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AFTER DARK: Fine Art Nude

Lesson 35 from: The Boudoir Workshop

Christa Meola

AFTER DARK: Fine Art Nude

Lesson 35 from: The Boudoir Workshop

Christa Meola

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Lesson Info

35. AFTER DARK: Fine Art Nude

Lessons

Class Trailer

Day 1

1

Introduction

07:36
2

Let’s Get this Party Started Right!

20:35
3

Redefining Boudoir: YOUR Brand & Style

29:59
4

Working with Women

20:01
5

Creating Relaxed Clients

17:49
6

Posing and Anti-Posing

12:05
7

Flattering All Body Types

21:13

Lesson Info

AFTER DARK: Fine Art Nude

Awesome okay, we're ready to get started I'm not going to delay this is our beautiful model elizabeth elizabeth thank you so much for coming and I'm just gonna have you sit on the lounge and I'm gonna have you get comfortable I think we're going to kind of duplicate some a little bit of this pose um why don't we uh actually they set you up with your head that way ok? And I'm really big on fabrics to I kind of want to drink this down on the ground a little more so we don't really need to see it where you're sitting alone in a gender the john just leave it thanks. Um how about like something like that? Okay, beautiful, sweet and so you can go ahead and get on there we might need you this. Okay? Awesome. Excellent. So when I'm, um working with the news I'm paying a little bit more attention to drapery of fabric than I normally dio since there's no clothing I'm really focused it's on the set and they usually I love working with robes um I love draping fabrics uh this is perfect so we're go...

ing to just duplicate kind of the art picture in the background is one of my favorite on dh then we'll just play off that and do a couple different poses and just kind of see where it goes so let's um bring this arm behind you and we're gonna bring this me ford right? I know we're limited because it's a short couch I'm actually going to cut you off like probably right around I don't know here there so no worries you khun yet nowhere he's on your feet let's have the lower limb be up forward more front. Yep. And you're actually kind of sitting on your bum instead of your left hip. So roll back a little awesome, um and bring that hip forward. Okay, excellent. And we want this shoulder to be over here, so you're kind of like yeah, exactly. And bring this arm a little bit more for it. Okay, perfect. This hand goes back like that. Okay? How we're gonna get your robe off, though? Thing experiment s o we got you on this boat that would take the robot. Okay, so I'm just lift up and I'll take it off. I was going to put that right here on the stool. Okay. Excellent. So, yeah, I know we're gonna have to cheat your foot yet just to get your leg straight and I want to drop this elbow so we barely see it, uh, actually, though, okay, awesome, and I'm going to be explicit, but I need to see both nipples and this one's hidden, okay, perfect and then let's like relax your fingers ooh that's beautiful beautiful I love it just going to move your hair up here because I like to see on your shoulders again kind of duplicating the picture and I'm gonna put this behind your ear, okay and then have a little bit this way. Yeah, exactly look down. Okay, so can you drop your right shoulder so your boobs towards the ceiling ah awesome and again sorry hear about him having a little bit awkward but you're doing great and eyes down towards yeah, down this way more yeah, down your body lets try. Okay, beautiful. You just relax for a second and I definitely you can even like, look back at her. Oh, I love that and my camera's busy right now. Sorry s o that and I'm going to try and keep these legs together, so scratch that one. There we go. And you know what? Screw it, let's. Just do this because it's easier. Perfect. That is gorgeous. Elizabeth almost ready, still busy on the camera sums gonna frame you up, get ready and just softer eyes. Know what? Relax your neck for a second till my camera's ready, yeah are used to posing for sculptors and like holding poses and painters for like twenty minutes two minute rest, yeah I did it once too by the way so I'm totally yeah down with it. Okay, ready one two three and can I have a separation between your fingers on your right hand please okay. Is that all off? Can you um extend your legs like fake it just so your knees or lower okay and put bring your right hand's on your shoulder like this yes, exactly beautiful um your head to me little some less up your nose I get oh, perfect look down your body excellent. Okay, I'm feeling like that's good hold on I'm gonna step in closer frame it differently beautiful john can you get ready with the fan at some point? Awesome stay right there for meals of it they're doing great just having a hard time with the length of the couch finding a way to crop you well backing them. Okay, stay there. You know what perfect can you tilt your head back a little bit more actually come up forward on dh can I have your hands separation between finger yes, exactly like in this life? Okay, let's, sit up. No. Okay. How long will this into the wall over there yeah, and let me to turn to the wall so yeah, keep going that's beautiful came maybe like you're putting your hair up yeah oh no, you were perfect yeah I think that's natural and I love that I think I love how you are but I just need you like an inch that way so take everything you're doing and just move it back a beautiful lift up her feet per second okay okay now that's perfect and then look like close your eyes and look down your body okay? Beautiful love awesome yeah helps because blowing her hair is um getting it out of the way of the light otherwise we'll have a shadow on her face can you pick up your hair one more time exactly that way o beautiful o perfect gorgeous and then look at me for once, okay and then look down that way beautiful bed perfect awesome can you cheat more butt cheek to me even a little more you khun scoot out for the left again if you need to perfect I like that that's sweet john back up a little one more I love it love it. Okay, great. Okay, now let's get you down. Um just do your mid section right here perfect. You're doing so great you know how to move, girl okay, I'm gonna take this off. Can we remove the painting easily? I'm really now dig in like the curves in this couch and I'm gonna try and like I don't know create some kind of symmetry figure out what I'm doing with her um awesome curves this's beautiful this is perfect also, this is modest if you notice from certain angles this's implied nudity even though she's totally naked. Okay, so let's do that, um what's two more delicate hints and maybe crossed? Uh, I like that. Yeah, I liked what you were doing before because this is total money, love how you're pointing your toes and kicking up your hip just going to bring this a tiny bit closer. This is great and let's have the fan, john and I'm not exactly sure if the light will be perfect on this, we might have to go the other way. So why don't you bring your face towards the light? John, stay out of my frame. You might you don't know if you'll be able to reach her from there. Okay, john actually don't worry about it. You're in the frame a little bit too much. Okay, one teo awesome. See if I like that leading wass digging it on the body. So with you I'm sorry, I'm just going to turn your head. I'm going to do this, touch it all the way down like all the way down, like drop it like this, yeah, because this is obviously since we don't have good lighting on your face that it's really about your body so with your hand can you like bring your hair over but um I think that yeah is perfect right like that helps no one all right wait a minute area hold that okay so did you guys see I checked with my light and based on my limitations I'm going to make it work for me this is still totally nude but implied uh love um can you just cheat your head towards me a little bit yeah keep going keep going perfect fix your hair one more time um beautiful in fact keep that action going and eyes down and keep it got do it slowly keep going beautiful hole that awesome do it one more time wait let me catch it when it's going over your eyes perfect hold that go away's little right right when it's above your eye way we got it all right this is it's gorgeous I'm going to move on now what's I was a little tilted we'll have to have that beautiful I'm going to kind of get in here and just so keep your pose so what I do sometimes I see beautiful light hitting the body I kind of walk around a little bit and I'm not going to change her but I'm going to change my angle so it's a different said it but she's not moving um let me see I want to get in a little tighter dig in lex you're perfect okay um okay um awesome can you get on your belly possible on there we might um way might switch it up mash it that's perfect yes and again with the hair I love that because the light isn't hitting your face that we want to this is all about the booty okay you can let down okay maybe bring um your feet and let me see that bring your feet in to you to your butt oh that's that I actually liked you have there um one leg would be a perfect perfect perfect and again if I shoot this from the side it's actually implied no what I'm saying people okay perfect and then do one where you don't look at me please thanks ah that's beautiful can you cascade your hair down and really leg bring it up over the top I want to see volume uh perfect really labored over let's let's get that great and then do one where you kind of hide everything with your arm but your eye yes yes exactly that is so flirtatious and awesome can we do can we just like their boobs getting squished by the fed yeah perfect and then tuck your head in little keep going keep going keep going and smile with your eye that's so perfect okay awesome let me see if we see it that if not we'll be moving you okay that's perfect now can you kick your hips up so we have this triangle of awesomeness, right? They're exactly what I wanted. Okay, so again, I asked this all the time of my ladies in boudoir see when it's flat but if they kick their hips up, it creates this awesome triangle. I call it the triangle of awesomeness let's see if it comes up on the screen. See? There it is. Isn't that freaking sleek and sexy? Do you guys have any questions from the twitterverse? How is this being received from people? Just getting the audio it's a big tease. Actually, at some point, if you would be able teo, describe the lighting set up for for the download. Oh, an idea. John and I rigged this up last night. Uh, took us about five minutes to figure it out. Uh, this is again the three by four tomorrow soft back and it's the hundreds at the lowest power, which is one thirty second. Okay, that's what I figured and my settings currently our month one hundred won twenty fifth and two point. Oh, and I'm pretty digging it dig in the light uh, very dramatic it's really enhancing her curves? Um, which is what I want to do when I shoot fine art nudes, any questions from the studio brandy? Not at all so if I was in a black said it would just be that what kind of yeah and these air the video lights for the camera guys we don't actually have the overhead lights of the studio on because that was affecting it it was getting ugly and flat um yeah ground on this one you're focusing on the eyes right? This one yes ok now on the earlier ones when she was looking down where where were you our allies still yeah. Okay. Um carlo I've seen a lot of difference in the way you coach the model and for our new tea is much more calm relaxed is this because you want to fuss more come to the model or it is because you want the pot's toby more angles mohr static I think it's a few things and this is just a wild guess. Um I'm more relaxed right now uh maybe because we're alive maybe because I'm so comfortable and in my zone shooting nudes I'm really I love it. I just get focused and relaxed and, um you know, it is acquired or set it's more uh less campion of silly and it's just a little bit more serious in tone, so that does it to me to, um part of it's the model I've had very silly, vivacious nudes like my favorite new model and ella she's hysterical so that's always a high energy nudes that believe it or not but it's so part of it's the personality of the model too and, uh I'm a little tired now um so I'm going to continue unless there's more can I get an apple boxer to john? Yes, a couple of years I'm gonna just shoot from above for a couple and then let me shoot since we're here can you kick your hip up again? It's perfect. Stay right there. Stay right there. One more note by lie that was eliminated they're behind me said you'd get a box behind you. Okay, perfect ok digging it. What do you guys think that focused on your body? I can tell try that one more kicking up perfect a little less up perfect way now that alright let me get up here e might fall if I do it this way. Okay, let me see how close I need to be to her okay? Different angle bring your legs in thanks tone you legs allah and yeah, couch is kind of ok. Ok got it. I think your legs were yeah covering you blocking your light but we're good. We're going to move on so let's give you your robe and we're going to change up the set a little bit we're gonna go from using the artwork and the couch uh to setting up the actually I'm going to still work with her what you cook that up I just changed my mind I want you to sit on this ends here but uh sorry about that just kicked out my tether okay, so much more I want to do with this couch can you sit up on that edge yeah, while john sets up the other set we'll just work over here in the corner so you're really close to the light so I might have tio adjusting really like some awful thin yeah, perfect. Yeah, I like that that's great archer back as much as you possibly can really extreme posture arch your back more more, more excellent, perfect and then hands through her hair beautiful sari got away from the camera, huh? Take a second yep. Gonna wait and see what angle I want you're perfect because you're cheating your butt towards me. Great. Lower your left foot a little bit more maybe yeah wonder even if you could reach the floor yeah that's that's fine. Okay, go back when I lost the butt cheek hey, you can't have bold but do something else with your right foot so yeah that's even better yeah, much okay and my camera should be ready okay, great, okay don't look at me, okay? Really doing great uh job of posing okay and kicking that butt out yeah, alright and both hands up okay and then take your left leg and put it on the couch yeah, perfect excellent. Now I'm going to do something can we move this catch up to give you this for a second? Put the painting back on and we'll need a dude's help be help out this couch is really heavy yeah is there anything that you tell yourself we're uh regarding just anywhere because upset yeah yeah sorry guarding posing that is oh, this is our this is porn um no, I just like everybody know what want to see it okay because everyone has their own idea to trying to find pornography is like impossible. So um with your customers as well do I do this type of stuff with my client? Yes, yes, absolutely kind of direction no, I would be giving them more direction because the same poses and yep yep same poses but just I'd have to directed heavily can you step in front of it? Keep going to me step over this way. Awesome. Okay, uh you know what? We're not gonna see the painting. Can we hang it the other way so it's framing her awesome is that possible even maybe we can do it who perfect john okay and then hands above your head and perfect perfect don't move depending on what the lights doing it might cut you a little bit can I have the fan please relax for a second actually it's perfect like perfect but the frame needs to be a little wider okay and then go ahead and strike that gorgeous post john don't get too close all right head towards the light and I down beautiful you khun switch with me john go ahead okay here's what I want go ahead hitter john with the fan awesome and just look down oh that's gorgeous beautiful and actually you know what sorry I'm going to remove this cause it works it doesn't really work so well and I'm just going to make the story about your shape and screw the painting but it did frame me nicely um hello okay keep doing that and you know um the painting evening mood if you're an art lover you d'oh can we do um yeah gorgeous gorgeous love it dang girl okay so that evening mood is kind of like han dropped like make up like this yeah and we could even switch it the other way it's kind of like legs like this your legs are fine I kind of just want to evoke it perfect little bit out more okay and fan europe gonna wait for you to hit it with the fan even more maybe we need more hair forward okay and eyes closed or down word okay head towards the fan okay and then drop your right hand and do something different hands along your body perfect do that's great love the hands change them up in our beautiful let me just check my light that's on your face in a flattering way which it is you're doing great. Okay, um do something where yeah, perfect um beautiful hold that. Can you hold that right there to be closer one more head down a little keep don't perfect one more can you get the fan maybe come over closer very girl ok do some from the tattoo yeah, I'm just gonna get from me but let's let the left hand do something else like uh yeah in fact you could pull it up so I could see your whole back way might want to change the other way. I was just thinking that I'm like I know the light gonna block you totally so we need to go over this shoulder perfect beautiful. Just profile is fine. Yeah, actually. Now tuck your head a little bit and pull up your hair again with both hands it's fine and turn a little towards me so I sing about perfect john switch with me again um yeah you're gonna have to cover your face entirely unless you pivot more and the light hits it perfect that should do it beautiful, gorgeous hurry kitty let's take a second I knew I was going to get that dang thing all right, take a second I'm gonna give you this robe um and then we're gonna work with this uh how sculpture and I'm thinking to do some cheeky stuff like this okay? And I want to play with this form and your form think hold on stand next to it you don't have to take that off this want to see where you're at oh my gosh you're perfect it's perfect height we lucked out with that we don't necessarily have to do it in the corner john um I like to keep the lighting simple we might even just uh we could try this it's a new modifier um what's the length of this one twelve forty eight so twelve by forty it's very long and narrow. What are the questions in the crowd wondering what uh what lens you were using o I was using the fifty for most of that uh in fact I think for all of it yet krista we should aren't nude. What are you looking for in? How does it differ from your style in the typical boudoir? Is there any difference between the two or you know there's a lot there's a big difference? Okay, so fine art I'm really not seeing the face all that much I definitely don't dio eyes to camera like I might call for it one or two times but I undoubtedly delete those don't delete those but don't select them um so okay yeah it's mostly like kind of anonymous and like the head is just usually turned away or eyes down it's definitely more somber and feeling and uh you know in terms uh I definitely focused more on the lines of her body then actually her personality for instance boudoir it's all about personality and enjoying your body with fine art nude it's all about lines and shapes it's in shadow um so that's pretty much the most distinctive thing also almost all the time I'll change it to black and white almost one hundred percent of the time um what else is different? Not a lot of well no I think that's pretty much it thank you. Okay let's do a quick lighting test in see if we love this tested this you know if not I'm totally happy with that I mean which destroyed absolutely um yeah let's see naked so we can actually see what we're getting yeah and then you could face towards me um but yeah make sure you're in front of the, um situation from one of them um what should I call this sculpture looks political sculpture ok right there. Perfect. Uh yeah love it just touched my linens by accident hold on okay, so this is a lighting test really quick see what this looks like interesting it's really hot and harsh um can you turn your body towards me a little yeah perfect hold on john I'm gonna think about it for a second um okay uh maybe it needs to be raised in tilted it's just not flattering her face perfect. Excellent. Okay let's try that I'm digging that okay um but talk to me here, john first second check this out. What is this shadow up in the upper left corner all right, you know what? I'll just move myself frame that no problem don't worry about it now I'm okay with it go with it. Okay, so um I like how you had your arm and I know it's kind of tricky to work with um can you extend it a little bit? Yeah. Um no can we bring it more forward because right now it just looks because of this whole there's like yeah so uh maybe like that I love that and I like separation between singers and I hope it doesn't put shadow on your boob if it doesn't have to move it yeah that's good and let's really kick that hip out I want to see a nice triangle in between you guys that was good that's gorgeous love it one, two three maybe I cz down towards the other sculpture let me see if I like it that's working for me okay, great. Um can we have you turned the other way and kick your hip towards him or her? Yes it's a her uh um that's cute can we have the fan no, I'm good I'm good the fan from there on her blow it all the way away I want to see the profile of her face a little bit yeah there we go perfect let me see your right hand no, I could go down on your hip but yeah exactly softer fingers oh you're really kicking out that half I love it one more gorgeous saved the air stay there beautiful wow. Okay, awesome take some questions if we have some can you face all the way to that well, do the same pose and john make sure you get that hair all the way to the left yeah, perfect and awesome beautiful hold that okay may cheat your face to the left a little bit yeah, no more than that. Okay, and move your left torso over to me just so I can see a little bit nipple and raise your elbow like it wascause now you're blocking out perfect but I want to see your left hand left hand okay, there you go. Now we now that beautiful love that okay, so why don't we take a second um only take some questions, give her the robe we're gonna move shortly onto our other set christa one second, one second, john, for our next set, we're going to do the pink fabric. And I was thinking the white backdrop way to use the white wall. Awesome. So could you start getting started on clearing all that up the big box with yours? Let's? Do the big bob. Okay, good. Awesome. Thank you. Okay. Do you want some water? Okay. Yes, uh, in regards to your light set up, do you have any jills that you're using or would you ever use, like, a gold reflector or anything like that for specific fair skin person? Um, no, actually, I'm not using any gel zohra reflector right now, and I'm shot women with extremely fair skin, like so translucent you can almost see through it. And I have never had to use a gel it's just hard to expose. But, um, that's all ok, when that instance do normally switch it to black and white anyway, so it doesn't matter. Um, I am switching to look away. Why are using the box there versus store? Yes, the boxes a little bigger. Um and it doesn't have the silver lining. Um, why else it's going to spread a little better? What that's going to spread a little better, bigger? With that said silver lining there isn't silver lining and it's white so it's a little softer softer like yeah um and for the next set I really wanted to be soft and big because we're going to be using this big swath of fabric and I want to shoot kind of wide um and I don't want this to be really high contrast so I'm not going to use the orb they have nobody here like you say full bikini wax but actually that's a great question and I don't make a request I left the woman show up is who she is and I'm open toe all situations so mary again yes is for you is better flashlight or still prefer natural light if I was a natural light for sure yeah always always preferred if I couldn't do it christ even though we don't have one here could you point out what poses are lighting would use for a curvy woman in full nude um was there anything different? No there's nothing different is going on because it is really nothing different um I'm still going to pose her contra pasta still going todo you know look going for an esseker moving knees and crossing them so I get a nice juicy round rounded hips um and I will light it pretty much the same way on dh again um yeah really have anything for that? Uh, john, this is looking great. Uh, I think I will. Okay. Perfect. We're almost good to go here. I don't want one and tides have students hold the ends and be able to move it. Okay? Yeah. Okay. Good. Because I wanted to be able to flow freely, but I guess you're just doing this so I can get up now. Okay? Awesome. So I'm going to do some lighting tests, feel free to keep asking way, haven't tested this one yet. So we're going to sort it out and you want to step in. Elizabeth, you can keep your robe on for now. I have a question about the pink. Are you going with color on these, or did you use pink because of the shade of grey that it you can take it to or that such a great question. You know what? We just wanted to do something completely different. Usually I do navy here, navy. Um, I love that it's. A deep color that's, not black, black for me and a shear. It looks almost. Funereal um so for me it's a disconnect so usually use navy and navy works on everyone skin and that's what's in my essential kit is navy sheer fabric um dan behind um uh for one of the creative director craig he was kind of picturing one of the set ups to be like kind of a valentine's day fabric so this is owed to craig loving it elizabeth you working it let's see, uh just test that uh love in it perfect. What do you say? So ok let's um go ahead and drop that down a little bit. Oh, not so much that it covered via perfect yeah, I want to see more. Okay. Awesome. Okay, so let's, take the robe off. You know what? Can we have that one higher? Do not like a foot and a half higher. Thanks. And twelve just hold that for me. See fun like in the light gorgeous and that cross your left leg over even more make it more dramatic. Excellent. And keep that, um john you're making it too flat. I want to see more. Hold it. Yeah, no meaning? I want it more like this. I want more ripples perfect and let it touch your boobs thanks, perfect hold that it's gonna take me a little bit longer to focus lower below her great perfect little perfect done beautiful okay let's have her perfect and you know can we do that one more time that way you were your hand positioning was perfect but your face even more down perfect gorgeous when I say perfect anymore okay okay now I want you to unplanned pit and let her take control of that yeah that just got better huh okay so what you don't step on no beautiful beautiful hold hold that hold that hold it for me more and put it in front of your lips but not your eyes yeah just don't want it at your chin perfect hold yes you could look at me gorgeous or just gorgeous now above your head a little sweet beautiful and maybe bring your left arm down yes gorgeous hold that I'm so bummed we don't have a full length like I can't get her feet in this maybe I'll shoot one and have colorado like touch it for me okay beautiful work stunning way okay can we have one were actually yeah I love that form fitting perfect yes and you can even okay no do that first one yeah and then oh beautiful hold that I'll keep going beautiful hold that for me hold it hold it slight smile hell yeah gorgeous let her out let her go that's better that's better alright honey can we do one where you're totally facing that way like this? Yes beautiful who holds okay you see I come alive when I shoot news saying again for me gorgeous do something else with your right hand so I could see it perfect can you step even afford more yeah that's great I love that pose even turn your chest to me perfect one thing yes that's exactly what I want todo I love when it goes diagonally don't tuck it under your arm but that's fine john that's okay all right go ahead to move it john super quick nice try one more time and they were moving on because you got lots to do in these last few minutes go actually go ahead and hold it out I liked where you were holding it I kind of did something nice ok right there john down a little bit yeah beautiful love you are awesome elizabeth thank you john recommended you so thanks john for that um no way we'll do that later. Okay. All right can we just like let it go so we have a full um and that comes around like that yeah did we do this already or was this just in my mind sometimes I forget face yeah, perfect. Hold that excellent one thing what? Sorry try not to blow it until I'm back nothing don't say anything. Okay let's do some more fun stuff let's have it all up on you yeah exactly that's gorgeous um head down and then drop your um, not that one. The other one? Uh, yeah. You move fast, ton, but hold on to the thing. Hold it out. That's. Better. Beautiful. Excellent. Let's really float that a little bit more? Yeah, exactly. So little less of it. And more skin is what I'm going for. Maybe even scrunch it up a little bit in your hand. A perfect bullet. More of a demon. That how about you? Just big movements with it. Let me see. Hold on. Let me get a wider frame. Hold on one second. I wonder if we let that go. What would happen with that? You're doing great. Beautiful work. One more. Hold on. Sorry I cut you off a foot. Hold on one second. Beautiful. Ah, that's. Evening. Move that there. Thank you know, keep the legs either, like venter. Cost? Yeah. Perfect. Can you pull your hair over the side? Uh, the other one? Yeah. Uh, gorgeous. Actually, I loved how it was hanging over like it was before. Perfect. Perfect. Excellent. Beautiful. Uh, gorgeous. I need to see that I that hair to move a little bit, huh? Okay, let's, get some close ones. Stand over here for me. Hey that's kid like that yeah men come out of it a little more see shoulder beautiful seymour shoulder perfect can't sorry that's gorgeous stay like that and let me see more hit so papa hip a little bit who that's really nice could we try and do like a little bit of venus like she's kind of got the can you kill that for a second she's taken this and she's really just kind of bringing it up modestly and I think the other it's wrapped around her so she's holding in one hand some like evoking all of these like paintings I know just cause they're brilliant at leg using fabrics to cover up certain area so like let it drape down yes well for the fan on it but give yourself some some play give it some clay okay and then this one you kind of well take with your hand and kind of just modestly and then just let it hopefully flow around okay all right then we can turn on the fan try and get her hair too ok can you bring your right arm above you okay keep working with it it's too tight there's not enough fabric yeah, in fact, why don't you try floating it behind you and see what happens? Oh it's turned over on itself yeah, there we go way yeah actor john your things in my frame yeah, I'm gonna try uh, tell me all right, just keep it this way because I'm horizontal. Okay? Awesome. Go for it. One teo twenty three more hair, john okay, now I'm going vertical, so go up with it. You can do it in front or in back. It doesn't matter, huh? It's a challenge? One more, uh, sweet love it. Okay, I wonder if we should try a different lighting. Super quick, do something a little more dramatic. Take a second. Yeah, let's, try that. I think I'll keep the fifty. I attempted to do the eighty five and get some close up body shots with that, but we're having so much fun. Any questions? How many yards of drapes are you using? The good question. All right. And what kind of fabric is it this year? Have fun. I have the receipt for what I asked where we tried a couple different fabrics. Ones with xin do not work. It was the first one john brought and it doesn't work. Um, so you really got your test? Um um you were looking for a really nice drape and a match. She stepped forward off for a second. I'm just gonna push it against the wall. Maybe we can talk a little bit about what we talked about it's really pretty earlier day ahead, gun um I was just going to talk about your inspiration camera sure hold on my camera needs to catch up yes um paintings sculptures um I love love love finer oh that's gorgeous hold on a second uh my camera needs to catch up um paintings and sculptures I loved going to museums uh love looking at art and I definitely have some fine artist that I keep coming back teo again and again I love watching movies cinema uh gosh there's so many great cinematographers out there creating beautiful stuff so, um any names over particular? Uh yeah, I have tons of course my mind like a white girl yeah loads and loads but I only have a few more minutes I'm going to shoot a little bit and then we could totally talk about that more tomorrow. Okay, this beautiful let me just check the light because you haven't done that yet. You know, um it's not as pretty with this comey tete tete it out a little bit more thanks. Um awesome cheat your light your face with the light yes, thanks. Okay, I think I'm gonna get the eighty five and play around a little before people with it's a little hot john could turn down the power struggle here please dio yeah carlo did you have a question I think you did didn't you do you do you do care particular attention to defeat off the model, I've seen she's very careful in pointing with her feet. Yeah, but I do pay a lot of attention to that. Would you ask your customers the same thing? Trying to point them as much as possible? Um, not yeah, I tend to, especially when they're wearing heels, but really, I usually manipulate their feet based on where I want the hell pointed if rarely do I shoot. Yeah. You know, sometimes there naked in the sheets, we do, he'll then then we do some without and it's not always necessarily a pointed toe. Um, it depends with most flattering what's most natural because I'm capturing a woman naturally in bed like laughter it's not like she needs a pointed toe. Right? Uh, we're doing a little more canopy then. Yes. If she's ever standing on the bed or has her feet on the venture a lounge and it's sinking in, I have her cheated sy point or toe so she's not really stepping on it, causing her toe will disappear it crops are off weird. Do you know what I'm saying? So I get that a lot. You have to cheat that often. Ok, thanks you got this, yeah, I certainly will I think we're good, okay? Okay, so I'm going to keep this in pretty tight, like from the chest up. So, um, I want like, I was closing body and you could like, yeah, that's, beautiful. Hold on. Okay, keep it moving. Can we do some, oh, that's, gorgeous, do that hold, um, hand up a little higher, so it's in frame your right hand? Yeah, I can't go below. Yeah, on your hip, the better, huh? What's happened, you're stepping on it, okay, okay, can we, um, put it on your head? I mean, like, getting it, yeah, let's, do some that are totally like in there. Oh, really? Awesome. Yeah, that's, great. And just, um, if you bring your hands up a little, it won't be so like cone. Heady. Yeah, there we go. Hold that and, yeah, I was just going to say, drop that down, bring your left leg over more this way. So I see more of a nascar of awesome, their fix, and then, yeah, higher with that hand, exactly brought in it out. So I want a complete pink frame pulled that beautiful old chin down. Oh, okay, turn all the way to the side, okay, let's, do it the other way, and john get over here way had with seem right in the middle of saying, try that again, there's. A scene going right through you, shift that over. Perfect. Yeah, and get your hands inside. So it's not yeah, there we go. Perfect, you're doing great, excellent, and then let's, let this go a little, get it. Can I have someone hold this what? Thank you michelle case you have five minutes to ggo get a couple more of these I'm going to shoot horizontally so I'd love the things went wide this way okay get in there. Um michelle could you do me a favor? Hold it over here thank you and down this month right where you are good perfect was that way but I guess I'm not hold that and then bring it down bring your arms down and slowly bring it yeah, so you're not in constant anymore beautiful beautiful keep going gorgeous and let it just be oh let's do that again like it on and let it fly away from me not loving the light on the east this set all that much just kind of hitting our flat way only have five minutes so not too important but I just don't like the way yeah that's looking all that much um awesome okay, try that again. You're good? Yeah, there you go. Yeah let's say that beautiful ok, well, um let me see how about look okay, I think straight on but, um we're almost wrapped so we're gonna take um maybe just a couple close ups put this in the flattering like the best way and maybe take a couple questions why we change this up and we're gonna make be shoot out a couple more minutes hey, krista yes? They're opposer position that you will not use for a new that you would the model is dressed a little bit more say that one more time is there a poser position that you will not use for a nude model that you would if the model was dressed a little more um yes yes uh particularly but shots that I could dio when a woman's wearing garters and panies and like I can do a little bit more cheeky stuff with her um or like bent over um I wouldn't necessarily do that with a new model it a little bit vulgar for me for my taste um so yeah, that that area uh nothing that vein and attract exposure is one of them there's other things too. Oh, I shut the camera off. Sorry, let's go with one more question. Okay. Yeah, one more question that just, um what was the name of the artwork you reference earlier? Uh what went on the sofa? Um, evening mood. My botticelli. Okay, thank you. I mean by bugger I'm sorry. The audience anyone hurt you look a theory, a man with the white fabric or would you take that in post production like, would you still shoot it on white or would you put a second light and shoot it on black um I wouldn't do black backdrop with white shir that's almost like wearing a white brow with black lundy's it's just kind of a disconnect for me um you could do a black oh our gray backdrop with the navy that I've done that's pretty smoking um white backdrop is probably the only rose I never shoot white back jeff I'm only doing it for this one craig to get the pink out there I think didn't really get the black would you should quick her or the pace would remain the same um if I wasn't tethered and answering questions and have people watching thinking I probably shoot a bit faster yeah, definitely just a little bit sure wouldn't be shooting more necessarily I would just be done quicker just we get a lot more in twenty minutes than I am right now. So yeah, yet from c u duo is your lighting setup different for fine art nudes versus earlier? Is it more straight on or feathered away that's a great question I like to do all of my favorite lighting that ups that we've used with both nude and boudoir so it's pretty much the same it depends what I'm going for this one's more flattering and straight on because we have the soft fabric and I tried doing that you know, more extreme, more dramatic and just didn't work with this year so it depends, but I don't have one that I prefer for news versus food war, necessarily. Yeah, I like to mix it up. Ok, so let's, do the fan and we have a couple of minutes before the end. Yeah, um, you do, yeah, let's, see more of your body. Okay, so let's, studio that's kind of secondary, maybe hold your right hand up, ok, I'm shooting with a tight lens so you can't get too dramatic. Okay, can you take a look like that on my awesome, awesome, awesome. Let me see your head. Move your left, hand's, meaning, yes, gorgeous. Bring your right foot more forward, pointed your right foot all the way. Yeah, there we go, left arm back, like dramatic, awesome, excellent one more. Okay, great. I think we're good. Yeah, amazing.

Class Materials

bonus material with purchase

Christa Meola Day 1.pdf
Christa Meola Day 2.pdf
Christa Meola Day 3.pdf

Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

This is meant to be a HELPFUL review for those that are wondering if they should purchase this workshop. About 75% of what I took away from this workshop was posing, composition for boudoir and the importance of eye lines and capturing movement. I had two boudoir sessions a week after this workshop and my images significantly improved. I was able to coach my clients through poses better, direct them on where to look for better eye lines, I was more aware of their posture and how to fix it, I think I sounded more professional and felt more confidant with getting awesome poses, stand out expressions and adding movement to my images. I put a fan on my client the way Christa does.. and she is right! The instant I put the fan on my client, her expression changed and you could tell she was really "feeling it". She told me she felt like a real supermodel right after I turned on the fan. If you are looking for inspiration on how to coach women and pose for boudoir then Christa is the girl for you. I think the most worthwhile thing I learned watching this is something that will help me in the years to come... with my brand, my website, my workflow and my business goals. I learned how to "keep it simple" which is Christa's tag line. For example Christa brings a roll of gray background paper and uses gaffer tape to hang it from the wall of the hotel (instead of bringing a 12ft background stand). I know this seems simple but this will change my life! I hate dragging equipment back and forth. There are some negative reviews on here about Christa's technical skills, but I think these people may have missed the whole point. If you provide an awesome product and an awesome experience for your client, they will buy it. And guess what.. your client will never know if you used your camera in auto or manual and they won't care if you used one light instead of two. As someone who has been in business for 3 years doing boudoir exclusively I learned a lot. I see a lot of value in learning from someone who doesn't spend a lot of money on fancy equipment, yet charges her clients over $3,000 for sessions. I'm a huge fan of her keep it simple philosophy and I'm glad Christa is willing to be honest about her workflow and how she best utilizes her time. Your not going to agree with or use everything Christa talks about, you take the parts that you like and are most helpful to you and work them into building a stronger business.

a Creativelive Student
 

AWESOME DEAL on Christa's course. I just sent an email to my husband to tell him thanks for "gifting" me this course. I told him just the ONE CLASS about pricing was worth the full $129 price of the course. And there are over 50 classes?! That is a crazy stupid good deal. You can learn something good from every class you take, every book you read, and just apply the stuff that works for you. There are a lot of people out there who seem to just enjoy giving crappy reviews, and to me it's almost like bullying. How someone could not find $129 worth of value in this course is beyond me. In my opinion this course is worth over a thousand bucks, because it can help you make SO much more money. I hate when I see people whining about things that are not 100 percent perfect, and they get annoyed if the person isn't catering to their exact needs. It's like the Yelper generation, with a disturbing sense of entitlement. I would love to see those people try teaching a class about boudoir and see if they could do any better. It also seems like, the more popular a person gets, the more other people feel the need to tear them down. I'm grateful that Christa even offered this course at ALL. Thanks Christa for all you do to help those of us who really need to know this stuff. You rock.

a Creativelive Student
 

I never thought I would shoot boudoir. I am a shy and private person. I started entertaining the idea when I first saw Christa's work and saw how beautiful and tasteful it can be. I love her lighting and all that she uses from historic painters and sculptors. I watched all three days live and learned a ton. I have a lot of lighting education, but it was nice to freshen up my skills. I loved the posing tips and the three typical situations she uses for one shoot. I loved learning about how she shoots in hotels and also using things like an outdoor situation. I have now shot my first boudoir session and it was a total hit. I am thrilled to show my client her images. This was fantastic! Thank you, Christa!

Student Work

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