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Shoot: Model Interaction, One Light Setup

Lesson 21 from: Fashion Photography 101

Lara Jade

Shoot: Model Interaction, One Light Setup

Lesson 21 from: Fashion Photography 101

Lara Jade

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Lesson Info

21. Shoot: Model Interaction, One Light Setup

Next Lesson: Shoot: Outdoors

Lesson Info

Shoot: Model Interaction, One Light Setup

So we're going back to a little bit of what we did yes today with the one light set up because I think it's really important for you to see how you can approach thes things we have a lot going on in that we have a great production but I don't want a full far from you know that's really far reach for people to do so I want to do a one light set up one soft box just coming off from the side and it's all about the direction of the model and what's coming here whenever I approach shoots is all about the idea first and the technicality second so aaron I'd love for you first before we go into the technicalities imposing tell us why that you opposed you put these clothes together basically why does this work with this set up right now? It's really nice we have a great a backdrop with a lot of texture and a lot of death so to kind of play off of that I I wanted to bring in this hat that I brought from philadelphia I got it at an architectural salvage site and it's an old miner's hat and I thou...

ght that this would be a really good thing teo create a picture she doesn't have to do much with it it could just kind of be in it looks exciting I wanted to bring some more texture into the skirt and I love mixing metals, so they're very cool tones in here, but I love tto add some warm tones in with the cool tones, and I also wanted to give her this kind of drapey front so she can really kind of feel her body and move in it she's very structured up here, so she could definitely play around a lot with her body and her arms and legs and everything and that's about it. Okay, so I want to talk a little bit about the technical part of this, um, back to what we had is from west party has a great texture what's great about using the seamless canvas backgrounds is that you can shoot and almost every way you can shoot in different lighting situations and have a different feel to the images. So I've got into this a lot more lately with my work and that's going and using texture backgrounds to really complement what's going on with a set of at the front. So were the reason we have it all crinkled at the bottom is to kind of enhance that feel that we've got going on with the clothes. Um, and a little bit about the lighting set up, we have to be flats in this for the reason off, we want the shadow. On her and we want it we want debt to the shot we have one soft box on a low power coming in with the modern light so we can see the detail on the model and again the shadow from the few flats skipping a step and the background here isn't lead it's just as is because we want that text you but we don't want too much detail there. So for me going into this, what I would use settings wise is obviously we using flash, so we have the white balance on flash we have a two hundred shutter speed because of the sync issue we have to go below to fifty we have six point three on my aperture and we have two hundred dollars, so now the main two things when I'm shooting with strobe light in is I have the two hundred or so for the reason it has to be quite low on the reason being that the two fifty thing with the shutter speed. So the only thing I mean oring with here is I'm tumbling through my aperture kind of figuring out the exposure that way as well. So I've got those settings right now I'm using manual focus I'm using the fifty mil lens for the reason of I'm cropping quite close in, but it also gives me a variety when I want to move away go quite quite close in on dh. If I wanted to shoot some beauty here, I probably switch over to the eighty five as well, so I'm gonna take a couple of shots, and I think the main thing about this setup is I want to show more direction how I direct the model, how I go in and move certain things too perfect. I don't go in and say, ok, move over here, move out, I want I want you to meet in like, you know, take the chair away ages. I'm not giving too much direction, but I'm given enough that she feels comfortable with what she's doing, and she gets it, okay, so when I'm looking at this, I'm looking for the way the light falls. I want the light to full on her face. I want the shadow to be in the back, and I want to bring out the tail as well. Okay, so first thing I want you to time slightly more to this way that satin which put your head down just a little bit and pull in like this that's great. Okay, so you look a little bit small with coming in, so I just want you to pull your body off a little bit, that's it and then just put your head down that's great and again I'm just figuring out where I'm going right now with all their different clothes and stuff see what works doesn't drink your body around a little bit just relax your hand slightly that's beautiful! I love that expression. I just a little bit of a surprise that curiosity in the face that's great love that again, maybe just something with the hands instead of being like this with them, just maybe front ways because I don't want to see much of this bit. I want to see more of this it's easier for me to retouch later as well. Tony had that way a little bit more because the hat looks better from this side, okay? And with a light so that you can see how this is coming to light, we've got this nice black shadow I'm here probably since they've got that black shadow just on the side here you've got the white coming in on here and you've got the backdrop which is let just slightly by the soft box at the side. But you still got the depths of the background to okay, can you come front to me? Would be great to sign. Can I have you look a little bit more this way just to check the light there? Okay? With a little bit. And I just want you to tell your head just slightly back. That's great. So right now I'm not giving it too much direction because what's happening is more organic. She's just kind of feeling it. I'm not it's, not something they need to pose too. Crazily and she's. Great chosen, obviously, but it's not like I wanna go over there and pull her on main and make a standing like a different way. I'm just looking for little changes that might benefit the picture way a little bit. Great. Can you sit down with you? Felt this way. Have our angle. Aaron, I like you just to adjust the dress. We have it's hidden. You have any questions? Are you always using photography backdrops or sometimes do just grab things that you see, such as materials from fabric stores to create me? Yeah, of course. When, um, before meeting you in new york, I was dublin in london, and I had this great space and I went to a thrift store that was outside in one of the london markets and I've found on some one store that they were selling all this junk they had this great old cloth that was just protecting a table was red it was like flea bitten on I just asked them like how much would that be a sight I grabbed that get thirty pounds and I use that for good few shoots and and that's what you just gotta look and think outside the box you don't have to go and spend all this money on official backdrops and doing all this I mean it's good as an option um and a great cause I already have the things to put on the pole but you know with a few pegs and clips and an old piece of material you can create a lot with that gun and shoot that's great I love what you do now just to you know to slightly change slightly down towards that way a little bit closer to you can you face that profile so I can see okay so more that way yeah great tune up to slightly for me what was that like you just relax your hand or they just got sloppy last one as well can you lean back yes I love that. Just put your hand on the scrip onto the chair a little bit and then use that kind of force you're short yet it's great I love that expression can you just bring your left shoulder into me the other woman yet just jump in so talk us through again what you're seeing that was working or not working for you are yeah, so as I go through how I'm shooting again the first thing is I'm trying oh man, I don't exactly know what the result is gonna be straight away until I set it up and get the model on set so when I'm moving in, I'm focusing on different there positions, so I'm going in I'm focusing out making sure that I've got some with the legs and going in cropping into the knee but also cropping in his portrait as well. So I'm giving myself options that I can later look too there's also experiments so I know what looks good, what doesn't um, how the light falls on the model and all that kind of thing so again, just given myself option for the first shot thank you for the expression again open that's great just behind let it drop yet on what's great when you're working with a soft box like this is you can move to this side and get a totally different look in what you do this side, so I'm just gonna give you two examples of that so that if you can see on the screen in a minute question for you as you're shooting this stuff we talked about this a little bit yesterday, but stephanie snyder says they're suit certain poses in the fandom fashion industry is looking for can you explain a certain facial expression and poses behind the industry? So we're noticing a lot of similar facial expressions and talk yet, but there's not like a certain pose it's like to go? I think that you won't have to look at fashion magazines to see how different the poses are dependent on the themes of its commercial shoot. A girl might need a smile it might need to have like some fun about it, she might need to look like she's enjoying what she's doing the fashion, especially for like mature in this kind of design uhm and these kind of clothing, and especially with the background I'm going for, I want something to comfort, I don't want to smile, I don't want to look too happy because it kind of distracts what I'm going for yesterday shoot worked more towards that kind of theme. But today I'm looking for something that it's more about expression with the eyes, the way that she positions him mouth and all that kind of thing all right, I'm gonna try one from this side to show you the difference in lighting so again just cia profile that's great head back a little bit about your head slightly towards me it's great and showing up and just open your mouth a little bit okay, so when I'm experimenting on this I want to just give myself a good range of different angles to see what light suits back so here the light small bride because you're coming in at this angle I hear you're getting more depth and this is great for like shots we want a good portrait and you want some kind of depth in the background but you see what? Like a nice profile of the model too? So if I could get a different set of poses from you know, um I would love to try and get a standing shot of you. So, um, is luke around the joint loose? Can I grab you? Okay, I'm karen karen, could you hold the light up for me yet because I'm just gonna, um you for a sec if you stand up for me yet to thank you, you have it facing down just a little bit so what I'm doing now, it's, just experimenting with different angles. So what I want from this shoot is I want to see what works. So for this dress, especially, it works well, sit in, it works, what's standing, but again, I won't know until I shoot it. I'm not gonna know straight away, what work, so what's gonna work in the story. So I've just made the lighting up for the fact that she's, now taller on going slightly down, so the light falls a little bit more onto the ground. The facts are in the same place on, I'm just gonna experiment with poses again, and finger, I'm looking for here is just a kind of compliment. The dress. Get it to move around. See what a light looks back, that kind of thing. Okay, straight on. It may be crossing your arms head to the side yet on what? I'm starting to think there looks better. Is possibly dis moving towards the right a little bit. Same angle as the soft box and coming in to close your mouth for few as well and it's straight. Actually, I would love to get one showing the dress from the back. You can see too much and you put your head back home. Okay? I'd love to get some closeups is by listening. So if you just come a little bit closer to me. Yeah, tara, could I just grab me to get the hat, please? Okay? And I'm also gonna give some options without the profits. Well, because we've always shooting this for an editorial in a shit something crazy like the hot and the editor will say, we don't want that in the shot. Have you got an option without it? It's always good to cover yourself that way. It was good to have you here, silas checking with hair afterwards, too. And then he gets the credit for hair and he just doesn't want to see that test sheet. All right, so it's all about your shoulders again so when I'm shooting portrait's it's all about the way the model poses his shoulders whether it's folding the arms to bring some kind of, um frame here and it's all about the way that chain is posing so if you could just come back this way a little bit for me little bit more this way with the shoulder yeah but I don't want it like this I want it like more like yet but with the mouth closed a little bit more to face in a little bit more and I want to get a shot whether more emotion so to do that I would love to get you to look down a little bit more towards the ground and just stare towards the ground care and breathe out for you nice okay maybe even come and bring your hands so you're not like this grabbing them more soft okay so looking for softness maybe switch so this hand is there that's? Yep opinion mouth just slightly okay and they just look towards me as well just use your show what it's kind of like that yeah spring your face more towards this actually move your body yeah yeah and then head towards may just come around again to the froth face was this where you had a little bit more body to me, butthead slightly that way so you're not facing that way with you head butts just toned slightly here and look towards me a little bit just look towards me yeah way got a good range of shots to work with here so, um is the other girl almost ready? Alex bring which okay can I take you out for any questions before I go ahead with the next love to bring the kids two questions in the obvious question as far as like the backdrop goes I mean, obviously there is a little bit of, you know, wrinkling in the back is that like a look you're going for you going to would you edit that out and posts and smooth it out? You need this thing called in the background? I don't mind that is the way I'm shooting you can't really tell you much. Um, but it's kind of the look I'm going for the one that kind of girl would feel to the images in the way with process kind of compliment that far is wondering how did you learn what poses look good for your style of work in comparison to what magazines were looking for in comparison to what magazines I think magazines are down for like what your style is they don't have like, okay, she can't be good for the magazines these poses aren't good I think it comes down to personal style as well and I think just with clothes is just learning experienced like you you're not gonna learn what poses a good overnight it's just about testing models and this is why testing is good going out their test as much as possible with different models um seen what looks good kind of getting a feel for that and maybe even grabbing fashion magazines and have a look for give that reference to the model to try out a swell way need to switch around because of the light more questions you guys keep going questions yeah yeah because there's always some time in between way we're seeing a pattern always the team perfecting so way touch on this yesterday but this is a quick one again and this is from kallithea who is a regular and has been with us for a long time so maybe he missed part of yesterday but we talked about if there is music going on during a shoot normally which he said yes but the question is how do you go about picking the music? Do you ask the models? Is it going along with this theme of this shoot? Is it what pumps you up? How do you go about picking it's the mix of things and it depends on the shoot thank you, fitz a test still whatever it is it's just good to have something that everyone agrees on. Not everyone agrees on different music choices, so sometimes it's best for what the model wants, because that's gonna be the final image. So I would go for that over anything else. Thank you, alright, umm, I'm not sure if that product is gonna show on camera, because it's gonna be quite reflective. Ticket, yeah, take it out, because quite reflective on the glass. Okay, so I just want you to use your hands posing with the shoulder's. Just look and keep your chin down, just slightly. Remember, this is your main line down towards the move to the back of the chair a little bit. Like scoob bag yeah okay I mean can you lean forward for me and just very sloppy with the pose just gone down yet great ok love that straight onto me bring you your feet this way but not too much because remember this is your life okay um aaron could you just just the dress for me on this left side ok so the hands just look a little bit or quit right now just may be the way that you're posing them like your delicate hands yet you always keep your face to the sky down a little bit and can you come a little bit more to the edge of the chair come forwards yeah yeah any questions? Okay yes definitely uh shannon hamilton photography and noticed that you would have asked the model to breathe through her nose wondering why it was important that you well I think it's good to light if you asked him out also open mouth I think it's good to have just breathe on set because sometimes you have a model that's very like this and they don't stiff when they don't know what to do and sometimes it's just good to breathe and just, you know, relax a little bit so open your mouth just relax everything okay? So that's like that's the only reason there isn't know what they're like technical there's no secret nice magic secret e can you thank you I could I just get someone to just improve the backdrop. Just pull it out a little bit, but I like the wrinkle, but I think that if I'm doing a full length it's a bit distracting to and it's possible, that somehow this material, it just looks a bit distract him with the light with the shadow. Could we pull that material to the back of here? Yeah. That's way. Yeah. Rubber hands relaxed him on this foot here, it's just like this right now. Just move it back. Hey, move the left. One back left yet. Okay. I'm just worried about feet. Hang on. Let me figure out what we can do. Um, can you put them both back for me? Yeah. And they just use that kind of structure, because right now, you just like this. Maybe some leave in this way. Yeah. Top part of your body. And can you just relax your hand again? Just really relax. That's. Sick? Yeah, like that. That's. Great. I just want you to just buffy yet again. Face the sweet completely. Drop your hands back feet, always maybe put your right one back. Another one. Yes, but not too much. When this is your main life. What you had that way, you could have a big shadow down there some way we gonna do with those legs. Aaron it's worried about how the dress is coming across on camera quite in the shadow. You think I'll probably end up focusing on some portrait maybe, uh, let's focus and we get a standing one of, huh? That would be good, I think, pulled out, so I think that's a dress. It suits that more. Okay, maybe just a little bit forward to me and just put it together, but not come to the booth that way a little bit. Your whole body. Take a step forwards, and I want you to look down a swell I slightly to me, open your mouth a little bit and chain down because you like this. Yeah, down towards me, chin does. Take a step back from the line that way to me, just you have so it's. Just cause I put my arm up, just put you on down on then, and we'll get you there just standing. When it just stand back a little bit, take a step back and go this way. Yeah, just front onto me. Just put your arms down, not so wide with the eyes. Just relax them, just head to the side. But remember not to fire up, because the light's not going full on the base, okay.

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Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

It was an amazing class. I have seen many fashion photography courses in Creative Live and I find this one was one of the best and very easy to follow. Lara was very clear about the fashion photography industry, explaining the differences between editorial, commercial and advertising fashion photography and when/why you work for free, the process, the importance about experimenting solo or with a creative team. It was very inspiring and loved her!

James
 

Having dusted off my camera after a 3 year inspiration slump I decided to head toward the fashion/editorial/Fine art/Portrait route. I discovered this course and after researching Lara Jade's work and seeing the course content I decided to buy the course. I'm completely new to the fashion world having mainly shot personal stuff. Anyway, for anyone reading this review who might be thinking 'should I, shouldn't I book this course?' I'm only up to video 6 - the vintage natural light look. I've learned so much already, even if I'd paid the same and got the first 6 videos I'd have been happy. So far it's covered so much about planning shoots, directing models. I like the fact that Jade is a working professional photographer rather than a want-to-be-but-failed or a long time passed has-been. I like that she's British (as am I). I like how she teaches and how down to earth she is and how happy she is to answer questions. I like how humble she is. The content, the teaching style is nothing short of being an assistant on set and learning first hand. Don't think about buying this course, just do it. You will not be sorry, I promise you!

a Creativelive Student
 

Lara's course was very well put together. She covered so many aspects of her shoots, including letting her creative team have the perfect amount of input; so she demonstrated how important it is to surround yourself with the right people and consistently getting their input. I'd love to be able to work with her hair stylist and wardrobe stylist for future editorial shoots. For being as young as Lara is, she is beyond her years in preparedness, experience, and aptitude to instruct. I thought she handled situations, like some "dead air" during live shoots very well by explaining in detail what was going on. Needless to say, I was super impressed.

Student Work

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