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Shoot: Parents with Teens

Lesson 11 from: Family Portraits

Michele Celentano

Shoot: Parents with Teens

Lesson 11 from: Family Portraits

Michele Celentano

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Lesson Info

11. Shoot: Parents with Teens

Lesson Info

Shoot: Parents with Teens

all right so here we are this is an amazing location and we do have a spectacular day there's just enough sun peeking through those clouds to give us nice light it's actually not the ideal time of data photograph outside because generally the sun is too high with a little bit of overcast it's perfect we've gotta reflector working with um the gear we've already talked about I've already set my camera to six forty I s oh because of the weather and how bright it is out here I've got my seventy two two hundred this is the direction that we're going to be shooting in which is absolutely amazing and when I saw this location yesterday I was instantly running around looking for texture depth color open shade direction of light and while the direction of light is fairly overhead today we're going to create more of a direction of light using the reflector and then we have some seating props over there using the rocks with this gorgeous driveway with trees coming over the top I mean it's like I c...

ould stay here all day it's so good so we're going to bring we're going to be out mom and dad and we've brought our three oldest children tatiana work me through it one more time isaiah andreas you're andreas isaiah tatty on I got it okay I'm gonna focus on it six guys first um one of the reasons I'm bringing you guys out here first is because we're going to just go over some of the techniques that we talked about yesterday imposing with our students and we'll start from there and we'll move on how about that all right you know what I'd really like to photograph each of you individually first just to get you guys comfortable in front of the camera so gonna head off in this direction um I've already white balanced using my spider I just held my spider up to my lens shot through it in a manual focus got a white balance off of it set my camera to that and we're good to go in this light and I don't really see the light changing color temperature very much in the next hour or so so we're gonna head out in this direction I'm gonna make you an assistant go you have always have to put young teenage boys toe work makes him feel useful all right here we go way okay guys I'm gonna start right here in this location I want to use that rock right there as my posing prop as you can see we're on the tripod which I highly recommend using when working with people so that when the subjects are over there I can communicate with them so I say I'm gonna have you sit first are you comfortable with that do you karen does anybody else want to go first talking is like I'm not going to say anything but maybe okay so I'm just gonna have you sit on the edge of the rock with your feet facing that way correct and what's interesting here is will give all my directions to him from here right so that's pretty good but I want you to turn this way a little bit more perfect then I want you to take your left foot and move it out a little bit further so that yep that way so I've created a difference I've created a difference in the height of his knees creating some ah depth there so his knees don't look like they're exactly the same height when have you twist your upper body to me just a little bit more perfect than have you bring your elbow to your knee yeah and relax your arm perfect he looks pretty good right there right I want you to lean over just a little bit more ah ha there we go see his head's going towards a little shoulder that's it right now from camera angle he's outta two thirds view of his face I'm gonna go ahead and make my adjustments and so I'm just zooming in on you so I can see you ah ha oh you're serious type aren't you hear the serious one haha alright well perfect what makes you laugh ah ha see it's the ones behind me the subpoena gallery it's the peanut gallery have the are too many people back there awesome that's beautiful actually exposure's right on because I'm actually compensated at plus two thirds right now um he's got some nice light behind him he's wearing grey but his skin tone is a little bit brighter than eighteen percent grace so I've gone up plus two thirds we could probably go toe one third if we really want to that and he's got that seriously now if we notice in his eye your left eye is slightly smaller than your right eye you know that no but look it from camera angle you can see that this eye looks a little bit smaller than the other I let's keep turning your face this way just little bit more see how he opened up both his eyes now and now he's in full face chin down just a little bit a little bit up there you go perfect right there you know looking at somebody made him laugh who did that who did it you don't know all right so say we were to add one more person to this mix oh I love that he's got soft dreamy creamy background behind him I'm actually a two point eight I'm gonna go up to three point two um because we're gonna add in another sibling so taxi ataman have you jump in there okay so let me show you what I want you to do first so this is one of those cases when I'll jump in and because I want to see where this rock is and she's tatiana's taller than me as most people are but I probably ever coming right here bring her need to this rock and she's going to lead over her brother this way it's going to feel awkward cause your tuition's going out back but what I really want you to do is bring your jar to his temple then squeeze on he's like please get off me is your need out oh okay okay I am so bad with ah heights that's so funny okay so I need to get down a little bit lower that's it squeeze around bring that job to your temple that's it come over shoulder just little bit more look she totally models she got her arm perfectly placed on him lean together just a little bit I love it bring your hand down his arm just little bit more lean together just a drop perfect tatiana come towards me just little bit more I'm bringing her nose so that the both noses are on the same piece of glass right awesome you guys look adorable I'm gonna have you drop your left hand behind him so I don't see it keep going all the way all the way all the way there you go that's it now lean in perfect squeeze together come towards him a little bit more get close you're related squeeze together a perfect expression okay so now say we want to add andreas thank you and the head's gonna be a great cue for me all day today and grace dre yo dre like eyes that like your street name so I call you dr dre I'm sorry all kinds of things going through my head right now okay so um let's do this I'm gonna put you in the center so I have you sitting here that's it turn your feet in this direction perfect and then let this leg come out further than the other leg leading into that knee you're so cute ridiculous so um now have you come behind her pretty much like she came behind you if you might need to put your other knee down if you do that's ok and you lean your head over in this way and then you're probably gonna have the most uncomfortable spot here because your knee will be behind her this way and you're tall so your hips are gonna go back your leg's going to be out here but I won't see it in your jaw he's gonna come to her temple okay so there's where I'm building the triangle and there is where okay love teenage boys okay awkward awkward awkward okay so dr dre I need you up nice and tall there you go and tattle on me didn't lean back toward your brother both your brothers right but dre lose that hand that's on your knee back there put it behind your sister a little bit more and then tatiana back up just a little bit more turn your about your shoulder to your brother okay so isaiah you're gonna lean over your sister a little more get a little taller bring that knee to the ground bring that knee right next to her a little bit closer there we go ah ha see the difference I know there you go lean together just a little bit more so um dre bring that leg in a little bit closer yep that's it lean but go behind her just a little bit more there you go perfect relax your top shoulder there you go oh I love you guys are cracking me up you're so funny so lean your heads together no just for you guys watching home see how their heads are altogether that creating a triangle tatiana's the center look the colors are gorgeous on you guys ridiculous somebody's in pain okay isaiah is in pain I can tell what's going on over there you're fifteen what's injured I love one teen agers tell me they're injured I'm like stewed wait you get to forty three everythings injured all right lead together so they start to fall apart I say it come toward the camera just a little bit more actually in a turn and create a horizontal image with this and then dre dr dre gonna lean in so do you like great like dr dre music doesn't he do beats dr dre beats do you have a set of beats no see you got to know that stuff right my kid is into beats like you yeah so we have tether and good here we go that's it leaning together squeeze together isaiah dropped this shoulder just a little bit more relaxed lean over your sister's shoulder just little bit more come closer to me come closer need together get up a little higher a little higher isaiah up a little higher lift up now squeeze together boom right there huh you guys look amazing turn dr dre just little bit more I know my driving you crazy with that or is it funny okay good lean towards me a little bit more that's it I love it er that is gorgeous you guys look amazing oh it's beautiful what you kids all right so here's we're going to want you guys to completely break right here this break beautiful okay so christine you're up first this is gonna be fun break yeah I don't know and and whatever you can do till I just be normal people who've never posed for a camera before right so what I want you to do is um I want you to take um huh see this let's take victoria okay and just the boys and just the boys yeah okay victoria we're gonna have you come and sit on the rock okay so I wanted before we go there okay um let's talk about a couple of things what is some of the mean things we talked about yesterday in pre thinking your portrait um we want to think about who we might want to be in the back first is the front right so we're analysing bodies yet analysing bodies analyzing faces um and uh shake all the other things we've already sided with location so we're judging you right now um yeah I know I'm just I'm totally can um but yeah that's what I said I want you already started thinking the scenario that we're in how are we gonna put them together so that this group makes sense and remember what mom said about some of the things that she's not comfortable with right and then we don't have a real hair issue with her going one way or the other so that works out perfectly well so we're looking for hair which direction is going into we need to adjust her facial angle based on her hair style we don't so okay now go forward okay so in that case I might put one of the boys in the middle in the front okay um don't don't don't ask me okay be sure about so this is where I'm gonna make a lot of mistakes way that's what we're here for you okay can't learn without mistakes so that's all good but I want you to be really sure about the stakes okay so isaiah we're going to go ahead and have you sit on the rock and do you want me to stay back here talk to them like you're the camera angle okay if you want to go in and show them the particular post go in and show him okay so we're going to go ahead and have you sit back on the rock like we were with your legs out towards your last year and you yet we're going to go ahead and have you put your front knee up in your back me out okay and then we're gonna have andreas come in I'm gonna have you come in behind ah on the right hand side um on on your knees so you're going to actually come in behind him and you're gonna be looking up over his shoulder and then mom we're gonna have you come in behind here also down on your knee on your ah right no yeah and then we're gonna have you actually come down here if if the grass isn't to what we're going to have you actually come down with me on the grass this year nice and tall um let's see let's go go both on your knees all right now I want you back up okay okay so you've done the majority of the opposing here in this space okay but now see how different it looks from back here than it looked in there there you go now you can really start to fine tune what you've already worked on okay I directing them from behind the camera excellent okay okay so we actually are goingto have you andre has put up your left knee like that and then mom you're going to come up to his side over here yet and we're gonna have you come down right there kind of squeeze in together and andres I'm gonna have you come to the same thing and I'm have you seen it no it's pretty good right I'm going okay that's not too bad let's go with it right let's shoot it that's good okay I'm gonna go change a couple of things I got it right so okay we haven't talked about this yet at all but this little box right here is my hands vong easy steps and I have literally had these steps for has to be twenty years ah there ah ah high density styrofoam blocks that when contained in the full box create one opposing stool a place for me to stand they're super easy to carry around and they've been extremely durable even on airplane rights ah there's four small pieces in there which are nice because if I need to adjust anyone's height and a portrait I can use these or if I need to use it for someone to kneel on I'll pull them out and use them as well so because um you're completely uncomfortable back here onto yeah okay so I want you to stand up for a second because I'm gonna them bring this in here and stead of you having both knees up here you're gonna be in here a little bit further back so you can lean over this way so see how look her hips are pushing back right here so what have I done to her body I've totally slammed her out pressure is a little bit too close and her knees were two separated for her so we put one here and one here and now we can actually just do this portrait of the two of them together right let's start there now for you because you're in a very awkward situation how does that feel a little bit better now push yur hips back a little bit and lean into him so you get your jaw to his temple and then hold onto his hand right there look at mom and beautiful little tiny adjustments make all the difference now you're in a totally uncomfortable situation which I'm gonna make worse stand up for a second so because you're tall and so what I want you to do is one needs going to be here and when he's going to be here and then you're gonna lead over your brother this way so but bringing down this knee you see what I did by bringing down that knee and go behind your brother a little bit more keep going behind him going behind him that's it now lean over right so relax your shoulder turn your back shoulder to me just little bit more that's it see what closing up his body did who's a key thing right now lean all your heads together into the centre beautiful but victoria don't slouch over stay about beautiful state lifted and leave see the difference slouch down for me again do what you yup boom up lift up from the senator spine push yur hips back lean over bring your jaw to his temple now everybody lied together beautiful uh dre just bring that hand back a little bit further beautiful and isaiah just relax this front hand for me or at let this knee go down a little lower front you go down a little lower beautiful bring yes lead together faces on the same plane leaning towards me I owe dre is very happy and isaiah is not a serious one lead together to steal but more that's it dre bring that children as they turn your face back with me just a drop bring your heads together lift up leaning squeezed together beautiful all right so if we can do a before and after on that image here's what we created the same threesome and then let me just scroll it back and for me where I see that seamer yeah I see the big difference is that getting them more together I still had holes and correct we had holes in there so if we can compare image forty to image uh wait I'm sorry I'm wrong one we can compare image thirty five to say image thirty eight there's a tremendous difference we brought the bodies and we close up the gaps we released that knee for him we gave mama more comfortable stands and look at the angle of her body I don't know if we I hope we have it up on screen but if the angle of her body is tilted back look how beautiful her face looks you guys look amazing good job but you see now how you do it different isn't it great to make the mistake and go ah that's how we correct it okay you guys take a break let's photograph tim assi um victoria and tatiana and uh air in europe okay I'm gonna grab my little thing now okay I want you to be aware you can use this entire section um if I go back in there it's gonna be too much okay tarin audio okay but I'll be able to shoot into this area if I want right okay so you can use this area I want you to just look around I want you to think in terms of things we talked about yesterday background texture depth now we've already done a couple poses here so I'm gonna kind of put you on the spot to think of something different there's a rock further down there is this little pathway right here um you could do standing pose so I just want you to look at them and think about what you would do remember where we're starting with okay ah well I kind of like the texture of the grass back there so um I might kind of put him on this rock and shoot that way which would that work don't ask me okay take command okay um issue all years girl work it all right timothy why don't we start with you would you be willing tio no no no not would you be willing to timothy I want you to sit right here all right well let's charge me okay good I want you to come sit on this rock and you kind of just sit in the middle and kind of lean with you're on your knees there what's your camera angle uh oh um okay important to consider because you're posing your subjects without knowing where your camera angle is so where are you shooting from um kind of here and I think so actually if you want to come right to this corner yes it right on the edge there and then kind of um separate your feet a little bit um yeah and then lean forward till your elbows air out on yeah um good then um victoria arms and that shoulder and that knee and right now I really want command I want your confidence it's you know timothy lean that left elbow into that left knee nice and tall lean up turn your head this way like written no arms we gotta lose the arms okay okay all right I want you to bring your left foot out a little bit and then go ahead and lean your elbow right over the edge of that good and kind of relax your hands a little bit um then victoria if you want to come up and I want to show you before you before you jump in there for me during a session right here be like dad you look good I would shoot this image because he looks good come back here look at him right you have to remember that when you're up on your subject that close you can't see what your camera sees so every once in a while they do the majority of your bulk posing right you're both posing gets done over there and then you're fine details get done over here right so if I was like setting up timothy I'm looking at him right here he's looking pretty good when I would have to do is drop his right shoulder just a little bit more that's it until your head with me just little bit see now how we tilted his head towards the low shoulder he's awesome in a two thirds view the face I would also because we have a lot of overhead light in this situation I would pop a little bit light and because I'm noticing that we're getting a little shadows right so we shoot late in the afternoon those shadows aren't is intense because of the direct light is not coming from overhead this time of day to wreck lights coming from overhead see how pop in just a little bit of light right there and we open up those shadows under his eyes look at those beautiful blue eyes okay great so and we'll pop that in I'm gonna have um uh christine since you pose the last one you'll be reflected girl okay so I'm gonna love this portrait of him there is good and when was last time timothy had a portrait of him by himself oh that's even worse unlike the wedding oh my gosh wow so a little bit closer I'll tell you when I can see okay so if we wantto put a little bit light into thy we come from below we catch the light coming in from overhead I don't want to add shined his head I just want to add light to his eyes so we come from nice and low and you're not in there that's perfect timothy turn your face this way just a little bit back just to drop tilt with me just there you go beautiful he looks awesome that's actually a little bright somebody just take it down just to drop beautiful I like your serious face you're not a serious guy though that's so funnies like beautiful boom right and so I'm working that expression he turns he looks at you guys it's a great smile boom that's all we need so let's just take a quick look at that picture actually blinked on that house dare you blink on my picture the first one is amazing though I love that you would you're gonna love this image you're gonna look at it and go wow that's awesome that is that's my timothy um okay so now go ahead and add somebody else to that all right victoria let's bring you in why don't you come up behind him on this side and yeah go ahead and just kneel on both knees and kind of bring them right around his back yeah like that let me see now go ahead and ah bump your hips back a little bit so you can lean over him um let's see nice you want to bring your left hand teo his arm a little bit further down his arm there you go and just lean in so you kind of can you lean back toward her just a tad um bring your um cheek to hiss temple a little bit I'm gonna beat you with those arms oh that's cute okay that's working right let's just change it up a little bit so that she's actually coming over his low shoulder you're gonna add one more right but look they look so good here let's just change it up a little bit because I was pretty good and then we need at a reflector so instead I'm gonna have you come to this side and you're going lean your knee and here you're taller than me but this will work and I rather hair come over look how much further I'm leaning so I'm long getting the body so much more so you know you'll be back you're a little bit you're leaning in come all the way over and giving my dog there you go okay shake it off my husband that's it yeah it's a it's a little talk heart and then lean over this shoulder we wrap your arms all around him get up nice and high bring your ship your jobs his temple a little bit more a little higher a little higher squeezed together yes now bring your hands feel like holding on to him yeah sit squeeze him like you're going to choke him there you go that's perfect and come down a little bit lower with that front knee that's it beautiful squeeze together just a little bit more ah we've got that beautiful light so it's just a minor difference she actually looks smaller on this side okay so let's just we'll take a quick look at it so here they're squeezing together it's nice and warm and huggy and so image forty eight and then here with hidden half her body and that's pretty good too I like that you did a good job right up here okay now adan tatyana okay um saying that um I thought you only go ahead man this is your moment now you can change her up any way you want right right and like is it ok to go for a line rather than a triangle sure diagonal lines right that's good yeah okay um so why don't I have you come sit down here kind of by your dad with your with your foot out this way um we're gonna need to get a little bit lower um let's see and he said there we go and then can you um yeah let your leg come out this way and then go ahead and lean back toward your dad's need there you go uh come look at this from camera angle what's happening she's too far away he's too far away she's too far in front of him her body actually looks quite large here even though she's a tiny little petite thing right so in this case I probably used my little mench thing here right my little hanson block yeah no I didn't bring this right so I'm gonna have your knees come out a little bit further we're gonna have you do is come and sit right on your hip and this leg's gonna come out further and you gonna lean on your dad this way see how now she's much more size appropriate to the body uh okay jump in there on your hip and that I'm actually gonna have you come around the other side the way you were earlier because actually worked yep see how everybody is so much more in proportion now yeah that makes sense yep I know you have the hard part because you're on your knees that's it push back a little bit away from timothy that's it and come around him just a little bit more beautiful now lean over everybody's gonna lead together nope you're fine hold onto his arm right there batory that's it and then timothy put your arms right around tatiana tatyana lift up nice and tall lean back toward your dad tennessee lean over her just a little bit beautiful and then victoria up a little higher up a little bit higher yes ah oh my gosh as gorgeous ugo okay seriously I'm like this on sessions I really am like and look look at their faces they're smiling they're happy but victoria tatiana's funny she just like she's working the camera she's like you guys are looking and laughing at me and she's totally looking at the camera it's awesome all right victoria lean up a little bit more that's it lean together lean toward your dad tatyana that's it timothy lean over just a little bit more tilting your head yes see how we're bringing all their faces to the same focal plane that makes sense also beautiful beautiful yeah eyes don't you get excited about that e I only want you look great I was beautiful I don't did you guys get that get that okay good all right so you're going to be reflector and then lisa is going to come in lisa I want you to pose all five of them I'm giving you the hard job oh great okay I'd like everybody to stand up we're going to do a standing shot here in the center of this walking I she's directing she's in charge of taking command I'll okay so timothy I'll have you stand in the center here and let me check my camera angle okay I'm have you step just slightly destruction ok and I'm gonna have you separate your feet and turn this foot out your toe out just a little bit and I'm gonna have you stick your thumbs in your pockets and then you're going toe tip your hips back a little push yur hips back a little jody lean forward a little bit there kind of lift up so that would be my first show I think I would do is say bring your hands the outer edge of your pocket but it and see now I opened up his elbows a little bit more and his hands don't look like they're kind of in his crotch see my book on hands out to the edge of I just be honest people some teaching a workshop here he's going to stay the way it is now push your lips back a little bit that's gorgeous look how good he looks he's a good looking dude okay now I know it's like I'm picked him just for the children okay go ahead finish up so I will have victoria step in and I'm gonna have you do kind of a similar thing with your feet separated and I'll have you put your right foot kind of behind him a little bit maybe step back just a little bit more and then closer to him here so you're going to get back just a little bit or to want her to dio you kind of show are half beautiful that's how we get that done okay I mean have you just similar thing for now for now I'm a change your hands later but that's looking pretty good okay now I'm gonna have let's do I think we'll do isaiah next and I'll have you stand by your mom and let's do a similar can oppose with you I'd like you to put your foot kind of inn by your mom here and kind of angle yourself this way with this foot separated and kind of pointed out okay and then um we'll get ah andreas I think I'll have you go on the side next to your brother here and similar thing here only I'm gonna have you angle yourself a little more this way with this foot pointed out destruction okay and tatiana I'll have you go by your dad but I'm gonna have you um stand kind of like ah like this right here and you're gonna think I'm gonna have you angle this way with your toe pointed out and kind of your stick your hip out a little bit destruction try that so get a little bit closer to your dad there and I'd like it angle your body a little more away okay all right so this is pretty good right I'm digging it I got it I like it we're just gonna make a few adjustments so um tatianna turn more toward your dad andrew you're going to go to the other side dre sorry dre I got it dr dre dr dre got it you're gonna go I like the fact that for this particular majid already gonna take two steps this way there you go I like that dad has this nice wide stance is being the center of the family and so want to balance him with the girls and then the boys right so I'm and capping with the boys and putting the girls in the center that make sense right and so but victoria turned that back shoulder to me just little bit more and what you did duck behind him just little bit more so take a half a step back see what I just did to her body yeah ok turn that back shoulder to me a little bit more and now pressure hips back and lean over him to see her body now amazing take your ah right leg and move it out behind him just little bit more I need to add a little bit of separation in her leg but bring your front out the back you were to go on the right way the first time see how we add a little separation her legs and it thins her body out dip back behind him a little bit more press those hips back lean over that arm beautiful um isaiah gonna move in this way just a little bit more lean over your mom's shoulder bring the hand bring your back hand your right hand behind your mom I can't see it so I put on her back that's it turn that back shoulder towards me a little bit more turn out turn out turn out see what happens when you start turning the shoulders out okay so tatiana bring your left foot right behind your dad's foot that's it and then point that toe towards me leaned over his shoulder just little bit more do you have ah little pocket right there the other side no you have that okay so do that on the other side though hide your hand in the back that's it perfect and let your fingers just curl a little bit that's it um dre go behind your sister just little bit more so put that foot right behind her that's it lean over shoulder nobody's going to lift up dre come towards me just little bit more see that boom and we didn't really have to do anything to dad tatianna turn your shoulder to me a little bit more the other way other shoulder the other way uh there you go see what opening up the body does it close up all those holes victoria clothes that that shoulder to me yeah and see how it thins out the body it's crazy everybody lean together lift up I love that oh my gosh you guys could could you have found me like an ugly family or what I mean like this is too easy people who arranged for this family is just too easy that is beautiful you guys look amazing I'm very impressed cause you were exactly on the right path but they were just a few little minor adjustments that we made that really opened it up and brought the whole thing together how do you guys feel being on that side of the camera yeah but you look totally natural right and see how when I'm talking I'm like ok bring that back foot right behind your dad lean over turn that back shoulder and everybody lift up and lean in one of the things about photographing families and being able to get all those days combinations is speed right so the communication the language and the way that we work with people help create that speech so we can create a cz many different um poses and combinations as we possibly can so the language and the knowing of the posing frees you up to be faster not to mention in most cases people get tired of posing after a while because we all don't walk around with good posture all time so back they're going to start aching and then you'll see him all right you seem start to drop and so you know it but I love what you did I love this area love how you did a full length of them that's awesome okay who wants to go next anybody we do have a little overhead light we probably should have when we have a bigger reflector we could pop a little bit more light into them actually so maybe we can grab that bigger reflector from inside that was beautiful wow if you guys were checking that out home daleks good it's all about that he who has a chequebook who's writing the check for this uh got his mom we gotta make mom looking as handsome fung says whoever hold a checkbook you made them real good I'm sorry hanson wherever you are I love you okay okay so um aaron let's do another set I want you teo work with the five of them in that same location but a totally different posts wei have that bigger one yeah before we break this I just want to see if throwing ah this nice being light uh I want to see how far back I need to have this light to get a little bit of kick okay I put that together wrong okay okay it's really subtle I don't know if you can see this it's totally subtle but it kicks just a little bit alike I come right up here wow you see that anybody okay can you come over here and hold this for me because right here kicks a little bit of light in their eyes don't you see if you go down no light she look come over here no light light see it all right so this is your job me that because I want to shoot this with a little bit more light in their eyes wait just a little bit more so perfect yes okay remember back shoulders towards me a little bit more every twist to me just a little bit more dre come this way towards me just little bit I change my angle to avoid getting the reflector of my image so dre take a step towards me that's it victoria lean in towards that's it go behind him just to drop right turn that back shoulder in press those hips back there you go go behind him a little bit more that's it right there beautiful you guys look amazing squeeze together lift up lena and every squeeze squeeze together all the way lean towards may lean towards may lean closer closer closer together squeeze so I did a full length from back here standing up nice and tall and then I've zoomed in and let them lean in all the way squeezing together so let's do that standing one more time that's it perfect every looking this way tatyana beautiful dre on dh um I'd say I just want you to put yourself in there you go on dh make a little bit of a fist and then timothy hands back just a little bit there you go see how it opens up his body it makes him like strong like bull sorry ok and tatiana and victoria change places awesome beautiful now hold on to your dad's arm right there and then victoria yet but lower clothes his wrist victoria same thing hold onto his art and lower closer to his risk both hands yeah oh look at that ok as they go behind your sister just a little bit more turn that back shoulder in tatyana turned your hips to me just a little bit more that's it ah I like this even better okay already leaning into the center just a little bit because dad rules right now all right squeeze together just a little bit every lean in squeeze keep squeezing and leaned towards me all the way lead lead bigley alway towards the camera yes better go squeeze together uh yeah see see that face I don't think have I said smile once yet no haven't is that fun or what okay so I wanted to shoot it with the reflector aaron is like wow she's crazy okay aaron give me the reflector and I want you to go in and do a whole different posed with the same group of five okay tatiana if you want teo come here down by your mom and do basically the same thing going out the other direction um creating the base the triangles on the bottom I'm digging it I got it alright attention yesterday great looks good if you want to let your top laid come out a little bit um there you go beautiful that looks great lovely and um then dad let's have you right here behind them if he kind of just wanna squat down a little bit behind them um over the shoulders and um you're gonna come up a little bit higher uh that fine details remember do ok majority the big stuff and then the fine details from back here so all right um then isaiah if you want to come in on the side kind of neil right there you go that's perfectly one leg up and then lean right over your sister and if you want to do the same on this side neal great there you go and lean over and then come back here now come back to camera right now you're talking your clients you're connecting with them where's what were you shooting this from um so I need some way to get dad up higher I think um okay where you shooting them from start with there where are we shooting them from camera angle camera probably here right here okay so how do you want to adjust this image um oh let's get that they're um isaiah can you throw that little uh step stool thing over towards me actually what we'll end up using it but that was not a throat okay okay so timothy if I could get you up nice and tall ing up your spine perfect and lean forward in over the girls and then andreas if you can man quick committed how you feeling how you feeling I know you're on the spot but you know what I'm telling you from going forward from this day be like yeah I'm gonna command the situation would be nervous it's fine we're practicing it's not life or death it's practising okay go uh go ahead and um scoot in a little more if you can and then lean forward right over your knee bring your elbow to the edge of your knee so there you go and lean in towards your mom and I say great if you can lean in toward your sister a little bit this way and then if everyone can straighten your spine yep and kind of tilt your heads together just a touch and toward the camera a little bit and how are you talking some what he's saying right come over here I'm shooting it but you're the photographer you're talking to him what he's saying I'm saying they look great to them talk to them I talked to your subjects conned you look beautiful that looks great if you khun yeah just lean toward a squeeze together a little more schools were thinking for your listening guys lena and squeeze together squeeze lift up squeeze every screen in the middle to mom and healthy honest eyes yes okay don't overthink it go with it go with it because the longer you're back here may just step out in front of camera the longer you're back here and coming and uh the mohr uncomfortable they get right if you're just moving and you're directing and like that's it living together squeeze in lift up the more energy that you have the more comfortable they're gonna feel remember eighty percent relationship right so that is a good pose right but they're like get to the point where a kind of uncomfortable right be honest it's okay so practicing experience okay I would change us up in a couple of different ways everybody break real quick okay about right here let's just we'll move it up just a little bit so um so victoria I'm gonna have you here this time you're going to be on this hip and this knee is going to be up so I don't want you leaning this way on your shoulder and let you lifting up so it's gonna sing out your thigh and then we're going to use tatiana to uh beautiful and let this leg come back just a little bit further this blade come back yep there you go perfect and I need you to try and lean right on your leg all the way so and then tatianna you're gonna come in right here same sort of position leaning on your mom just like this see we're cute aren't we cute told you you've got to get right in there did you see what I did you sure okay on your hip come away from your mom just a little bit more so scoot down just a drop so you're backing up but going this way that's it and then put your knee up so you have a nice triangle there lean right on your mom's leg want you lean on her look what we've done to victoria's body look at victoria's body right the other way she was not flattering to her so remember I said to you I'll use your children to hide the things about your body that you don't like anymore boom that's how we do it right okay so I'm gonna actually use my little stools over here what's that oh yeah can't make his arms thicker absolutely so timothy you're gonna come right here so you're up high on your knees they're a little bit separating your leaning forward over the girls right isaiah you're gonna come right in here so this is like needs to go up right so you're coming in here and you're gonna lean over your sister this way and dre you're gonna be on the other side coming right around your mom this way leaning over shoulder remember lean up they go and then you'll be here over her shoulder you gonna put him on your sister that's it dragon behind your mom just a little bit more swing your feet behind your body perfect now back away from her just a drop and lean over her shoulder swing those feet behind you just a little bit more get those feet behind you I don't want to see you shoes there you go beautiful now leaning together so um isaiah gold toward your dad a little bit more separate your knees just a drop more separate your knees go toward your dad a little bit more that's it lean just a little bit more that your left hand is perfect right hand is perfect left hand needs to go behind there you go so everybody's gonna lean together uh tatiana lean up this way just to drop shift that way just a little bit more there you go beautiful every is going to lead together we actually a room for how many more people here look at it and then victoria relax at hand there you go and you can let it you can let it rest there just bend the elbow a little bit so yeah not too much just so your arm doesn't look hyper extended yeah perfect every lead together how do you think what do you think guys gorgeous see how he changed it up my my goal is always to make mom looks small no matter what because that's what mom wants right mom my lion we doing over there what what hurts oh yes well form over function honey always I mean you know it's not it's not easy being a model there you go every lean in squeezed together timothy put your arm more like around the boys and bring them into just a little bit more but bring your hands down a little lower so you're not quite so I don't want you like looking like a big wingspan that's it now bring him in as a get a little closer dre open up your body to me just little bit more okay he's using your don't lean on your breaking her knee oh my god oh you got to shoot this stuff because this is the funny stuff this is when they kind of get interacted with each other okay tatiana lean back toward your mom squeeze together everybody lived up squeeze now I'll come in a little bit tighter and really squeeze in timothy you look good every lead together squeeze close heads close yes boom you gotta have fun you're not having fun have fun with them all right okay relax everybody you have what you had yeah that's impressive so let's take a look at it so here now again when I have a family set up like that I'm doing a full length of them I'll use that zoom to do the full length and then I've got another post cause now the full length is maybe a little bit more formal they're up a little higher and then like leaning leaning and as they're leaning in as they're squeezing as they're getting closer I'm zooming in I've got a bunch of different images right cause and then they're getting happier and happier because it's ridiculous when you say lean together squeeze everybody starts smiling squeeze squeeze lean playing together see and they're not it's just your personality I'm getting back from them exactly what I'm giving them right so when you're like oh my mature they get this I want you to build your confidence is about building your confidence and being able to get out there create that relationship that energy that fun that excitement so when they leave they go you know that was pretty fun I have a good time

Class Materials

bonus material with purchase

Michele Celentano.pdf

Ratings and Reviews

Beckie Sibley
 

Michele is a true artist in every sense of the word. While her photography skills are exceptional, it is her ability to work with families that absolutely had me mesmerized. She is a natural with people of all ages. Her teaching style is second to none. I especially appreciate that she had the CreativeLIve attendees jump in to pose the first family. With many of these courses, I find myself feeling completely inadequate because the instructors make it look super easy. When the student photographers worked with the family, they represented ME. This was such an encouragement. I also was thrilled that the second family was more of a challenge as it showcased Michele's talents perfectly. The business section was insightful and inspirational. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this course. It was a deal at $129. Thank you CreativeLive! And thank YOU, Michele. You are the best of the best.

Beckie Sibley
 

Michele is a true artist in every sense of the word. While her photography skills are exceptional, it is her ability to connect with families that absolutely had me mesmerized. She is a natural with people of all ages. Her teaching style is second to none. I especially appreciate that she had the CreativeLIve attendees the first family. With many of these courses, I find myself feeling completely inadequate because the instructors make it look super easy. When the student photographers worked with the family, they represented ME. This was such an encouragement. I also was thrilled that the second family was more of a challenge as it showcased Michele's talents perfectly. The business section was insightful and inspirational. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this course. It was a deal at $129. Thank you CreativeLive! And thank YOU, Michele. You are the best of the best.

Courtney Zito
 

I love this class! I am transitioning from film & television to photography, specifically children and families, and this class is wonderful! I am only on Day 1, class 6 (The art of posing) and I have learned so much that I have already applied to my own photography. If you're like me, you have come across other's photos and thought "meh", and then you come across some and you are like "wow!". What is the difference? Well there are many factors that make a great portrait, but one aspect I hadn't spent as much time thinking about was posing. You don't think about how important posing is until you see it in action here. I am looking forward to the rest of this series and soaking up all of her experience and knowledge. She's cute and quirky, and very organized in her teaching. Thank you Michele, great class!

Student Work

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