on maybe one really good piece and this piece was I think I paid six hundred dollars for it but in the store it's eighteen hundred or seventeen ninety five so I got a great deal for what you know from considering what I paid for it I got a great deal but mother more importantly it has its multi purpose, multi useful and that's what I'm looking for are pieces that I can change up and that I can that today you can use as a prop tomorrow you such as coffee table may use it isn't and table, but it has a lot of uses so that I'm not just spending money on something that's gonna sit with albums on it I mean I always try to find something that's multi purpose and that way I can I can get a lot of use out of something does that make sense? It does and actually this question had been asked a lot earlier, but the question was about how how often are you changing up the items thes big signature items that you bring into your studio right question? I actually I would say probably every three to six months I'll swap things out and I'm actually going to talk to you about that a little bit later on when we come back this afternoon about consignment shopping great because I'm here to tell you this is a girl who goes consignment shopping I love and the great thing about consignment shopping is that when you get tired of a prop guess where it goes, it goes to the consignment store so I can recycle and then I'll send it there and they can sell it for me and then I may let them have my money as credit for me for the future so that when I buy another piece from them, it doesn't cost me anything so it's a way to recycle and keep your studio fresh and we'll talk more about this later on this afternoon, but it's one of the things that I try to do t keep a lot of variety so one more question no good. Okay, so now my hairstylist laurie changed up ferris hair very, very quickly. Laurie, do you want to say something about the hair real quick? Come right out here and just talk about it. Just a tent? Sure, I'm trying. I was trying to change it up a little bit, so when they go over their prints that they have a few too to choose from. So it's just not all down. A lot of times, girls, they want to see their hair look different so they might be thinking about cutting their hair off in doing something different gives him an idea. And this little sweater right here I actually picked up at the clarence store. It was on a sweater and I cut this off and decided to use it for the shoot today because it matches your outfit but mean, bambi have also done a few shoots that for hairdressers these days are wanting to get into a competition. So sometimes it's not even about their hair it's about texture seems like these days photography and hairdressing comes a hand a hand when it comes to the texture. If you wanted to around her head, her hair actually we're going to shoot that I think that actually looks really interesting yeah brings her eyes out so mean bambi player around a lot thank god can we flip it the other way? They'll see how this is all coming towards her face let's see what looks like if we just have it the other direction it wants to actually I'm kind of liking that too, so we'll try it both ways and see what we can we wrap it around her neck then yeah, the great thing is ok, it'll mess up her hair a little bit but oh, well so what? We'll have a shake out her head in a few minutes and then it will get really messy another eyes okay, now I'm gonna take it I'm gonna change my perspective um and a gene can I have you? Johnny, can I have you pulled the yellow wall towards you that way? Oh, wow fair I'm here to tell you got your eyes just so good screaming in a year so now I'm a little bit more jane janine perfect right there is perfect you'll notice now I'm on the same side as the light source. I chose to move my camera's perspective for a couple of reasons. Number one I want a variety of different looks number two because I'm gonna be photographing her face real typeface shots now um and I want that light I want to get me on the same side of the light it'll really just make her eyes glow and I love don't move her hands I really love it just like that bear can you move that hat that little head piece up just like a whisper so I see the eye beautiful that's it though that's a perfect laurie beautiful fairy take this hand that has a ring on it bring her up to your face just like this love it real soft perfect gorgeous right there's beautiful me bring up my exposure just a little bit right beautiful turn your face only this way just a little bit more and I want a real soft hand can I have you take this hand drop it down right here and then lean towards me this by stunning fair right here with your eyes ho holy cow excellent oh gosh fair that's beautiful I need a little bit of softness like oh dawn and love that beautiful chin up a little bit beautiful and I know that light's bothering her take this hand right here just go like this but more side of the hand love very nice tilt your head that way oh wow that's stunning girl I'll tell you right now that is just beautiful so I'm gonna I'm all us moving my camera position almost where I can see the videographer the great thing about working with a long focal like blends that has an aperture of two eight guess what goodbye we won't even see him in the picture because I'm um my aperture is such a shallow depth of field now if I were photographing with a wide angle lens of course you're going to see everything in the room but because I'm really focusing in on the face most of that stuff will go away beautiful love it right here one two three awesome stunning beautiful fair I'll tell you right now that is just amazing okay let me see what looks like if I change my position up right there I like that can we take that actually I'm kind of liking that door in the picture but I don't want it like right in the middle I mean I actually think I'm gonna let no actually janine I think it's going to be fine just the way it is let's try this right here oh very beautiful fair that score just like that but I need some sassiness and you love it chin up a little bit awesome beautiful honey can I have you turn your face this way a little more and I want you stretch with you love beautiful like that three or four very nice okay now right here with your eyes ok let's take that off your head now okay this's just a knot this is pending with three or four yes is your technique for opposing much the same when you're working with clients that are less natural like I feel I feel like there is a natural and you know she's suppose she's she's very good looking, you know, she's she's into it but I run into a lot of clients that you know you're stiff as a board and as most as much as you trying you know you've given them direction it's just kind of rough do you know john, that is an excellent question. Which is why hey, you know what? Lori, can you bring her over here to do her hair come up here, john for a second? Okay, I just have a quick question. Does john brings up a really good point? You know, quite well, baby, you know, that works on a beautiful young lady, but but is that really practical what you're doing for just a normal person like you who's? Not a professional model. And by the way, ferris not a model she's one of my brides I shot her wedding but it's not about that. I believe that there are a couple of factors that go into it. Number one it's the art of communication let me explain what I'm talking about. Could you hold my camera for a second? Okay, the first thing is you notice I've got eye contact with my subject, I think that's really important when you develop eye contact if you're not even looking at their face, you can't tell whether they're getting what you're talking about the second thing I do is I never do this I do not do this okay do what I'm doing why would I not do this? Why would I not do this, huh? Well, they could see the back of my legs would do this what's wrong with this picture I contact you got it there's no eye contact and then you see you have cut the door you shut the door and it becomes a mechanical experience I don't want it to be tilt your head to the left forty five degrees okay? Tilt, tilt, tilt I mean, is that boring I'm brother have root canal done than that just sounds so boring. I'd rather do this say hey, turn your feet over me this righteous little bit we love that. Okay, I want to do this with your hips, see how my hips kind like this like elvis presley. Come on, love. Oh, yeah okay, but what I'm really noticing look at the face did you see what happened to his face when I made him do that stupid thing? Now stay right where you're at I don't want you to do is to turn your face back towards me this way, baby now that is one hot looking dude right there uh, don't don't smile, don't do it don't do it. I told you not to come over there. Slap you. I told you not smile didn't do it. Okay? I'm sorry. Licking my cases made okay. Are you a professional model? I know. Okay? I couldn't not today I could've told you that. But do you see the point is that it's not about whether whether they're a professional model. There are a couple of factors that go into it. You see, if I understand the art of communication and that's what this is all about it's fine photographic skill that also incorporates the fine art of communicating photographic skill is involved. Why? Because I know that I have to place him in the right spot for her in the right spot to flatter their figure teo, to make a beautiful portrait so I know that I want that light to cross the body. Okay? The second thing that's important is that I get a nice highlight and then a shadow and then maybe another highlight on that cheek, which I'm going to get maybe with my main light and my reflector. But if I get that beautiful pose but there's a big zero right here it's over you've absolutely you're you're done because expression is absolutely everything you could have a photograph that's not quite perfect but if they have a great expression, you've got everything. So what I tried if especially if I'm working with a subject that is very shy or that's a little bit not shy but who's a little bit more uncomfortable then I want to just help them to relax. So one of the things that I do to help them to relax is this okay? John? Um on the count of three, I want you to walk over that way for me. Just go walk over there. Good. Good. Okay. Thiss time john, I want you to walk back towards me, but what I want you to do when you walked towards me, I want to see some sass and those assets, okay? I mean, I'm not going on. Okay? Ready? Love a first job I ever seen in my whole life. Would you go back to it one more time? Okay, no. Okay, but simon didn't say go. Okay, ready? One, two, three go. Oh, yeah, buddy. Awesome. Love it. Awesome. Okay, did you notice how he tried to put on the bad boy act? You told me I'm bad, but it didn't work and totally didn't work, but you see, these little moments kind of break it up, they break up that the logical part of it and by the way, it's very natural for for men to be logical your logical thinkers for women it's a little bit easier I think because we are the emotional people way don't think everything out and go ok logically one two step well that's not how the female mind thanks we are that more emotional and that's why men are always thinking there's a problem they want to fix our problems when we're not trying to tell him stuff because we want to fix it we just wanna complain we want to get it off your chest and they're and they're always trying to figure out okay houston there's a problem we are there's no problem we just wanted we just wanted to talk okay so um in the context of working with your clients you'll find that if you just let them relax if you find that they're real stiff just play with them a little bit said you know I just before I actually do your photograph let me have you sit down tell me a bit about yourself okay have a seat there for a second john so john just talk to me tell me about who you are so many things to tell you I know I don't have like twenty years okay? Okay tell me a bit about who you are I'm a I'm a former soccer player okay? I knew that right away I could tell this is a player you know player to hear that okay now but do you see what I'm doing? What am I doing? You see I'm not just this is not just talk every single thing that's coming out of my mouth is designed to make him go hey you know what this is going to be fun it's all fun it's not going to be you know it's not a stressful scenario it's going to be really just a fun fun field time and then we'll get what I want so maybe I would do this that's okay john stand up for me okay? Can you stand on the box love it okay pal let's I want you to be working it for me okay alright love ha there we go awesome right there so now would you say that we're more friends, right? Ok good did that answer your question? Yeah I mean that help I was curious you're approached a supposed to like my approach my approach is somewhat similar but but yours bandy's well that's true on and actually thank you john that actually brings up a good question or a good point um what is it? How do you feel about you know you know because he says well baby that's your approach that's the way you do it and that's a very unique thing but what do you think that means to you guys out there what does that mean to you? It doesn't mean you have to be me. You can't be just like me. But I will tell you again. I take the analogy of someone who is learning teo there coach on a football team. I can promise you. Even though you know the san francisco giants won the world series are you can be assured that they are practicing the plays and practicing their response to the place. And yes, they will try to do the place the same way that the other people did them so that they understand how to win the game. So yes, it's okay? To be silly and to be just like me. You could do that too. Even if you're a really quiet, shy person. Because at the end of the day, this isn't about you, it's, about your client's it's about what makes them happy. And if you can make them feel more comfortable. So what? You look a little silly. I mean, so what? It's? All right, it's not going to know he's gonna die. I may have been the wish that looks great, huh? That does look gorgeous. Can I ask you a quick question, okay, awesome, this is from fain I'm sorry from susan, who says in my studio I have trouble with streaming light can you describe a little bit more about the diffusion of the windows? She says I'm amazed at the streaming the light streaming and doesn't show lines on the floor and I think he already talked about this but I was wondering about the backdrop organza pieces affixed to the top okay um okay, so let's first address the streaming light okay, if I take these white panels off I can promise you see look at how stream how bright that light gets on her face hello? Where were you on the night of august twelfth, right? You're lying farrell you're lying. Okay, okay, what this does because it's a white piece of plastic is it just it diffuses the light, it takes the light and it spreads it out and it softens it. You can get this same effect if we didn't have these white panels and I just used this fabric, I could get the same effect. In fact, let me show you what I'm talking about with that. Can I take a minute to do that? I love this look, by the way, um, can I have one of my assistants? Yeah, come on here, janine, can I just get you to take that diffusion panel out for me? Just pop it out the window I mean these of these pieces of white plus it's just white plastic kids you can get in anywhere in fact, by the way one of the things you could do if you really want to get get all fancy is like a tap plastic they make this film it's like a little plastic film that you can put on the windows and it's like it's it's white so that you can make that entire window very film me and make it on make it completely defused you see, I like the window panes I like this I in fact I also like using the bright sun and I'm going to show you in a minute how to use that bright sun to your advantage so now that we have our diffusion panel out notice how we had that beautiful soft light on her still see how we're using this is our diffusion peace now we pull this back okay? Fair uh actually I need to let me have you can you stand up right back here for me? Honey, I was gonna have you do because I need to show them what the the light looks like coming from that window scoot over this way that scooter okay, look how bright that is it's very, very harsh on the face scoot this way just a tad right there, okay, now we can take and get that same effect that softened a look. See how soft it is on her face again so you can get you can achieve the same. Look, if you just use this kind of fabric now, let's, go one step farther. Um, farrah, I'm gonna have you come over here out of the way for a second. You know, there are times, folks, when it actually looks really cool. Tohave these bright rays of sun. I actually like it. It's for an editorial photograph. It's not a time when you want it's. Not about perfection. And three, two one lighting ratios or anything like that. But let me show you what you're doing. This is actually why there are two windows and my entire studio that I left the blinds intact the rest of the studio. I took these ugly blinds down, okay? No, we're not going to do it that we're not gonna leave them shut like this. I actually want I want those rays of light. You see those rays of light in the background on the back and do those not look right now, they look very, very interesting. What that did is that created a bit of a texture in the background now, which I think will give me a really a different look for my subject. So what I'm going to dio is maybe we'll take even this panel by the way again this is just long sheets of white fabric a sheer fabric that's draped over these bars and this the bar that you see appear is just rebar that my assistant colin got at home depot right? Colin and then he had it bent in an l shape he had a bent in an l shape and then he created this bracket this kid is so talented I can't even I just brag like a mom but look at it we can move them all over see if I get tired of it I just move them out of the way and now look at the amazing interesting background I have right here. So with sarah just for something that's a little bit different now we're gonna use these really funky lines to create something that looks a bit interesting I want that light on her face see now I might have her just like right here and have those lines coming right on the face just to create something that's a bit mohr editorial something that's just a little bit more that's interesting. Okay, it's all about just creating something that's been issues about let's see how it looks for you, farrah oh, actually I really like it that looks even oh, I'm loving this yeah, this looks just really good I'm going to take a light reading on her face and might my meat oring is going to be done in camera and I'm gonna meet her off the bright part of her cheek why would I do that? Because you must for digital photography you have to meet her for the highlights actually don't be kind of fun could we move that genie in? Could you put that wind in the doorway closer this way and can we move that thea coffee table? Move it out of the way right there. Perfect actually, janine, can you move that just a whisper that way beautiful okay and fair and I want you with your shoulder to lean into the door right there. I like that gore just tilt your head into the doorway right there love and turn your face this way just a little bit beautiful. I like this with your eyes just kind of looked down a little bit let's see how that works right here, this hand over here. First of all, can you take your shoulders and turn them this way? A little love it, love it love it and I want to have that shoulder up a little bit lena nice and then turn your face just a little bit this way I want almost light in your eyes right there beautiful look at me with your eyes beautiful very very nice excellent this hand over here just go like this on your shoulder honey that is so nice beautiful turn your face just a tad this way and and actually want you to push your hip this way and bring your hand on the door more love it farah don't move that's what I was looking for gorgeous, huh? Let's see how this is working I'm going to do a little bit of camera tilled just to keep that door from being, huh? Oh, thank you. Chin up a little bit. I want a little bit more of like I'm too bad I don't even care beautiful love it with your eyes right here tilt your head just a tad that way real soft on those fingertips that air on your shoulder beautiful and not turn your face and just turn your face down like that but look at the second pharaoh tilt your head down and now just look down with your eyes chin down a tiny bit okay, okay hang on a second. If we're gonna do a change, let me just get a full length shot of this and then we're gonna change europe again again you can't most of the bull you gotta let your god if you're working with another artist, make sure you collaborate properly with them hey, farrah, turn your face towards the window a little bit this way a whole bunch and can we take that off your neck right there? Don't take that off your neck for just a second and I'm gonna have you hold it. Okay? Great. I'm I'm literally I'm worried we're good on time. Fair actually, just just throw that on the ground. I just said that it once you have it. Okay, but what love it don't move don't move that's it turn your face is a little bit this way beautiful farrell look at me. Stunning till love it just like that is just absolutely so make it your full dress here. Gosh, this looks really good kids that's absolutely amazing. And now I'm going to come and tilt your head just a whisper more towards your hand. Other way nice that's. Awesome. Okay, now we're going to switch it up one last time for our hairdresser so that she could do something crazy. And I have a reason for showing you this let's put that piece of white plastic back in the window. So are you folks seeing how you can use ah, couple of different kind you can use one environment and create a variety of different looks while she's changing the hair on this young lady? Do we have a couple of questions absolutely. And let's see if there're any in the audience, for starters, arrests? Um, do we have anything audience? We can't really see them. Oh, yeah, bambi, do you have some good to poses that you find use every time I don't? You know what? That's a great question. I don't think impose. I don't think in my mind I don't go pose. Yeah. Can you put that back up there? I don't think, like, pose this way or that way, I absolutely think in terms of the model what looks good for her, you know, is this going to be something? This does this make her feel good? I try to break it up and do a few here and a few there, but I'm also working out the anatomy of her face and what looks better from her facial standpoint because some people look great with her head tilted back. Let me give you an example of that that's such a great question, by the way, you see for me as a mature woman, if I tilt my head back like this, or if you're the camera this way and I told my head back, is that a flattering look for me? I hope you're saying no, because I'm sorry for older women like myself, mature women the worst thing you could do is, like, shoot right into this part of the neck way have I mean, I don't have a big double chin that plastic surgery really helped I'm just kidding I'm just joking, but, uh but we don't want to photograph into this, so I don't think in terms of poses, I think in terms of my absolute focuses on what is the best way to make that subject look great and I am here to tell you this looks screaming, unbelievable. Now I want to show you what fair has on because this to me is the perfect example of collaborative effort between artist um I actually learned this yesterday we did a little bit of a pre shoot with with our hairstylist and makeup artist in such and in the course of photographing fair, I want to make sure I had this dress properly and then it that I was able to do it in a timely fashion and before we finished, laurie goes, hey, bam, I've got this this headdress, I want to put it on her head and I was like, oh, in my mind, I was thinking, oh, you're kidding, really in my mind, I keep thinking is just gonna look awful and we put it on her and I went, oh my, I don't know why it works it works and and look at sheba in this beautiful poufy dress. It's gorgeous stuff. And then you just it's like, uh, you know, like that you just shake it totally up. So the moral of the story is, is that just before you're finished, do something that's completely the yang to your game that's completely different? Or in collaborating with your artist, embrace what they want to do, let them be part of that creative process because I'll tell you right now I would have never seen this in a million years would have never had to do it. And now I'm going g wiz, I really like this in fact, this beautiful this goes incredibly beautifully with our yellow door. So this is like it's one art it's a collaborative effort with two artist, so stay right there for just a second. Sarah, let me see what it looks like from camera position. I'll probably photographed close. Oh, I liked this so much. Can you just put this hand on the door right there and push your hip this way? Just a little bit, but beautiful and exit right there. Love it, let's, try that turn your face a little bit the other way beautiful, fair right there with your eyes beautiful, right? And there is absolutely gorgeous okay I'm gonna have you come forward to me I want to make that door go away a little bit more excellent right there and I want you to fold your arms like this beautiful but lean into this door right here love it oh yeah right there awesome let's try that with your eyes or hear drop your chin just a little bit farrell excellent chin down tight a bit more gorgeous really nice and now let me have you turn your feet this way a little bit more right in there because I like this side of your face actually I like that whole bunch you're gonna push your hip away for me stunning and I want this shoulder love it just like that I think I'd like this to be oh yeah beautiful farrah thie only thing that's missing is that gorgeous love it love it okay but you cannot smile don't not smile fair up don't do it I told you not to do it leaned towards me through channel of it this way and then turn your faces love it although my god that's awesome beautiful just amazing um and just for something different let me have you stand right in front of the doorway right there right there just real prissy I want almost like that don't move that's that's just incredible wow that's just beautiful chin down a tiny bit don't hang on give me a second hold on trigger huh beautiful fair I'm gonna tell you what girly stunning right in their beautiful that the category is called na ha it's I've been doing here for thirty five years and it's a program that I enter every year this category would be they could enter in texture or editorial but the color of the feathers and all the look the different textures that air there is what two thousand thirteen's bringing right now to our industry, our hair industry and I'm telling you that there's people out there that are looking for photographers to be able to create this image and there's not bobby's the only one I work with that can do this and she she's out of her box and where then we're out of the next box on top of that box you know, even though we're still within a box so this is just a category something that I think is building your business is a photographer that a lot of photographers are missing out on you have hair salons, hominy hair salons in your town that you can be killed putting your work up and something like this someone it's goingto literally attract their attention and they're going to ask who did that work? Excellent thank you, laurie so one final question about as we wrap up this segment for you is it is and I don't have it right in front of me but it's about sort of the motivation behind the shoot you talked a lot about collaborating with these other artists and by the way, people love seeing the people that you work with and how great they are as well. So the question is around is this something that you are doing to build your creative portfolio? Would you display things like this in your studio? Is this something that you would then offer? Sort of your clients, so maybe summarizing the section for us? Absolutely see, this is all about business it's fun and I'm having a blast doing it. But first and foremost, this is about business and like I mentioned this morning, the program, you know, if you are doing if on people on your website, if people can see the same pictures that they've seen everywhere else, you know, girls standing and my favorite is like the bridegroom walking away I mean, come on, have we not seen that a million times? You know, the little kids of sleeping babies right now, everybody, they're brothers doing the sleeping baby on the box or in the box of chocolates I mean, can we move on? No more angel wings. Okay, it's over with some my these kinds of photoshoots are vital for my business, you would not be tuning in today without it do you think about that? If I did everything this, if I did photography the same way, just the normal everyday bread and butter stuff that we all do, I wouldn't be here and it's it's, thes air the things that get people to notice that you're out there and it's the craziest thing like, I'll do this crazy stuff with addresses and all this, and then somebody will come to me as a result of that, but then they won't want that they was so you know, that looks great for her, but I didn't want it it's, not for me, but that's okay, because it's what brought them to me? It sze truly it's a marketing technique. It's, the most powerful marketing technique that you can absolutely do is this is the biggest, the most inexpensive tool that you can give anybody or that anybody can give you is talking about you and one of the great things that you're going to see this afternoon. Is this gonna come full circle? We're going to do a wonderful photo shoot this afternoon called hair wars, and we don't want to come back after lunch, we're going to talk about how I came up with this concept and the business and how we use that as a tool for getting getting people into my studio. And so we're going to start with the nuts and bolts and how it's actually done from a mechanical standpoint and from a marketing standpoint, but then we're going to actually have some fun with it, and it all plays together, you know, any time you can have a client enjoyed the experience, and they start talking about what you're doing any time you could have images on your website, that when people look at them, they have to stop, you know, one year I was watching I get magazines I love I collect magazines from all over the place, and there was an article there was action advertisement and elegant bride magazine, and it had this beautiful bride wearing this gorgeous gown, and then she had fire engine red eyeshadow on, and I thought to myself, well, first, we'll have you ever seen a bride on her wedding to have a fire engine red? No, we don't see fire engine red makeup on anybody, they don't do that right? So I'm thinking to myself, why did the set director and why did the the makeup arts why did they do that? It's? Because they know they have three seconds to get your attention when there looking, when you're looking through the pages of the magazine, and if you're looking at that expensive remacle addresses, that wonderful dress comes past and you have to stop it because, first of all, red's a power color and go holy catch that red eye shadow on, hey, they've won because they got you to look at the garment longer and that's. What will make you think? Well, maybe you'll get an emotional connection with that dress. And maybe even though it was out of your budget, you might go. But, boy, I just really have to have it now. And so it all snowballs together and it becomes something that you have to have. So these kinds of photo shoots are phenomenal for giving people for getting them excited, forgiving you interesting images for your portfolio, but more importantly for your marketing material, you know, for you to show people doing something different. And that is interesting, so that when people are looking for a photographer, they go. Hey, I want them not because I want to wear a gn indian headdress, leave it on your head, but because but because I want somebody who does something different and that's what you're all about.