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Shoot: Working with Dress Length and Color

So we are now going to create three images. And the first photo that I'm going to start with is going to be on a budget, and it's also going to be dealing with color. So what we're going to start with is we're going to start with scrap pieces of fabric because I wanted to make sure this was something no one could say like I can't do that. Because you can. So this is a scrap piece of fabric from JoAnn Fabric, you know, like in the extra dollar bin okay. And we're going to turn this into a dress with Photoshop or maybe add some movement. And then also I have a couple pieces of fabric, and so we're going to match the colors. We're going to bring this all together in post. Now the amount of concept that I have right now is about that. Fabric draped around a girl with some movement. I want the color to match, and I want the fabric to look big. So I'm not saying that I like, I don't necessarily sketch it out or have anything like that, but I know for sure that I'm going to extend the size of...

this. So that I can have a full dress, even though this is just a cheap piece of fabric. And I know that I can change multiple pieces, so that it all has the same color, all has that impact. So that's where we are starting. Let me tell you a little bit about the light, and then we will build that scene. What I'm going to do for this particular shot is I'm going to use a single studio strobe. I am going to use a beauty dish, and a beauty dish is my favorite light modifier. I use it all the time. Basically how I describe a beauty dish is if you have a soft box. Soft boxes are awesome because they're really forgiving on the skin. They're great for portraits because they're big and they're diffused, and so for the average person a soft box is just nice of you. Like it's forgiving on their skin, and it's going to be slightly more flattering. But sometimes when I want drama or I want a little bit more definition in the shadows or I want Rembrandt light that's really crisp or I want to carve out their jaw line, sometimes a soft box just doesn't give me as much control or as much contrast or as much depths of shadow. Like it just can't get that pop to it. So beauty dish for me is like kind of that next step for just a little bit more pop, a little bit more contrast, a little bit more control. So that's what we're going to be using here. And the strobes that I am using are Profoto D1 Air 500 watt seconds, it's a monoblock, so it's all controlled right here. And that's probably all I want to use. Because I feel as though if I use many light sources, later on if I'm trying to combine pieces, if that light doesn't quite match, like I want to keep it simple. If I have one light, there's a lot less I have to think about of moving pieces in the frame. So let's get started with that. Can I bring you over here? Perfect. And we have our green, okay. So I made a really fabulous shirt out of this. We're very talented here, okay. And now we're going to make a very fabulous skirt. Will you tuck this in? And you can see this will not be particularly artful. Okay, we're going to Photoshop it. Alright, great. So for me, I think of it like the movies in the fact that it's only about what the camera can actually see. So if I'm looking at her straight on, I can't tell that there's no back to that dress. And I can't tell that it's not actually a skirt or it's not that full. So what we're going to do is, can I actually have you come help me, we're going to floof the dress to make it fuller. But that's all I need. So she's going to tuck it in, that's perfect. And then this is all the fabric that I had from my cheap, you know, dollar bin. So I also have some green because that was the other inexpensive, cheap piece of fabric that I had. I mean they actually don't look terrible, but I don't think that's what I want. So I know that I can change the color in post. And I'll show you how to do that in Lightroom, and then also in Photoshop. And it's really easy to do. So I think I'm going to try some things. I want some dress floofs because maybe I'll turn the end of the fabric into smoke. Maybe I'll use a smoke brush. And I'll have the end fade out into a piece of smoke. I could do that, that would be pretty cool. So I would know that if I did that, it would need to end smaller, does that make sense, because it would have to trail off like smoke would. It couldn't just be a thick piece of fabric. So I would have to get my movements to give me that type of fabric movement on both sides. Something like that, so it gives me more of a wave. So that's kind of something that I would think there. Light placement. I know if I want the dress to be full on both sides, let's say she just moves it on this side for a few. I can't just cut and paste that over here as well because the light isn't flat. If I have the light off to the side, there's going to be direction of light, so there will be some shadow. So I would have to floof over here, and then have her come here and floof the fabric so the direction of light would be right. So I could do something like that. I think that's a decent starting point. And I will grab some frames. I'm going to shoot tethered into Lightroom, if you guys want to bring up Lightroom for me. And I'm going to be shooting with a 5D Mark three. And I'm going to use a 24 to 70 2.8 lens. And for my tethering, file, tether capture, start tether capture. Alright, so let me just get a test of this. Okay, and this is my test. Because I can do that. Let's see. Alright, so, so far I think that'll be fine. This is why I like the beauty dish. If you look at the light on her face, it's just a little more, like just a little bit more dramatic, it has a little bit more contrast. But it still looks nice on her skin. So I like that. I'm going to make sure that the beauty dish perhaps points down just a little bit more to get a little bit more light on the fabric. So a tiny bit, okay. And I'm going to raise it up just a bit. And usually when I use a beauty dish, I like it to be about either, at minimum, the center of the beauty dish should be even with her face, to maybe you know nine to 12 inches above. I mean a little bit, like more, if it's higher than that, you get to much shadows in the eyes. So I think probably around here is good. Okay, now, let me take another test shot here. Alright, good. So the dress is looking good, I'm okay with that. I'm going to have you do a dress floof for me, and I will, what's that? Both sides? Yeah, let's just try some floofing here. Okay, I'm ready. Okay, go ahead Jen. Here we go. Good, alright, let me see if I like the movement. And I'll probably crop in because obviously I don't need the whole environment, but I'm looking for cool movement. So I like that shot that just popped up on the end here. I like the movement of this fabric. And I could definitely have the end of this like trail off into smoke or something like that, so that's a cool shape. Alright, so far I like that shape. Let me see about John's movement, if I see any. Alright, I'll have to get a couple more with that green. So the next part of this that I looked at is I gotta deal with the light. Okay, I'm fine with the light. I like the drama, I like it simple. I'll deal with the color in post. We made her dress. The next part is the pose. So you gotta figure out what do you want to say with the pose. So if you're going for smoke sorceress, like I don't know, let's have some kind of concept. I mean you could do something strong and powerful. If you were doing something maybe more mysterious and you could close the pose in, there's not a right or wrong answer. And I have a bunch of classes on posing, but those posing classes often are taught for flattering your subject. But sometimes you need to switch it up to do something to tell a story or a mood. So this isn't really a flattering pose, but if it tells your story, it tells your story. So I think I might try, you turn that way just a little bit. I'm going to have you kind of pull in just a little bit. Good, okay, cool. And if I were not shooting this live, I would probably get rid of the bra straps, but just because we're working with moving fabric and live, we're just going to leave it, okay. Yeah, exactly, this is a Photoshop thing. Let me see. I think I'm going to tuck this in over here. Can I tuck this in your pocket? Or you can, either way. Yeah, let's try a couple this way. Okay, alright. So we're going to do that again. And pull your elbow back just a little bit. Good, and then roll your shoulder forward. Good, okay, so the reason I was doing that is if she was just standing tot the side, there was not much movement, it's too rigid. But if I have her roll her shoulder forward and pull her elbow back, now there's like a line to follow. So I'm going to shoot a couple of those. Good, and make sure the light on her face looks good. And I'll shoot a few more. And hide your left arm. Because right now it was just kind of like a big bulge in the front. And then put your hand down your thigh a little bit. Good, and keep going, lean forward even more. Alright, good, and turn your body towards me a tiny bit. And look at me. Good, good floofing guys. Pro, good. Alright, and now I'm going to have you bring your other hand over, like all the way over. Now let me know if you need me to help tuck. And I think I'll just take a couple more frames, and that'll be enough for me to demonstrate what I need later. So you can see, something like that. You know there's enough dress that it'll end up looking like a dress. Okay, good. Okay, so I'm going to have you put your left hand over this way, good. And bring it over just a little bit more. And also your right hand, bring it down just a tiny bit. Perfect, okay, here we go. Let's do a couple. Oh, have we lost her dress? See why we have clothes on underneath, okay. Just in case. Okay, cool, alright, good. Pop out your, that back elbow, your left elbow, good. Real tall for me, perfect. Here we go. Okay and then John can you bring around to the front a little bit more? And do a couple this way. And same thing Kristy, good. And then guys, just do one giant one where you throw it back. Professional, okay, perfect. Excellent, alright so that will give me files to work with later. Okay so I'm going to have you go change into your other look, okay. Yeah, and you'll come back in a little bit. Okay. Okay, cool. Alright so that will give me pieces that I'll cut and we'll do smoke and stuff. And so I just knew that I needed things that would trail off. In needed to know that I could match colors. I needed to know that I'd keep the light simple. I know that I'm going to cut the bottom of the frame. I'm going to grab pieces, so that's about the extent of what I know. But a lot of times if I'm shooting, obviously we have like so minimal time here, is I'll shoot tethered. And then we'll take a break. And I'll grab a couple of files and just mess with them to make sure I can get it like roughly what I need. Like it just as to be close. And then I'll actually work on it later in post.