(Click on photos to enlarge) Finding a wall that a model can use for posing is rarely a problem. Indoors or out, there’s usually one nearby. I’ll sometimes ask that she lean her back or side against it. Doing so can be quite liberating for actors or models. Because it’s a physical support, the wall can offer more freedom for someone trying to work out a pose. She’s able to avoid the awkwardness that people often feel when standing by themselves, unsupported. What I find useful too, on occasion, is having the model lean head or chest first against a wall. The results are akin to what I stated above, but since it’s her head or chest that’s now touching the wall, the dynamic is different. It’s probably not something she does regularly, so this novel position can make the experience more interesting and liberating for her, leading to some engaging images. The three photos above show two models with their heads either against or very close to a wall. The first image shows Jaida staring at the wall intently, as if in deep thought. The following two pictures show Ginny and Jaida with their heads solidly touching the wall. To me, it almost seems the wall's blocking them from moving forward, both physically and psychologically, making them appear rather depressed. FREE T-SHIRT ...when you sign up for a One-To-One Workshop!! This is a Fruit-Of-The-Loom, 98% cotton shirt. It has my absolutely gorgeous logo (see top of page) printed on the front. Available sizes are men's medium, large, and extra-large. These shirts may also be purchased. Another variation is having the model touch the wall with both hands, as in the two photos above. Again, this physical support allows for a wide variety of bodily contortions. The appeal of these specific poses for me are the odd angle of the young woman’s head (as well as the hair-covered face) in the top image and the apparent climbing effort of the girl in the bottom picture. In the above two pictures, it appears the teenage girl is trying to retreat into the wall from a couple of uncomfortable situations. It's as if she hopes it will magically open and whisk her someplace far away.
(Click on photos to enlarge) Taking pictures outdoors may be a delight or a nightmare! Assuming I’ve found a suitable location, the success of the shoot depends on lighting, wind, rain, and temperature. Bad lighting, too much wind, continuous rain, and high or low temperatures can all be disastrous. Let me begin with a discussion of lighting (wind, rain, and temperature will be addressed later). LIGHTING - A too dark day frequently translates into slow shutter speeds (even with the camera lens set to its widest aperture) - sometimes too slow to capture even a motionless model. A higher ISO setting could be used, but for most of my clients, the added picture noise and image degradation are not acceptable. I carry a medium size circular reflector with me on outdoor shoots. It’s matte white on one side (producing soft, diffuse illumination) and shiny silver on the other (producing hard, defined illumination). It pops open for use and easily folds for storage. The great thing about it is its hand grip. I can grasp it and position the reflector with my left hand while holding and firing the camera with my right hand. A note of warning when using it, however. If the shiny silver side is to be pointed at the model, give her a heads-up first. The silver intensifies the reflected light (especially sunlight) to the point that the model may find it blinding and painful. If I want to use the shiny silver side for a shot, I’ll briefly aim it at her as a test, asking if she finds it too intense. If she does, I’ll suggest she close both eyes as I set it up for the shot. Then, after telling her to open them on the count of three, I’ll wait a moment and take the picture. I wait that extra time so I’m not talking when pressing the shutter button, which may cause the camera to shake, resulting in a blurry image. If the brightness from the reflector is too much for her, I’ll do one of the following: have her look slightly away from the reflector, have her put on sunglasses, or use the reflector’s less extreme matte side. Jenna is being backlit by a strong sun (some sun rays hit the lens, causing the effect visible on her hair). I’m using the portable circular reflector described above. Here’s Jenna again. This setup was almost identical to the previous shot except for allowing rays of sunlight to enter the camera. Most of the time I’ll use a lens shade or a portion of my hand to block them. This time I wanted to see how the extraneous light would affect the shot. It’s interesting how some people view this type of effect as a sloppy mistake while others find it to be artistic. In this case, the more I look at the image, the more sloppy it appears to be! I also carry a small portable flash unit that can be hand-held or attached to the camera’s hot shoe. However, because it’s so small, it can create dark, defined, ugly shadows on the subject (which actually might be what you want, depending on your intent). So if a flash unit is needed, I’ll regularly attach a small softbox to it or bounce the flash’s output off a white reflector. That enlarges the size of the illumination, diffusing the light and producing lighter, less defined, and more pleasing shadows. FREE T-SHIRT ...when you sign up for a One-To-One Workshop!! This is a Fruit-Of-The-Loom, 98% cotton shirt. It has my absolutely gorgeous logo (see top of page) printed on the front. Available sizes are men's medium, large, and extra-large. These shirts may also be purchased. I shot this photo with a small portable flash being held in my left hand. There was nothing modifying its output. But even without bouncing the light off a reflector or using a softbox, the illumination isn’t bad, except for a too defined and too dark shadow appearing above her nose. On the other hand, the shadow’s not too noticeable. This is what happens when the flash is aimed incorrectly (unless that's the intended effect). If stronger lighting is needed, I’ll use a very simple portable setup I first assembled some years ago. It begins with a plastic trashcan - the kind with two back wheels, used by homeowners in many towns and cities. A normal light stand, with its legs extended, is placed inside of it. Attached to the stand is a studio monobloc, which is a combination strobe and power supply. A sandbag is placed on the stand’s horizontal section to increase stability. A softbox is secured to the front of the strobe. A portable battery pack for powering the strobe is positioned inside the trashcan as well. The whole unit can be set up quickly, is easily pulled or pushed (even on grass), and illuminates the subject as it would in a studio. Photographing outdoors under the sun often makes it difficult to avoid out-of-control highlights or reflections on the subject. These bright areas may appear on the forehead, nose, under the eyes, as well as in other areas. Exposing for them can render the rest of the photograph considerably darker - something that probably cannot be fixed in Photoshop. It’s important, therefore, that the shot be set up to minimize this problem. (The exception would be if the highlights are relatively small and not bothersome, or if they add interest to the picture). If unwanted highlights or reflections are going to be unavoidable, be sure they can be removed in post-production. These are the types of illumination usually found outdoors: - Direct sun with no clouds - Direct sun with light cloud coverage - Clouds with no sun visible - Shade Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. But whichever sort of lighting it is, I will, if it won't negatively affect the picture too much, shoot without a strobe or reflector. As mentioned above, they’re both exceedingly useful tools. But dealing with them can confound the shooting process, especially when the lighting is constantly changing from one type to another. Using a strobe or reflector could involve lots of positioning, adjusting, repositioning, and readjusting of the model, strobe, and/or reflector. Using just the available light means I can spend more time setting up shots and taking pictures. I’ll do the best I can with the illumination present and, if needed, tweak the lighting later in Photoshop - hopefully solving the problems created by not using a strobe or reflector. It was a bright sunny day. The harsh sunlight is behind and slightly to Esther’s side. Actually, with the way Esther’s head is turned, the sun is almost directly behind it. This makes for wonderful highlights on her hair, top of her forehead, shoulders, and arm. Her front side, on the other hand, is gently illuminated by the softer skylight. We were working under a bright, mid-afternoon sun. Being beneath trees and branches meant attractive patches of light were surrounding Amelia. Because of our careful posing and positioning, one of those light patches fell on her face... nicely illuminating it (I lightened her shadowed eyes in Photoshop). I photographed Makenzie under a cloudless late-afternoon sun that created a low angle, high contrast side light. I loved the trees’ long shadows, so I left room in the shot for them. The wrinkles on her dress were pleasantly highlighted too. Being on her back, her face was illuminated with no shadows hiding her eyes. I suggested that she keep them closed because of the light's intensity. I was amazed how relaxed she was (or appeared to be) despite lying in the middle of a street. Kathleen was posed under an overcast sky. This resulted in even illumination throughout the image, including her face. The high reflectivity of her dress and its intense color really make it pop, despite the flat lighting. A model standing under an overcast or partially overcast sky usually means she’ll be evenly illuminated, but her eyes may sometimes end up somewhat dark (which luckily didn’t happen in the previous photo). Lying on one's back solves that problem, while still allowing for some striking poses. It was an overcast day at the beach. Joanna has a beautiful profile, and I liked the way her somewhat messy hair was hanging. I felt that underexposing the image would emphasize her profile while still allowing for a portion of her face to remain visible. I positioned her off to the side to add emphasis to the depressing gray sky and ocean. I wanted both the subject's face and the background to be slightly overexposed. Without her dark hair separating the two, I think her face would have unappealingly blended into the background. WIND - A good stiff wind has possibilities. Indoors, a leaf blower or a fan can create fascinating changes to a model’s long hair. An outdoor wind can do the same and, in addition, rearrange the model’s clothes, blur the greenery, and pick up and swirl dirt in every direction. These can add interest to the image or seriously muck it up. It’s tough to know what the outcome will be until it happens. RAIN - A few minutes of rain can have creative theatrical possibilities. There’s a lengthy history of using rain to further dramatic moments in photography, movies, and on the stage. I think even a glimpse of rain draws some emotion from most viewers. But it’s important to keep the model dry, unless the shot calls for her to get wet. In that case, a towel and dry clothes should be nearby. A soggy model is an unhappy model! TEMPERATURE - What can be said about the temperature? If it’s too hot, everybody sweats, and it sucks. If it’s too cold, everybody shivers, and it sucks. When searching for outdoor locations, my goal is finding places with multiple shooting areas nearby. For example, there’s a large, well-maintained city park I’ve used several times. In the park, and a short drive from one another, are a steeply angled white bridge, a hill with a view of the city, a sparsely furnished open wall hut, a children’s playground, an expansive and beautifully kept lawn, areas with densely packed trees, and multiple walking paths. I also photograph at colleges, universities, and downtown areas in various cities. This is what I consider to be a glorious sky and a wonderful background. However, there are times when the sky may not be so extraordinary. It can be overcast or the sun might be too much of a presence. Intense blue skies certainly aren’t bad. But there's something really special about a magnificent cloud pattern. One last thing…
I have a small suitcase-on-wheels that either the model or I will pull around with us during the photo shoot. It’s filled with her clothing, accessories, makeup, props, and a lighting reflector. The suitcase itself can be a great prop too. (Click on photos to enlarge) When photographing a model, including a prop can make the shot far more interesting. I can think of two reasons why this is true:
When first arriving for a photoshoot, I'll show the model the prop bags, explaining that she's welcome to pull out anything she'd like to work with. In addition, I’ll mention that the props are all inexpensive (even if they're not) and not to worry if any break. Whatever she selects, I’ll try incorporating at least one or two of them into one or two of our setups. I want her to realize that her prop selection is as important as mine. It’s amusing how the props fascinate many of the young girls I photograph. Their faces often light up as they pull items from the bags. They’ll make a pile and gleefully show their parent and me their cache. I’m also interested in things the models own that could work effectively as props. In the past, I’ve used their laptop computers, cell phones, dolls, sporting equipment, musical instruments, scarves, hats, and artwork. I feel the models’ connection with them might help with their interaction-maybe allowing for more unique setups than if they used my props only. FREE T-SHIRT ...when you sign up for a One-To-One Workshop!! This is a Fruit-Of-The-Loom, 98% cotton shirt. It has my absolutely gorgeous logo (see top of page) printed on the front. Available sizes are men's medium, large, and extra-large. These shirts may also be purchased. When I hand a prop to the model, she may ask, “What do you want me to do with this?” I’ve found the less I say, the better. In fact, I'll often respond coyly with, “Uh, I don’t know”. I want her to realize that almost anything she does with it can produce interesting results. A hat, for example, can do more than simply sit on a head. It can be pressed tightly against the chest, gripped in a nervous fashion with both hands, placed to partially cover a face, or dropped slowly from the fingers. Sometimes, nothing exciting develops between the model and the prop. It’s then that I’ll step in and offer suggestions. We’ll play with it and see what happens. If nothing works, I’ll put it aside and pick up another one. I store my props in large plastic drawers. Before a shoot, I’ll search through them, pulling the ones I want. I select them based on who the model is, where we’ll be shooting, the shots we’ll be taking, and how excited I am about the particular prop (if it’s a new one, I’m usually very excited to work with it). Props I’ve used previously or those that have not worked out successfully in earlier shoots are left behind. I then gather them up in three or four cloth or heavy plastic shopping bags. I’m always on the lookout for new props, which I generally find at garage sales, second-hand stores, online, and around the house. It’s curious that when I’m not looking for a new prop, I’ll frequently find one. It then goes into one of those large plastic drawers mentioned previously. Occasionally, I’ll cull through my props, removing the ones I don’t want anymore. Here are a few of my favorites: glass crystal ball, playing cards, my grandfather’s old pocket watch, ribbons, pearl necklaces, reading glasses, goofy glasses, thick glasses, sunglasses, dolls, rubber duckies, nonworking pellet gun, handcuffs (with extra keys), religious crosses, books, masks, veils, clocks, small signs, and fairy lights. I always keep a few strings of white pearls with me. They are my emergency go-to props when having difficulty coming up with a shot idea, as was the case here. The portion of the necklace held by Leanna is being nicely illuminated by the sun. But more importantly, the necklace motivates her vibrant intense gaze and smile, which together create a wonderfully warm image. Laurette found these three party hats in my prop bag. I’d been setting up my strobes in the bathroom when she strolled in looking like this. I was amazed by her cleverness. I positioned her quickly and started shooting. I wanted to emphasize the hats, so I Photoshopped out the color from everywhere else in the image. Frequently, photo ideas from the models are much more clever than mine. The extension cord was there to power my strobes. Being too lazy to reroute it, I rationalized its presence as a design element. After several viewings of the picture, I believe my laziness helped make this image work. Crosses are fun props. They're available in countless sizes, shapes, and designs. I prefer larger ones but not so large that they can't be easily grasped by the model. In this shot, I had Ariana hold the cross so that most of it was in front of a plain portion of the wall, thereby making the object stand out. By the way, I love the blue against the blue (blue cross - blue wall). Using the same color for both only worked because there's enough variation in the tones to prevent them from blending together. I think the combination of a fearful expression, tightly held arms and legs, a near naked body, and a plain wall behind her result is a stark, somewhat threatening image. These glasses are a favorite prop of mine. They're from a package of five colored glasses that I bought at a party store for $3. I think their bright color integrates well with the photo's other hues. This could have been a very ordinary photograph. What makes it work, I think, is the cigarette’s ash. Rather than there being a small amount, its length is equal to that of the unsmoked portion of the cigarette. Further, the ash is listing downward, creating tension as to when and where it might fall. This cigarette photo differs from the previous one in that its emphasis is on the smoke. And there's lots visible. The out-of-focus background helps to emphasize both the smoke and the cigarette. Strong illumination poured in through the living room window, located behind Klaryssa, creating a soft light throughout the image. In addition, the muted colors surrounding the butterfly help to make its pink tones stand out a bit. I'm hoping the viewer will look at the image and wonder what the connection is between her and the butterfly. Here’s Klaryssa a few minutes later in practically the same location and position, but now wearing a blindfold. Besides adding mystery to the picture, hiding the eyes means one less thing to worry about in post-production. The photo was greatly overexposed, providing the following benefits: enough light to illuminate her face and hair, hiding the jumble of outdoor activities, acting as a clean background for her head and neck, and creating a soft, diffused image. I love it when a model uses a prop in a wholly unconventional manner. To help her come up with something unorthodox, I’ll often give her an object that has no specific use, explaining that there are no right or wrong ways to pose with it. Further, I'll emphasize that what may feel weird to her may actually result in a wonderful photograph. My goal is for her to feel relaxed posing with the prop, knowing she’s free to do with it as she pleases. One of those props that has no specific use is a wide red ribbon. I have several lengths I keep in my prop bag. It’s fun seeing the model’s joint amusement and befuddlement when I present it to her. I usually photograph whatever she comes up with, though I’ll sometimes suggest a few ideas of my own as well. Below are a few ribbon shots that I thought came out fairly well: There are times when the prop itself is more the subject of the shot than the model. In these situations, her pose is there to support and enhance the object. It's important she not upstage it since it's the prop that is the focus of the shot. For a setup like this to work, there must be something compelling about that prop-either the prop itself or how it is presented. Here are a couple of examples: (Click on photos to enlarge) Choosing between photographing a subject on location or in a studio, I'll invariably go with location shooting. That's because there are rarely any issues finding setup possibilities. My two favorite locations are the subject's house or apartment. Both are normally filled with plenty of places for posing. Finding the next place to shoot is usually little more than walking into another room. But a studio can be appealing too (rather than having my own, I rent one for specific photo shoots). Even when relatively small, a studio can feel more spacious and less cluttered than a house or apartment. Studios also offer more areas to set up lights and for the model and me to maneuver. And, compared to photographing outdoors, there’s no worry about bad weather or inhospitable lighting. FREE T-SHIRT ...when you sign up for a One-To-One Workshop!! This is a Fruit-Of-The-Loom, 98% cotton shirt. It has my absolutely gorgeous logo (see top of page) printed on the front. Available sizes are men's medium, large, and extra-large. These shirts may also be purchased. In addition, there are fewer distractions. For example, pets or extraneous people won't be wandering about. Also, because of a studio’s sparseness, there are not as many unwanted objects lurking about that might inadvertently creep into a photo. But the sparseness can mean starkness as well. The studios I rent require that almost everything needed for creating and dressing the set be brought in. That includes furniture, props, backgrounds, and the like. Not much is available initially to suggest ideas for shot setups - the opposite of shooting on location. Therefore, I rely on the jumble of stuff I bring and the ideas of the subject and myself. Coming up with quality setups requires a lot more work. Whenever I rent a studio, I always bring a few backdrops. This is one of my favorites. It has random, subtle patterns in warm earth tones. By playing with the camera’s depth-of-field and the backdrop’s distance from the model, the backdrop can be kept in-focus, thrown out-of-focus, or left somewhere in between. In this shot, the model’s only illumination was from a ring light strobe. This is a circular light that attaches to the camera, completely encircling the lens. It creates a continuous shadow around the subject. White background paper was unrolled and hung behind Linda. For lighting, I placed a single strobe, with a metal reflector, on the floor to the right of the camera. In front of the flash, I placed a simple metal stool. The strobe was aimed up through the stool’s legs, lighting Linda and creating the pattern seen on the paper. Because I was using only one light and wanted to illuminate the bottle, glass, cigarette, face, and body, and to make the smoke visible, everything had to be carefully positioned. The image had serious high-contrast problems from the single light, but these issues were reduced considerably with the help of Photoshop. We were shooting in a studio that was formerly a mill. I asked Danielle to make a funny face. No backdrop or background paper was added behind her - it’s just a rough textured wall thrown out-of-focus. The image was softened in Photoshop. This was shot in the same old mill as the previous photo, but on a different floor with a different model. Here, again, nothing was added in the background. I love the contrast of elegantly dressed Kira against the rough brick wall. By the way, she probably wasn’t seeing her reflection in the hand mirror, since it was turned slightly towards the camera. If it hadn’t been, the mirror may not have been recognizable as a mirror. Behind Joanna is a mostly out-of-focus backdrop, though a little detail is still visible. This setup helped emphasize her face and hair. We’re able to see the hair’s subtle styling - some parts softly curve and others hang loosely. The single long earring adds a nice design element to the photo. Here’s Joanna again. She’s now in front of an ordinary shower curtain. As in the previous picture, there’s something interesting about her hair. It’s less styled, but the part lying unarranged on her shoulder works well, I think, for drawing the viewer’s eye. I selected the shower curtain to prove that even a $3.00 piece of plastic can work well as a backdrop.
(Click on photos to enlarge) After arriving at the model’s house or apartment and spending a few minutes chatting with her (and/or her parent if she’s a minor), I’ll request a quick tour. I'm usually asked what sort of areas I’m looking for. Further, I might be told she won't show me certain areas because they'd probably hold no interest for me. To both statements, I’ll respond that I’d prefer to see everything. That's because places she assumes I wouldn’t like might actually be perfect. If we come across rooms I like but that she’d rather not use for the photo shoot, I won't push to change her mind, though I may gently prod a little, hoping she'll reconsider. FREE T-SHIRT ...when you sign up for a One-To-One Workshop!! This is a Fruit-Of-The-Loom, 98% cotton shirt. It has my absolutely gorgeous logo (see top of page) printed on the front. Available sizes are men's medium, large, and extra-large. These shirts may also be purchased. During our tour, it can be disheartening finding rooms I particularly like but probably cannot use because of the following:
I was trying for both an odd angle and offbeat composition. The left side of the frame resulted from me shooting through a large display case filled with crystal and dishware. Marcie is leaning on the dining room table, creatively emoting. Randy is looking out her opened front door. It’s remarkable how the mirror affects this picture. First, we see her from two different angles, giving us a more complete view of her face. Second, the mirror adds a significant increase to the apparent depth of the picture, becoming a virtual window to another room. Here’s Elizabeth standing outside a closed bedroom door. Her pose could imply a number of emotions - annoyance, boredom, waiting, or perhaps exhaustion. Some places in a home or apartment work better as shooting locations than others. Bedrooms are one of my favorite spots, though it’s the beds I’m more drawn to. A bed provides lots of posing possibilities. It's usually very comfortable, allowing for a variety of body positions and oddball contortions. Likewise, it's easy for the model to interact with one or more props, thereby adding more interest to the setup. The model can do more than just lie on the bed. She can stand on it, hang part of her body over the side, or bury herself under the covers. As the photographer, I can shoot down at her while I stand on the bed, kneel on the floor and photograph her from eye level, lie on the floor and shoot up at her, zoom-in tight on her face or feet or hand, or zoom-out to show her and everything else in the room. Several times our photo sessions have begun and ended in the bedroom without having shot anywhere else in the house. Anna has beautiful long dark hair, and I wanted some way to feature it. I thought the obvious thing to do was to shoot straight down on her. I carefully arranged her hair and asked that she wear these sunglasses, hoping they'd take the emphasis away from her eyes. I added the blue color in post-production. I think it's the out-of-context, overly large space helmet on what is obviously a little girl sitting on the corner of the bed in an empty but normal-looking bedroom that makes this image interestingly out-of-balance and nicely weird. I positioned Carol on the bed and asked for various expressions as I photographed. This is one that I found interesting. I relit it in Photoshop, creating areas of dark and light from what was an evenly illuminated bedroom. My goal was to match the lighting to her rather apprehensive demeanor. As Mandy was getting onto the bed, I pulled out a bunch of items from my prop bag, including this glass ball. In the process of lying down, she happened to extend her right arm. It seemed obvious that something needed to be in her hand. I picked up the glass ball and asked her to hold it. It took time deciding on the exact positioning of her hand and arm, and on the placement of the camera, but I think we came up with something interesting. This is Laurette on her bed. We were working out a pose when her cat suddenly jumped up. I didn't say or do anything but waited to see what would happen. When I saw a composition I liked, I began photographing. I thought this shot was the best of the group. Obviously, there are other places in a bedroom for posing the subject. What I like about this setup is Elspeth’s pint-size table - a perfect fit and a perfect prop for supporting her upper body. It allowed her to try a variety of poses and expressions. In this picture, I think there’s an interesting connection between her costumes - those hanging and the one she’s wearing - and her rather gloomy expression. Bathrooms (clean bathrooms!!), because of what's available in a relatively small space, are another location I really like. The sink, shower, bathtub, toilet, and mirror all lend themselves to unconventional poses. in addition, models I’ve worked with really seem to enjoy the outlandishness of posing in such an odd place. I consider this a really weird picture. That it makes little sense is why I find it so appealing. This pose was the idea of Jenna’s mother. I removed nearly everything in the bathroom so nothing would clash with the tub or the young lady. Incidentally, I didn't realize how interesting the weird positioning of her right arm was until I saw the photo on my large office monitor. Hindsight: Maybe something hanging on the wall or a towel on the rack behind her would have made the photograph a little less stark. Here’s Jenna again. My intention was to throw things off kilter somewhat. To that end, I got low to the floor, had her sit in a rather awkward pose, slightly tilted the camera, framed the shot to show a good portion of the floor, and, in Photoshop, darkened the edges. As it's probably obvious, this bathroom needs some serious updating. Because we’re not seeing any part of Julianne’s back, it seems as if she’s standing behind the mirror, looking outward. There are times, however, when it’s impossible to find or create a desirable shooting area. As mentioned, the walls may be all marked-up or covered with objects that can’t be removed, or there might be too many things strewn about the house. But there are solutions for this.
I was photographing in a cluttered bedroom. Being too lazy to remove all the junk, I asked Hannah to stand on her bed. Photographing from below hid everything, thus creating a very clean background of walls and ceiling. (Click on photos to enlarge) The beauty of natural light that’s been altered by the windows, skylights, and open doors it passes through cannot be easily duplicated with strobes, tungsten, or LED lights. But the position and quality of this light can change quickly. So, if I’m going to be shooting in a model’s home or apartment, the first thing I’ll do when arriving is to check how and where the outdoor lighting is entering the house. If I find an area with interesting possibilities, I’ll begin the photo shoot there. I’ll photograph quickly, doing as many setups as possible before the light changes. FREE T-SHIRT ...when you sign up for a One-To-One Workshop!! This is a Fruit-Of-The-Loom, 98% cotton shirt. It has my absolutely gorgeous logo (see top of page) printed on the front. Available sizes are men's medium, large, and extra-large. These shirts may also be purchased. The sun coming through the window illuminated the five photos below. No light modifiers were used. Therefore, dark, well-defined shadows were created. When setting up a shot for this type of lighting, I’m thinking: “How should the model interact with the sunlight?” Usually, I’ll position the subject so the sunbeam is on or near her eyes. It seems to make sense that the eyes are where the viewers’ eyes will go initially. I believe they are the starting point for reading a portrait photograph. Positioning the subject like this establishes the light’s presence and, had there been any question before, vigorously shows the viewer where to place their gaze. The photo below shows Julianne posed by a railing, directly across from a window that has late afternoon sunlight streaming in. Her pose and positioning had to be precise for the shadow to be sharp. The bright light on the wall (and the dark areas beyond it) frame her shadow, helping to emphasize its shape. The sunglasses were added primarily to protect her eyes, though they add a nice touch to both her and her shadow. I have mixed feelings about how pointy her nose looks on the wall, but that does make the shadow more of a caricature, which I like. It’s important to monitor the sky when shooting with outdoor illumination. Large clouds rolling over the sun can quash even the most spectacular light. If that happens, the question is how long to wait for the clouds to pass before moving on to another setup. If the lighting has been good up to that point, I’m willing to wait a while (perhaps several minutes). Then again, there have been many times when the break in the clouds never materialized. An alternative solution would be to move on, but be ready to quickly reset and continue shooting should the sun reappear. Occasionally, indoor illumination will produce the same interesting effects as exterior light entering a window. If it does, and if the light is bright enough, I may use it as the light source for a picture. This type of illumination can come from fluorescent lights, bare bulbs, and spotlights located on ceilings or toward the top of walls. A single overhead source lit the young woman below. Because the illumination was from above, the model’s eyes are dark, though I did brighten them slightly in Photoshop. Also, the light's dimness made a slow shutter speed necessary, resulting in a soft, blurry photograph. Despite these shortcomings (or actually because of them), as well as the depth created by the long hallway, I think the result is quite appealing. The picture was shot at 1/4 sec, f5.6. If the desire is to illuminate these dark areas, a strobe or reflector can be used. It can be positioned to light areas where the available light doesn’t reach or to enhance the illumination already there. Another alternative is to forgo adding additional lighting and to solve the underexposure issues in post-production with Photoshop, as I partially did with the eyes in the above photo. The image below was shot just a few seconds after the one above. The setup as well as the shutter speed and aperture settings were identical (1/4 sec, f5.6). The only difference between the two was the addition of a flash from a small handheld strobe. It added a small amount of fill light primarily to her face, therefore brightening it. It also removed the blur. Because a strobe releases its light very quickly (for example, 1/250th of a second), it's similar to setting the camera's shutter speed to 1/250th of a second. Nevertheless, I’m not sure this image was an improvement. I think it's interesting, but less so than the first picture. Aubrey, below, was lit by a bare bulb hanging high above. The illumination was faint, necessitating a slow shutter speed. But, instead of handholding the camera, as I did previously, I secured it to a tripod. In addition, I had her lean against the wall for support. The result was a mostly sharp image. The picture was shot at 7/10 sec, f5.6. Something I find exciting about windows, spotlights, bare bulbs, and the like is that they are already present in the environment without me having to set up any of my own lights. Furthermore, this kind of lighting often creates illumination possibilities I undoubtedly would never have thought up or been able to easily construct on my own. (Click on photos to enlarge) If a picture setup includes the model’s face, a great expression is critical, though it doesn’t have to be intense or overly dramatic. Most times, subtlety is best. And, of course, the expression must work well with everything else in the photograph. When shooting with an inexperienced, non-actor model, getting the expressions I want sometimes involves a concerted effort for both of us. This can happen when I ask for different looks from shot to shot, but they unknowingly repeat the same expression each time. In that case, I might walk them up to a mirror and have them try a few expressions, making sure that each is different. If that doesn’t work, I’ll try talking them through specific expressions. For example, if I want “surprise”, I may say “Try raising your eyebrows” or “Open your mouth a bit”. This can be time-consuming, but it usually solves the problem. Sometimes, the model will go overboard with an expression, making it too big and too obvious, especially for a close-up. If this is an issue, I’ll gently mention it and ask them to reduce its intensity. By the way, it’s usually easier to tone down a model’s expression than to try building it up. Many times, a shot I’m doing is not that dependent on the model’s expression. In terms of the whole image, their face may be of minor importance. This frequently is the case when other elements, such as props or setting, are more important. In fact, sometimes having a neutral or bland expression is what the photo calls for. Anything more could take away from what I’m trying to show with the rest of the picture. She’s merely eating a cracker, but I think her expression oozes pure evil. There’s nastiness brewing. This pose was all Judy’s idea. For me, everything in this photograph screams “Monday morning” - her head resting on her arm, the extreme leaning, her grip on the coffee cup, the far off and empty stare. This expression shows lots going on in Hannah’s mind. Her forehead is furrowed, her mouth pursed, and her eyes fearful. Combined with her body being pressed into the corner, the narrow slit of light, and a gun nearby, it’s obvious something is terribly wrong. Jenna is reacting to her sister pulling on her arms. I felt this was an excellent piece of acting; Jenna’s expression is realistic and therefore believable. Julianne had tried numerous expressions. I liked these two the best. The first has an intentionally forced smile. The second has an expression that probably would not elicit what she’s requesting. Her hair on the sign adds a nice touch too. (Click on photos to enlarge) When photographing models, I try varying the setups so that each group of images has a somewhat unique look. One way to do this is by modifying the hair. That's why I enjoy working with long-haired girls and women. Compared to those with short hair, styling possibilities seem to increase in proportion to hair length. Here are examples of what changes can be made: the hair can be braided, styled into a ponytail or pigtails, piled on top of the head, left hanging loose, or held together with a ribbon or headband. Though I'll make styling suggestions, it's the model who usually comes up with the best ideas. Along with makeup, clothes, facial expression, and body positioning, much of a female’s character can be communicated through her hair. What's interesting is how quickly she can change its look, whether intentionally or unintentionally. In fact, it can be the smallest movement or turn of the head that dramatically alters the hair’s arrangement, resulting in a totally different appearance. Sometimes, there'll be a specific change I’ll want to make to the model’s hair. It may be something simple such as repositioning a few misplaced strands or using it to cover part of the face. However, explaining what the adjustment is so that she can make the change herself can often be time consuming. Since I know what it is I’m trying to do, my preference is to fix the hair myself. With her permission (and the permission of her mother if the model's a minor), I’ll make the necessary changes, which are usually minor and can be done quickly. Even though there may be fewer possibilities because of its length, shorter hair can have potential too. To me, this reads as someone feeling a strong emotion-perhaps unhappiness. I think the strands dangling over Laurette’s eyes add to her somber expression. To me, they seem like tears streaming down her cheeks. Responding to my request, Olianna put her hair up. It’s fascinating how the strands curve in all directions, with their tones ranging from light to dark. The back lighting, mostly on the left side, beautifully helps to separate her hair from the background. This shot took considerable experimentation. Amelia was patient as I arranged and rearranged her hair. Initially, I disliked the wrinkly sheet, but eventually realized the wrinkles seemed to complement her hair. After arriving at Klaryssa’s house and saying hello, I noticed her rather messy hair. I assumed she hadn’t combed it yet but would do so before we started shooting. When she didn’t, and I asked about it, she said that this was now her hairstyle. I considered suggesting that she “fix it”, but then realized saying so might offend her. I figured we could work on improving it as we shot. So, I began the session with her hair as it was. Interestingly, as we were shooting, I came to appreciate how well her hairstyle, with some minor changes, worked with her poses. Though it might have caused problems on other models, on Klaryssa, less “messy” hair probably would have resulted in fewer dynamic and fewer striking images. Blowing the hair It’s great fun photographing models whose hair is being wildly blown about. It’s a sensation many of them enjoy and can be apparent in their expressions. The pictures that result can be really interesting. Previously, I used industrial or house fans to produce the necessary wind. I would position one close to the model’s head, making sure it wouldn’t be seen in the photo. The amount of hair movement depended on the strength of the fan and her type of hair. The best results seemed to occur when the model flicked her head (with her hair obviously following), just before the photo was taken. These days, however, I use an inexpensive leaf blower, which works much better. I have a small, electric unit (you don’t want a gas powered one due to the fumes it produces). It can be clamped to a light stand or held by an assistant. Its low weight, powerful output, and ability to be aimed precisely make it perfect for blowing the hair. Hanna seems relaxed as her hair flutters across her face. I think the slight head tilt helps emphasize the effect. The left portion (from the viewer’s perspective) of Molly’s hair acts as a lovely background for her profile. The right portion beautifully fills the upper half of the frame. The woman on the left was in her mid-thirties, and the girl on the right was in high school. The girl’s mother was sitting on the floor between the two ladies, pointing the electric leaf blower upward. As mentioned previously, it’s an impressive device for throwing a high volume of air in a well-defined pattern. Problems may arise, however, when the blower is aimed toward the face. With its high intensity, the moving air may make some models uncomfortable. In this case, the girl was hesitant about being subjected to this wind. But after her mother aimed the device at my face, and I explained how much I enjoyed the sensation, she was more than happy to proceed. (click on photos to enlarge) One of the first things I do when setting up a shot is to place the subject in an area of the frame that I think will work best for the image. That location can be at the top, bottom, side, corner, or even dead center of the frame. Certain composition rules, especially the rule-of-thirds, mandate specific areas for placing the model. Sometimes I agree with that edict, but more often I don't (it's my belief too many photo instructors and photo books spend too much energy pushing this rule as being absolutely mandatory). The bottom line for me is being happy with the composition and feeling that the image is communicating my intent. After taking a few photographs, and with the goal of varying my setups, I'll maneuver the subject around the frame. I do this by looking through the viewfinder, moving around the camera (I usually handhold it when taking these types of pictures), and placing her in various parts of the frame. I'll stop when I’m happy with the framing and then take a few pictures. In addition, I may physically move the model and/or myself, rework the composition, and/or change the camera orientation from horizontal to vertical (or vice versa). I think Adeline’s placement in the frame and the stark walls surrounding her emphasize her aloneness. We see a melancholy teenager using her computer in a barren, monotone bedroom. There’s a sense of isolation in this photograph too, though rather than being unhappy, Gretel seems absorbed with her practicing. One type of setup I really find appealing is having the model crowding the frame’s edge, with part of her body missing. (A friend once suggested that the lack of balance I create in these images mirrors the lack of balance in my own life!!). The two photos above show the models at the extreme edges of their respective frames. Moving any more toward those edges would put them out of the pictures. I think both images leave the viewer with an off-balance feeling. The top photo highlights the empty bed. The lower one, with the help of Photoshopped green eyes, intensifies a feeling of mystery. I appreciate almost everything in this photograph - Adalie’s pose, the even illumination of her body, the resulting soft shadow behind her, the hair framing her face while hiding an eye, the rim of light surrounding most of her head, the draping of the dress on her lean figure, her bent knee, and the secure grip on the gun. I wanted all those items emphasized as much as possible. The best way, I thought, would be to simply center her (left-to-right) in the camera frame. I think that puts all the elements, except the gun, on equal footing and deemphasizes the importance of any one over another. I felt everything in Joanna’s bathroom was interesting and should be shown. To achieve that, I intentionally moved her toward the back of the bathtub’s ledge, allowing the viewer full visual access. There’s something unsettling (in a positive way) about this photo. Perhaps it was her calmness. She had been a whirling dervish for most of the shoot, but was now absolutely still and looking bored. Further, the framing gives a nearly equal weight to both her and the piece of clothing on the left side of the bed. That may imply an equal importance to both, which should not be. She should be the important one. The viewer may wonder what’s going on in the picture. It’s confusing. But that’s OK. Confusion can be ideal for spicing up an image. When I’m out wandering through a city with my camera, I’ll often look for busy sidewalks or other pedestrian thoroughfares. What I want are people walking, running, biking, or skating toward me. My goal is to photograph the subject(s) as they are passing or about to pass. I’ll commonly preset the camera settings. Then, as a subject approaches, everything on the camera is ready to go. These are my typical settings, though they really depend on what I’ll be photographing, how far from the subject I'm standing, and how fast the subject is moving: ISO - 100 Shutter speed - 1/15th to 1/60th second Aperture - whatever f-stop necessary for a proper exposure Focal length of lens - in the wide-angle range Focus - set to manual focus and at the approximate distance where I expect the subject to be when I press the shutter button For these sorts of shots, I’m panning my camera as I shoot, so that it’s moving at the same speed as the subject. This makes the subject mostly in focus and only slightly blurry. Where more blur hopefully is prevalent is in the background and/or foreground. The blur helps give a sense of movement to the moving subject as well as hide distracting clutter that may be in the background and/or foreground. When panning the camera, I’m not looking through the viewfinder or at the camera’s monitor. I don’t want the subject to know they are being photographed. The camera remains where I’ve been carrying it - usually at mid-chest level. My camera and chest are actually moving together. At the same time, I’m tilting the camera up or down slightly, attempting to get the best framing possible. I do all this nonchalantly, as though I’m merely looking around. Unfortunately, since I cannot see how the subject is being framed, this technique often causes me to miss part or all of the subject. Sometimes, instead of wandering, I’ll perch myself somewhere, and wait for people to come past me. Depending on where I am, this can be quite productive or quite futile. Here are six examples of people coming past me. By the way, I think there are some really interesting shadows in a few of the photographs. |
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