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Family poses in a field

You know, a couple of things to note when I'm doing a family photography there's a few considerations. One of the main things, of course, is what I'm looking to capture I in our last segment, we talked about the photographs that families tend to gravitate towards the most of it, that one where everybody's looking at the camera, so I'm always getting that we're going to get a lot of candidates, I love it when they're looking at each other, especially when it's more something they're naturally doing, and we're getting those photographs, but I'm still a fan of saying we were going to direct the feel and the energy I have never done a photo shoot where we just walk out in the park, and I just do what you're doing, I'm gonna go hide in a bush like that. That is a style of photography, it's not myself photography I feel like there's got to be an interplay and back and forth, and so we're going to see some of that. The other thing I really like about scrubbing about showing the behind the sce...

nes of this video we just shot like thirty six hours ago, is because a lot of times, if you're just watching the shooting going on, it doesn't necessary make sense what some the techniques are when I sit there and ask the girl jumped twenty and joey jackson flip and this and that when you're just watching that you think I'm maybe just messing with her, you know? And although I kind of am it's for a purpose and we're going to have some of that, but with a different method with families, so we'll see what that is. We're going to kick off right of the gate were in seattle arboretum, this is around five thirty p m in the middle of a park with our family, we're out here in the arboretum in seattle, and we're going to photograph families what you need to consider when you're no wide open space as it relates to posing and lighting and technical settings and all the considerations that you may not need to consider when you're inside. A couple things I want you to keep in mind is for the most part, there's not going to be any sort of, uh, don't do that, stop it, they'll throw that thing at her control, we're going just kind of let things go and let things happen in that way, it'll do. To see a lot easier and more fun, we're going to a combination of things, I think right out the gate. You guys are dressed up really nice in this sort of gear you normally like a sit down, hang out or you more like a run around kind of people. You're runaround ish? Yeah, like both. You like to take turns? All right, I got I'm like that too, eh? So I'm thinking that right of the gate, we'll just do something super simple. I love kind of starting with throw you all together and just think about what we wanna consider from the perspective of making you look good, right? Right? Yeah, and then we'll loosen it up and and run around a little bit more and be a lot more playful sounded all right, so let's, start out. Super simple. Look at the light is going. We've got background here, let's. Just start over here and we're going to try nothing's wet. I heard you guys were in a drought. Yes. So that works out well for me. Sorry for the rest of the world. Let's. Try right here. You want to have a seat and I'm thinking we're going to do something like this just to start. First of all I apologize for the insensitive my drought coming for anybody offended no but when I look at this I want to talk a little bit about what I am looking for when I placed them because I know that just kind of happened if you conceal around there's patchy light everywhere obviously we want to stay away from patchy light whenever possible we want to be in nice even lighting andi I'm also going to think of what's behind them if I could shoot in a way that what is behind them is not getting through their heads my trees and sticks and all sort of stuff I'm going to make sure I'm shooting from that angle I'm also looking at where the light is going the light is going to ford's them it's dropped enough that we've got the soft light hitting them I'm going to make sure I positioned them in a way that they're facing that it is not difficult when there's a lot going on to not take into consideration is those those four points or five how many points that was specifically as it relates to shifting light I don't think I've ever done a shoot outside where the light has it shifted the whole time I'm out there it's what it unless you're not really clear stuff sky kind of day but even then there's always going to be just something happening so in this case with the shifting light we've got and that's not just because of clouds, right? That also is because of wind moving trees around and anything else that's overhead if I have a situation where have all together and everything is perfect but the life changes a little bit and now the edge of them is in bright sunlight. Have you seen that where everything's perfect and now there's just it's being clip somehow it's worth it to get up and move? It really is because that's hard to fight later if it's something that you can easily control, then go ahead and control it that's why I was looking for when we set them up and I'm going to start out by nearing for them, showing them what I want around a bit, but all right, you're let's just just try something like this come on, hit me just like this, okay? And then you're gonna be all masculine used to be a private dancer, right? So we're going to count back well, so but he's still the flexibility, right? All right, yeah. Ok, that's what we're looking for. Yeah. So I'm gonna try something like this using all that mask in power no, no don't make don't make the noise every time that I'm coming so hard and then we're going tio probably flop you down that is good. All right, you're going to school because of your adorable hat which I love we're going to scoot you back just a little bit so we could see mommy all right? And then I think for you think about exactly as you are but tucking your legs this way see so yeah, I want to show you all right and then I'm just gonna grab a reflector will you help this out? I think we do this over here. Danielle say hello to everybody hello? Yeah, all right, so we're going to start with probably just bounce in the light this fly back and I think the easiest thing with the reflector when you're outdoors is tio do it so much like when you have your that the watch like a pattern on the ceiling or something so I'll actually start a few different ways is just cause you to reflect the light like right here you see their faces were reflecting light here doesn't mean you couldn't get a better about somewhere else sometimes it's pretty obvious but it's not always so obvious that's directly across from the sun so but right here is pretty good and because I'm shooting a little wide I'm gonna need you to back up a little bit yet and then and the easiest thing is to look at where the catch light is in their eyes yeah, and then so the things I'm thinking about here just in case you guys are interested in taking photographs later, the things I mentioned here are going to be kind of setting all the technical stuff up first, so at the very end, I can wake you back up because this is so boring and I right? Yeah. Okay, I could feel the boredom I could feel it coming off of you and waves um and then, uh, my settings I'm gonna just make sure I've got the right everything to set this up, it's because the lines for gas, which is way longer damra and this is so pretty so we'll start out doing a few of like this and they're going to mix it up a little bit. Okay? Are you ready now? You got your bicep flex? Yes, he does he's like I never stopped good it's starting to hurt beautiful okur gone. Come back. You need a squeezer yet the quick adjustment to color balance and technical settings and the but again, what do we say? We plop them down and we go and then and then build and set as we go through other quick comment here is, uh, just because I mentioned it yesterday to we these are hired models. These are families. I mean, this happens to be they're beautiful but we're directing them just like we would anybody else in terms of how we're setting up shoot there just happened to be gorgeous bring her back in their ego painted are you with me? Hey look let's do it again do one more time okay? Thank you good to get you a little bit. Yes, very good beautiful can you reach all the way around and poke peyton? It makes a discernible difference excellent, beautiful. All right, you stay just like that, but I want to grab the eyesight real quick so one of things I'm thinking about is from this perspective is that we're spent a little far back with guns good light, but I'd like to see even stronger catch light and so with a great rack grabbed the video light that's going to be just focused on catch light which of course, the speculum highlights in the eyes and let's think about it from the perspective of stuff you're looking right now and like right here kind of almost mimicking where the sun's coming from as if it were reaching a little farther in but not giving us like that. That would be lovely and then the only big thing you've got to think about is shadowing from the hat so but coming in so we have the effect and all we're doing is basically complimenting the son good and I'm gonna back up a little bit and zoom in which is going to allow me teo you have a more shallow depth of field and change the look of these images that's looking saw knife ok and you're keeping her honest on the end aren't you good I like the abuse it's very attractive lovely so good when I had two things one I think one of those was a little out of order but we're back here shifting the color rounds moving in together and we have the girl on the end fading away on I just use that term but you guys know what I'm talking about right there just not as there and I really need to see the energy in the face across the board it's tough when you've got an image where everyone's there in one's kind of not on but again it's also the age it's not hard to get that kind of look with the getting into the pre teen kind of age but what dad was doing when I said that's great keep of the abuses he was kind of knocking her from the back side so if you couldn't see that every time he did that she would shift her expression I like the abuse is very attractive I mean to me it's incremental but it's I don't I would never use the first I need this you know you need to get this where they're all alive so good all right, so one of things we're going to do is keep making little adjustments to clothing sometimes dramatically full different completely different looks but I like a lot of variety it it mixes things up it changes the feel of it it's worth it you are going to be your human easy job you're going to be here course was what I was referring to earlier when I had the phone out I wasn't checking my texts that was showcasing something images where I say I have about twenty percent of the images planned in advance in terms of highway and I want oppose them and about eighty percent is just organically responding to the family and their personality and so that's me showing them an idea I have that I want to set up with them yours is going to over difficult just wait till we get them settled then you're going to die then do you want to keep the hat for this or the headband you had bad so that us both have headbands awesome all right so you're going to come in and see we're going to be like super snugly you see what's going on something right here yeah and then facing but facing him yeah knees up oh yeah there we go yes let's see if we can get some great pop with the silver right here if not, we'll switch to the video mom and dad are smart going all right? We're not actually shooting yet but you guys can talk about subjects like your emotional feelings don't know another way describe you share your insecurities grooming I love it um I think that's like the julia durer look what what is that all right, we have a nice shine when you bring that shine back a little bit I am literally as I'm doing this I'm setting my settings and in the interaction the same time it's usually not the most successful way to dal and your settings right away but it's more fun okay, good way had you had a little bit about that golden light pop do you? The gold side is the gold neither side oh, perfect that's what like yeah, do you see the difference there between what? We're ok, so try to keep it steadily there. All right? You see the difference in terms of using the silver and the gold just warmed it up a little bit more. And one of the big things that I'm thinking about with we've got a great energy between I had only set them up as a base to create a family shoot, but they were just so quickly adorable together that there was no way I was not going to get that you don't often have that sometimes you've gotta break through resistance with couples if you've ever photographed couples engagement sessions and then married and then fast forward with ten years into marriage with kids and stuff the difference sometimes with the dynamic there the love is actually deeper and richer and more you know, but the ability to be so easily intimate in front of whoever is around you sometimes can be more challenging for couples have you guys knows that as well? This is something I've noticed so when you find that you don't have to help them break through that they're already bringing it it's something I definitely want to hone in on and photograph right away, right? I am thinking for just one prices here peyton's here ready and then you're going to be sitting on his leg and try to, like, make a cracking sound when you hit it thank you and then you're going to be like this and be all job baby there like that that's good uh actually have your legs feel they're good? Yeah. All right, that is so cute right there that is so good. Given the hands of wynn where you can you can you fan them with that handing for second and put it back in position with all gold again and then go yeah, way lost the gold we lasted go slower see there it is so a couple things have you noticed I had, um fan fan the family and then switch it back to the reflector mode the reason for that is I wanted tio mix it up a little bit I wasn't going for the fan to look I just wanted tio move some air through on dh then I go back you saw did you see how they're happy the significant difference when you lose the reflector on dh this is something I see a lot when I'm out shooting is reflective slips for just a second and we've loved catch light we've lost to mention we've lost more so all right that is so cute right there I'll show you that is so good so here they're completely they've got the warm all the way across you can see it coming to the left which is why I'm that were going to pull the little girl and a little on the right so that warm because all the way through this is all something also something that I can bring in and photo shop later if I need tio if I only have one reflector and that color tone is falling off a little bit something then I'm keeping an eye on um okay and then here you saw that last time that you see this image not only is the warmth gone because the reflector has moved but what else is missing from the shot that I really care about what I want to showcase life in my image as it relates to lighting cash lights yes, cats lights are all gone and I want them back on dh I referred into a previous course here that you know, I almost sometimes say catch life just because that's what I'm thinking about I want to see that life and the eyes and the way to do that is to really have those catch lights or catch light pop so with the missing I really noticed it and I want it back go slower I keep hearing my voice, I keep saying go slow with the reflector because right here in this exact situation, the sliver of light is very narrow it's perfect it's beautiful but it's narrow, so she just daniela she just leans on her left wrist a little bit to get comfortable we've lost it and so that that's one of the big tricks to reflect on people struggle with reflectors often it's because you're not realizing it all very, very slow movements can give you a really big results when you slowly move it, you can dial right in and then you just have to remain, which is why a lot of people will clamp reflectors to ah light sandra c stand or something like that, especially if you don't have wind and all it is any sort of other issues that might move the reflector around your golden you're in a great place there's a great place you've got steady light outdoors that's not as easy as that when we're moving around so you've got to be more cautious of making sure you slowly get in position so you guys are literally golden s so good price you know what it means to be golden trying to wrap it around to hit price's face to bryce come in a little bit more twisting, sweetie it yes soul good okay and then um paint job on dad's legs real quick good pain. Okay, I love that I love that first of all, we've got a really good sport in that but secondly that's that we had that one where one's looking at the camera that we know we want andi want to mix it up and have more interaction and if you direct that a little bit bill take off with it themselves and those are my favorite family images pain in beauty sucker uh oh awesome that's a wrap on camera all right. Yes. Any questions in here but we do have questions tamara about lighting and exposing four families that have different skin tones could you talk to that a little bit so it the it's a good question it's something I mean my family we all have very different skin tones and a lot of times if you have a dramatic shift you do need to make sure that your lighting appropriately in this case, we've got this great, natural, even light everywhere. If we were in a really dark studio and we're pointing a light, we might have to emphasize more towards one or the other to be able to have more even lighting, but outside and natural lighting it's just a matter of making sure that everybody is being hit by the light and that you reflecting across which is exactly what I was talking about on the end, our little girl, I was kind of lost in the light, and so she wasn't actually being able to show her skin tone as much as everybody else was, and it wasn't just a matter of being golden, but mabel to reflect it with just the same amount, so we had to pull her forward. When you heard me call that we wanted to come in a little bit, we're making sure we do that. If you have a situation where you've got very dark skin and a really bright white top on dh, then you've got somebody next to you with a really dark top and very pale pale skin, you may need to have an additional elements, and so one of those elements are flag we talk about how flag is anything that blocks the light. It's that the black part of the reflector that usually comes in a five and one reflector and what you would do is literally block the light from hitting the white shirts you could expose more easily across you don't have the highlights clone you don't have the shadow detail lost, andi would be doing the reverse of that. You'd be doing a little extra reflection, maybe on the darker skin tone and then calming the light. Diffusing the light may be on the very bright way skin, so when you're in that situation where and you guys have seen really beautiful ads and commercials where you have your people are showcased with extreme differences in their skin and how gorgeous that is, you know they're talking about they're using things like that in the studio to be able to make sure that everybody's skin tone is very well represented, but you could expose for the entire scene appropriately. But for the most part, in a natural light situation, the one thing I'm considering is that everybody is evenly lit and being aware that darker skin tones, if they're not as evenly lit, can be mr represented and we don't want that we want every toe look, they're beautiful sense, thank you, you're welcome painting beauty, oh, awesome that's a wrap.