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Shoot: Portraits with Mom

Lesson 14 from: Family Portraits

Michele Celentano

Shoot: Portraits with Mom

Lesson 14 from: Family Portraits

Michele Celentano

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Lesson Info

14. Shoot: Portraits with Mom

Next Lesson: General Q&A

Lesson Info

Shoot: Portraits with Mom

where change locations were now in the backyard of the home that we're going to be shooting in there is an over hanging here in the back area and we have a nice direction of sunlight I've pulled a chair from the dining room it's ah formal armchair and what I'm going to do first is photographed mom with each of her children we did mom with her baby on the front but now I'm gonna go ahead and mix in each of the children by themselves maybe add in dad so we'll just be running through that combination as we go and uh I'm ready you guys good do you have a good lunch all right have a good lunch was good I'm still eating that coconut cream pie from yesterday don't tell my trainer okay so victoria and whenever you're ready victoria ready so we've set this up over here I've have ah ah silver reflector on a stand I mean this is great if it's not a windy day I use this a lot for studio stuff if you need a a new assistant if you have an assistant that's probably better option this is a great spot ...

to use this reflector him because it's not windy it's not gonna go anywhere and with this strong direction of light coming from this way I want to add a little bit of light back on her so come on and sit down how are you having fun get shot you know what we need to just take a photograph of you okay near the star right so what I would like for you to do is kind of roll onto your hip let me show you real quick so instead of sitting flat on your tummy we're gonna roll onto the hips just a little bit bring your feet up and that's just gonna clean out your body you're gonna be sitting back more towards here and leaning forward towards the camera beautiful yet and lift up and lean over then let your hand just rest on your what is that a bracelet you're mine okay but I wasn't sure if it was a hair tie that you'd want to take off and just let your hand rest on your knee perfect let your left shoulder right shoulder dropped just a little bit and then till your head with me just to drop your good hair woman I'm gonna just move that reflector in a tiny but just so we get a little pop more in her eyes who can you feel that no light light we go all right beautiful till your head with me this way just to drop some lashes a little bit relax but don't slump that's it awesome beautiful that right there when was last time you had a portrait buy yourself a couple great oh pregnancy stuff did you do pregnancy with all of your children so who's gonna be like mom thanks for forgetting about me so who who have pregnancy portrait and who didn't she oh really you like okay last one I'm going to do it perfect okay so now I'm going to bring in each of her kids where are they already for us oh here we go let's bring our children all of them one at a time because I want to photograph each of them with you at just send me on a kid anyone I'll take any kids womb it's all chaos and there is not fun yeah how the kid's doing like hang around all day yeah there are other good thanks yeah I came over give me a big uh load up this pump which was pretty cool so yeah a lot of what we talked about yesterday was just a really engaging with the at their level and their conversation what they're into all right yeah you're ready all right so here's what I'm gonna do we talk about puzzling pieces together like we've been talking about the last couple of days I'm probably going to switch you and have dre dre right thank you you guys look alike and their tallest like usually can you know so I'm gonna have dre come and sit on the edge of the chair and bring winding up and lean right into that need you're slapping no here you go much better and actually what I wanted to be just a little further away come more to the edge of the chair you're kind of sitting a little bit but that's it and now coming to the edge of the chair just naturally brings a spine up a little bit more when you sit back into a cheery kind of drop back into it and then I'm gonna let this go out just little further because I want to lower the angle of your leg there you go and then for you one foot will be here one foot will be here and hips go back lean in now I'm close up that's it hold onto his arm there you go up you got here in his face there you go perfect come this way just a little bit more there you go up a little bit higher and we go back up just a drop and I want you just tuck that leg and just a little bit there you go now lean into him just little bit ah ha of a little bit higher good bring your hand of round him just a little bit more in the back so I don't see your hand quite as much there you go he's all serious right now you're the serious I'm the oldest I am the most important child right no no you're the second oldest she didn't even get like first son you're tall it's okay fine beautiful holder right there squeezed together just a little bit more that's it perfect all right oh that's beautiful we got beautiful background got I don't mean to do that it's still good though not if you like it barely left your pose that's perfect okay so let's see we have let's get idea you know if we can all like ready to go be great so the nice part about using this armchair the reason why I'm shooting this direction is because we have this beautiful direction of light open shade this is open she were looking for we have depth of the rose bush behind her of greenery behind that and then more green behind there so even though from this angle the background is not that pretty because we've got all kinds of pots and stuff like that that's a good idea we've got all kinds of pots there blown out of focus I can't really see what they are light texture depth color right so even though if you look down here he like I don't get it a lot of people would be like uh why that's why all right you're the gymnast got it okay all right here we go so you're gonna be right in here and then I'm gonna have me actually you know what come sit back a little further let me see what happens if we do that and move for just little bit more and then lean that way just little bit so where and what might want you to do is come this way over him so it will lower you just a little bit and get you a little bit closer to him see how that works and go ahead and put that foot up there turn your shoulders to me just little bit more ah ha ha and then victoria lean up and over him just a little bit more there you go beautiful till it both your heads this way just live it there you go creating nice diagonal lines oh you guys are good well we're busy hang on we're tethering we're moving that's it hold it squeeze healer just little bit more but up a little higher and then I say a turn you faced your mom just a drop from the nose huh exactly how is awesome perfect beautiful okay who's next so when we're doing this particular posing notice we're inputting mom here you go oh we got one okay so you're gonna have a seat right there you gonna put one foot up on the my little block perfect but nice tall posture come forward on the chair just little bit more and then you're going to do the same thing you were yeah so on that hip and then uh tatyana turn your shoulder towards me remember not to slump with your shoulders good posture and then I'm gonna have you mean and with your elbow just little bit more and then see how your coming over her shoulder that's it perfect and victoria come towards me just a bit more lift up tatiana lean back toward your mom just little bit noses on the same piece of glass that's it turned toward each other just to drop that's it ta ta nickelback little bit more victoria come forward just little bit more about how that's it perfect oh my gosh you guys are awesome this really is a beautiful spot that little bit of a reflectors popping light back into their eyes directional light texture dap this's all good okay next kid look they're all lining up that's great whoa all right so let's do this I'm gonna have you sit again but your feet are going to be slightly separated okay so let your feet come out just a little further e want you sit right in there wei need one more there you go we'll just do all the pre work okay so lean back toward your mom just a little bit that's it an arm over her knee put your arm over your mom's me lean on her a little bit more relaxed at shoulder turn your face toward a mom just little bit batory until your head in oh can I shoot yet I'm gonna shoot okay just hold it it's angelic you guys should come see it from camera angle right so I mean you guys were here so I want actually should be sort of towards camera angle so you can see her if you just give me the dirties look ever you just gave me like the hairy eyeball do with here fabolous do you have that like tonto that is so funny so watch their faces I just turned them together just a little bit see that they're both in a two thirds view of the face going the opposite direction check it out isn't that cool okay feeling totally comfortable is that is not great and that's one of the nice things about these posing blocks is that I can very the height and just take him out and I'm this literally I'm not even kidding I've had this for twenty years it means just starting to wear a little bit I actually have a new set of home but I don't want to travel with it because this one is already be so you're doing a great job of being patients what oh where do I get these uh this is hansen fong one of my mentors and it's his easy steps and he actually has two sizes this is the smallest one then there's a bigger one which I think the bigger one is too big for me but I did talk to him and he said he's in the works of making a smaller for a medium sized version between this and the bigger one it's so worth having I don't I mean if you go I think it's hanson fun dot com go find one it it's paid for itself a million times over I used to carry a stepladder with me especially the weddings that carry like this gigantic step ladder so I could get up higher like you guys are a little bit low right now but if I need to do full length or get up even higher it works out three if I need to adjust heights for seating is perfect yeah so I stand on it all the time and it's funny because people be like is this safe to sit on like when all the block together I'm like it's totally fine like even big guys were like a mile right on this I'm like I stand on it all the time it's fine so all right what have you lied together just a little bit more all right that's it okay gabby turn your face this way just a wee bit more right I got it gabby you're gabby no yeah I did okay good right perfectly together just a little bit more so see where here we're shooting um okay we asked victoria I'm talking about body issues only because we talked about it and most moms have body issues so in all of my sessions I'm always putting a child in front of mom I'm always pretty mom behind somebody because most women I don't care what size we are will say I want to look thinner so I'm always going to put a smaller person in front of a bigger person which she's smaller comparatively to you and this way it also cut your body in half it makes you look thinner when you lean over her you're extending out your neck you have a beautiful v neck on which automatically adds length and um uh what I long gates your neck so I'm talking about how I think about the body cause I tell my moms all the time I'll take ten pounds in ten years off in the camera and they're like really I'm like yeah I don't need liquefy I don't need if I could do in the camera I do it later okay so we're gonna go one more time squeeze together just a little bit all right can I add another child and we'll stay tether it as we go okay so have you guys switch places perfect so when you to rule on your set your hips sweetie that's it yep and a little taller right okay so I'm gonna I'm gonna lift you up I'm gonna take one block away there you go then I want you to kind of roll on says hip a little bit and come away from your mom just a drop there you go now this arm I'm sorry my hands are full freezing okay that's good so same sort of scenario imagine now I'm thinking in terms of putting an album together right I mean kids that's kind of way you know I'm thinking in terms of an album and so if these are all similar they're all gonna look beautiful on pages together mom has picture with each of her daughter's together right oliver kids really okay turn your faces into each other that's it oh you say you're looking for more so sweet joy and turn your face toward your mom just a bit more perfect little bit more that's it there you go perfect squeezing together just a little bit more care is busy the ring were busy squeeze get to turn this way just a little bit more eyes right back at me perfect that's it until your head towards her just a little bit more I love it hold it right there so I don't even have to look through the camera at some points anymore because I'm just I'm just working with them so let's do this gabby come on back o stay right where you are yeah stay right where you are oh she did okay that's fine that's fine amnesia uh you see uh come on over haidian girlie you ready well what was your nickname again sully where does that come from no idea like my nickname is neat theory coming jordan jordan authority or jordi or neat si I love their like ethnic nicknames yeah so okay tell me one more time surely I just feel like singing a song when when I say I su su lame o you don't know that's all right it's neil diamond's way back when okay dated myself nineteen seventy something okay I'm gonna have you stand up on the other side of your mom I mean have you stand right here I'm gonna make you a little bit higher okay okay and let this elbow go over your mom that's it and this shoulder's gonna drop a little bit I'm gonna pull you out just a little bit more oh there you go now lean back on your mom just a little bit okay meet ciolino over your mom just a little bit separate your feet just a drop and we want you push your hips back a little bit and put your left hand on your mom's me yep and now lean over and put your arm around her shoulder yes and we're gonna work on some more combinations and adding to our groups so that we can so I can show you howto build onto those groups so we were starting I was actually starting to get a third person into this particular grouping earlier so I'm going to continue to work with that and um yep so uh adriana you were standing let me have all the girls standing on standby right here for me so I can add them in one at a time as we go all right gabby come on back me see what I have here I was in the cia you're right sorry all right you ready kiddo there we go so remember how we were earlier so you're still facing that way a little bit more u turn for me there you go because she's gonna lean over and then yeah so in order to change in order to change heights that we change heights by separating the feet so separate your feet are just a little bit a little bit more and now she's getting a little shorter as we go and now you gonna lean into your mom see right there perfect okay thiss way okay I'm niecy a lift up a little bit more toward your mom georgie lean over towards around this way lean over them a little bit closer keep coming a little bit closer and I'm trying to crop out that little pink arm cast even though it is what it is isn't it he broke your arm darn it okay um so a nisa lean back just a little bit more and jordy lean over a little bit more you know it's kind of uncomfortable but you look at me over a little bit more that's it andi zia where what happened you bored every lead together squeeze squeeze together just a little bit that's awesome hold it right there okay so let's add lets out of fourth person to this image right what's that sure let's add tatyana to this picture so we can do a couple different things we can leave you right where you were and we could just bring you in this way over your sister let's start there so lean out over her shoulder also put your hand on your mom's arm every lead together okay so when you say you're gonna go this way for me a little bit that's it and tatyana leaning up and everybody's gonna squish to the center just a little bit perfect I love it that is so oh my gosh I love it you know what that is just really good okay so um tattoo and I'm gonna have you step out gabby what let's get you in let's see so release this arm can you lift up here and lean into your mom this way right here okay perfect but I want to get up a little higher on the arm yeah you gotta hop up there sit on the arm of the chair all the way up there you go that's it put your arm around your mom this one oh there you go now lean up cross your ankle's for me so we'll use this one arm chair all that's gorgeous hang on right there buddy leaned together just a little bit um yeah thank you okay georgie lied to your mom just a bit more toward me just a drop oh gabby awesome uh okay this four right here on this chair but let's add tatyana back into that scene spot we were at before right oh she tired noodles we get you next leaning right overly on your mom's leg together are ah beautiful squeeze and lean your head toward your sister just little bit that way georgie up a little bit higher lean forward you're leaning over shoulder come towards me come towards me squeeze it together tatiana lean into your sister just a little bit gorgeous ah can you guys see that this is the angle that we have it's we're now in a horizontal and we are now we've added we need two more daughters don't we yes we do let's add one more right so this is an easy way to start with mom build on the group keeping everybody in the same place you want to sit on their honey yeah okay is it okay if she sits on there we move you a little bit whoa oh she is okay oh no never wake a sleeping baby right okay well that's pretty good okay so what you're going to dio and you're in a school right into this space right here and lean on your mama just a little bit okay I'm going to change you to the other side on lee so we can work around that cast you're gonna come right here on the other side sorry could sorry kiddo that's it up nice and high lean over so now you're gonna lean right between them a little bit you're gonna lean on your mom so see how we're building on this particular grouping wow you guys look amazing okay andy c lean forward towards me a little bit see how she's talked back a little bit so come forward on your mom's leg just little bit more that's it tatiana go behind the girls altogether and then lean over them that's it you got it so we opened up her body to the camera just a little bit more so there is no like open space between them what else happened okay photos don't tell me but I'm gonna guess what a way for breakfast this morning okay don't tell me do not tell me what you ever brag but don't tell me okay so gabby put your arm a little lower on your mom your hand lean into her did you have did you have pig legs for breakfast hole on your sister's back right there lean forward a little bit more keep coming keep coming keep coming uh let me see okay noodles did you have pig legs for breakfast you know do you eat pig legs you don't already keep looking at me how about um let's see did you eat turkey toes do you have turkey toes is your thumb taste good what is your thumb taste like let me guess your thumb tastes like a chocolate lollypop with peppermint stickers all over it let me see can I see your thumb all right let's take it out for just one second oh she did not oh my gosh okay so wait I still didnt guess what you ate for breakfast this morning hold on I'm I'm I'm thinking I'm thinking did you have eggs every squeezed together girls lean up totty on all the way over poor hands out of her mouth for me no oh oh and then you're done and who you've done thank you well that's mad okay let me see your mad face okay she met she needs a break dunn was at three minutes three minutes done we need a break fine but we know what we got the image that's perfect age development she we got her she smiled and three minutes in she's four years old would we say yesterday three four minutes she's fine flare go yeah all right yeah I know you guys got some girls you can all take a break do we have the boys I see oh look they're running at me that's wonderful all right yes it was my little ladies man right so hey dude I need your help hey taso come on dude I need you know you love your mommy all right how about me you're gonna make the biggest smile that's also let me see it okay okay that it was at a big the biggest biggest let me see a smaller smile smaller you're awesome okay so we'll leave him there and I mean I have uh drew uh dre dre right here and you're just gonna lean over your mom like that so the nice thing about this setup is that armchairs are a great way to be able to stack multiple people and change the heights of heads to have one arm chair but so far we've been able to pose what up to six on one arm chair and like a little bench in front who you waving at you like a rock star with a li ke I'm on set it's good to see you all a there's a bird uh oh you crack me up dude so you're gonna be in this spot leaning imam this way ok and so you're back as far as you can go so press back that's it she's gonna lean on you a little bit whoa can I can I just bite you can just bite your cheek no you got the best eyelashes I've ever seen in my life dude can I wrentham from you can borrow now I'm gonna make you a little bit taller on the c t is that it costs ten thousand dollars ten thousand dollars for your eyelashes done I'll take two all right okay and so you're gonna be on this side but your arm and you're gonna lean over your mom this way uh or this way let's see whichever way works okay so there's another group of four this time we got the boy's right arm chair yep oh this is beautiful like that how this doesn't work because dre is too far back so you need to lift him up to stand up always up turn towards the camera little bit more separate your feet nice and wide so get that foot right way behind your mom and now lean over shoulder this way when you lean I don't want lean this way I want you to lean that way so chest forward hand on your mom's me hold on to her that's it every is going to lead together perfect so you're still doing this lean over things so I need a little bit of a squat back their chest forward when your chest to me bring the chest to me bring it more that's it right there lee brodie as he's got it oh so you are to stinking cute is that your best smile you got for me no it's not don't smile don't do it don't do it stop it what I say you don't listen oh for crying out loud you have a very un behaved child here okay so dre come forward towards me a little more keep leaning every squeeze together one more time I know your girlfriend's name yeah you know what I get twenty dollars in my pocket I'm not taking grandpa style you know ten thousand one this is a really good place to kind of add dad so mom's got all our boys right so where did uh uh huh every back we'll be back in a minute all right let's just let's just do the brothers like let's do the group of brothers alone oh do you know that song what song I'm talking about their shop you know ugo do you do the whole dance is that your favorite song it is mine to that song comes on eventually like can you do that no okay you're gonna stand up for me yeah I'm gonna have you sit he loved that song is that what you said who's your favorite brother no don't tell me that all right who's your favorite you have a favorite you shouldn't have oh I was going to say you really shouldn't have a favorite brother okay so it's so cute the way cities just like sitting on his brother's lab so I'm going to go with it just because what's that well who's the boss here that's right thank you all right so um dre move forward on the chair a little bit and let your knees drop out a little bit so his height becomes a little bit lower that's it and are you going to turn your brother that's it so taciturn this way for me a little bit that's it okay beautiful we've got a five year old paul so you're gonna come around this shoulder let's see what happens if you drop to your knees oh beautiful lead all your shoulders together get your faces right next to him squeeze together lean and I love it ha ha so like to people like me are like so like you know what's up no do you say that to him yeah it's not just me okay relax squeeze together just a little bit so those ages so fun because the best way to work with them is to give him these silly funny crazy faces and just like completely of play and have fun ok so now we've got this group of three we can actually add wait could actually had two sisters and your character okay well I've kind of moved on from that so um well can you know what let's do it let's let's put on intimacy in your spot oh your your hand your hand bone right now aren't you you use oh that's perfect he's fine he's fine right way are playing in the grass fell one time that's a surprise okay so timothy you and come to the edge of the chair separating your needs just a little bit making room for the stool because he's actually gonna end up on that let's see how tall he is that's a good height eye like I'm gonna make you a little bit taller though so that's the beauty of using these whoa who's a q t now yeah I think it's you all right so let's do um isaiah is gonna come to this side and gray's gonna go to the back same as before but I want you to turn in just a little bit yeah remember that spot back there is too far back so remember you have to come forward this way of uncomfortable lean thing but chest forward lift up okay taso I need you to sit up nice and tall for me right it's pushed back towards dad just a little bit so yeah so bring the pull his stool back toward you are his little what yeah that's it okay lean on your dad all cool hanging out like okay guys remember that's it hold on to your dad right there put your arm on the other arm that that beautiful squeezed together ah boys okay and dre you have the hard part you gotta drop the hips lift up from that that's it lean forward ha would change his whole body when we do that and it feels uncomfortable you feel like completely ridiculous right like your butt is sticking way the heck out there but you're not it's so good okay everyone is laughing right now so all the girls laughing like I look so funny but stickingout eyes what I love about families so um isaiah lean into your dad just little bit more get your head in closer and timothy lean up and then toss so ladies man what you got in your pocket which kind of pocket twenty dollars in my pocket all right so four here's four let's um let's add mom right so modern all her boys e that's pretty good you're a little bit too far back so up on your tippy toes bring your arms around the boys just little bit yes test so oh how old does he have any minutes away in five minutes in yeah here we go all right here we go dude look at mom over all the boys and how cute is he with his hand on his uh face and remember dre shoulders up there you go and tuck your tail and just a little bit mom lean your head this way that's it yeah and dad has a fantastic to pay that is a lot of hair you know just ah some squeezed together just a little bit more I'm going to justice a little bit just so we get a little bit more light in their eyes so coming out just look for it wow light on you guys it's spectacular all right tall so you ready listen this one's for mom this is mom and all are all the boys in her life right so victoria just bring your hair more on your back because it's coming over his shoulder that's yep there we go perfect yes timothy the man that's it right there what you looking at who's the boss right all right dad night well let's see where are we what's that what what does that mean no pop you're well off no way no wheels we'll owe you got skates on your car has a little wheels oh I'm so on cool I thought you're talking about that where the call what do you call the shoes with the wheels that pop out well healy's I thought you were wearing a perry heelys you let her give ism worse I better do some more schoolwork okay I mean have you guys take a break um christine I'm gonna have you pose a total of five people right here on this chair okay ready oh we're going to start with mom I'm gonna have you sit in the chair up on your left camera behind you start yeah he's having you up on your right hit hip yeah oh no actually it lakes down but you're going to kind of roll up onto the right hip hep lean over the edge just like that now we're going to go ahead and bring ah let's go ahead and bring you in georgia yeah come on honey okay so we're going to go ahead and have you sit down on the ground by interest it down on your hip on this side actually yet go ahead and go down on the hip right there and we're gonna have you turn a little bit more destruction and you're gonna lean away from your mom just scoot over just a little bit a little bit more okay sorry right now okay all right and then where we wander than you confined unit leader okay so I kind of got your air you want um and then let's go have a nisa um you see what did I say all right honey from my heart no on a cia right on a cia yeah I got it that time so we're going to go ahead and have you sit right in front make your sister but your mere her get that arm tucked in behind there and then let's get you just like from full length um yeah because I'm gonna have mom lean forward over the girls to it not like that and then I'm gonna have we need two more because we need a total of five well so we have an issue we might have six because that worked yeah okay whatever you guys are so let's have all you girls come on over so let me let's have noodle go up on mom's right knee get comfy with mama their baby and then I'm gonna have you stand right behind her and you're gonna write there ok and I'm gonna have you come over here and hop right back up here okay and then let's see so my only problem is so I'm gonna have um when you lean over let's have you stand a little bit more behind the chair right there and okay so that's honesty huh I'm gonna have you slightly skewed over just a little bit more so than you can lean in towards your sister yeah okay so okay where do you need to be now where do we need to be now huh back at the camera okay so then I'm gonna have um sweet gabby right okay I'm gonna have you lean in towards mom and then I didn't have you come right over and we're actually gonna be looking right there okay so we're gonna have an isi a sit upright so not all what yeah just like that yeah it's it's we're on our way okay um we need to sort of cross noodles like yeah ankles or knees yeah um and I think that the two on the bottom are a little bit too low okay so I'm really gonna have you pop up on here right and then they're also look at the plane of focus you want to try to bring them as close together as possible so what I'm gonna have you do is come up on your knees and you gonna tuck your feet underneath that you're to stay where you are you're gonna tuck your feet underneath on your knees facing forward um no not yeah I'll see you kind of gonna have to like just be okay with it but I want you to get up nice and tall a little bit taller so up high on your knees there you go so lean back now toward your mom and see how now we're creating a different head height bring this arm around your sister there you go so we're kind of hiding that there you go so now we've created a height difference here instead of having her street and the same spot this arm will come behind your mom no yeah there I'm sorry you're right behind her and this arm's gonna come here lean into your sister a little bit squeezed together everybody's gonna tighten up and that we really need to just um work with noodle see how that the heights are a little bit better now okay uh the cia that I say it right no suli okay suli lean into your sister a little bit hold on her arm right there that's it yes every lead together just a little bit squeezed together um tatyana come this way just little bit so that she's not directly over her mom's head and then victoria lean this way just a little bit see how like instead of stacking the heads one on top of the other please move him a little bit it's actually a little bit better all right everybody's gonna squeeze together just a little bit okay um jordi lean back just a little bit um so leave lean forward towards may I seeyou q t pie see you don't you even giggle at me don't you do it don't even think about it you did not I stop alright that's awesome so see you would just change the heights up a little bit different um okay so girls break let's do this same group of people without an armchair how do we set this up if we don't have an armchair because somebody is at home going well what if you don't have a chair okay so I'm gonna move the chair out of the way and uh aaron you're gonna be up next yeah so you can uh you know we have chords on the ground but you can either do standing or six cd seated on whichever you choose to do but let's just change it up so now we have another option for posing and let's start with three add four and then out of fifth okay okay all right let's start with victoria um and let's go ahead and do a pose on the ground so we'll go ahead and you get down seated I'm kind of on your hip like we did before um so we'll start yeah perfect just like that yeah just up like that with your arm out beautiful okay and then um is it gabby can be perfect all right if you want to come in here and if you want to bring your leg back just a little bit more so there's nothing for her to kind of nestle in there next to you scoop back right next to your mom I love it you're get next scooter back are you her beautiful looks great and it took me five years to figure this out you guys are three days you're awesome that's going to start with three yeah um let's see all right um all right tatiana if you wanna wait for now take control being charged own it and if you want to come sit right here ready to squeezing your mom um yeah I just kind of sit back on your hip a little bit and spread your legs out that way let me get back here and see what that looks like um scoot over just a little bit beautiful than if you don't want to kind of just lift up from your center squeeze in together so where are the other side are you what do you think is it too bright for my blinding you this would be blinding you so yeah that's the thing with reflectors to your reflectors need to come a little bit from the side and angles they're not totally blinding um if there's subtle enough they'll add that catch light without creating squinty eyes we have a little bit of squinty eyes but not too much but we need a little catch light how's that is that better gosh look that catch light in your eye so how do you feel about this let's shoot it okay yeah is it um full length is it um I all the way um I think I would start a full length and then zoom in for a face shot maybe okay got it okay we're gonna pretend that the wires aren't there and we're gonna move this out of the way just a little bit more still get a little light there we go okay so let's lift up squeezing together tilt your heads together just a little bit squeeze in beautiful that was looking for mom right that's great now beautiful I love it the only thing is I would just change it up a little bit um change a couple of things about it so I'm gonna have this leg come up so we're creating those triangles again right and tuck this leg under yeah you can leave your leg back there I won't see it that's fine you can leave that's fine and then I'm gonna have georgie kamal right over here so you're gonna be like this leaning over your mom so right here put one knee behind her back beautiful and hide your feet behind you so go right so swing your feet behind you believe your knees where they were and now lean over your mom's shoulder everybody's gonna lead together right here see the difference so what we did for everybody's body so um gabby lean on your elbow to your mom just little bit more yes see what we just did you guys at home see yet beautiful heads together georgie lean over just little bit more squeezed toward your mom just a little bit mean adjust this light just little bit really well that's too much to write their own some can you come home this right here real quick oh look at that now at home please keep in mind that um we normally wouldn't have all these wires here so pay no attention to the wires clean together just a little bit more ah there we go beautiful and just look through the background released the hyper extension your elbow just a little bit so bring your hand closer to your body that's it relax it perfect yes squeeze together okay georgie lean toward your mom just little bit more turn your face for a little bit and come over her shoulder just brought more lean towards me towards me see what happened right there so so little little fine details I'm going to keep driving those little fine details home I can't wait for you guys to see that before and after and you guys get that at home you guys hey can I get some feedback from home people you love in it anybody know okay now stay right there let's add two more okay girls come on over noodles noodles I'm hungry come on over so now where were we put her um solely who all reacting so okay listen to me when I was your age I had an uncle who used to sing this beatles song to me all the time called michelle my belle it used to irritate me right like I hated uncle johnny would come in singing all the time who show and and now it's a good memory so someday you and me like crazy photographer was singing to me just saying okay ready so where you gonna put her let's try right down here kind of um uh on your knees maybe um their ego took your knees back behind you stood in towards your mom beautiful now here is where I'd let her legs go out to create that triangle okay so come on here hip and let your legs swing out to the side perfect that's it knows what's up e I got a really good spot for you I have a super special on ly for noodles spot are you ready like no one else could have this bye do you want it okay it's right here you have to sit this is my magic spot right here do you see the little magic spot if you sit on that spot good things happen magic happens you get it no not are you in charge of that okay so you need to sit really special way on my special special spot right so cause I want to make sure I can see your cute little feet so let's go like this and roll onto your hip I got to see those feet do you do you like candy toes I love candy toes I call him tick tack toes can I eat one really you never had a tick tack toe I do I like tic tacs toes you're gonna go right in there and they're gonna lean on your sister just like that okay so I'm really just trying to get her legs out to the side so I need to see your feet and I need to turn this way just a little bit okay now lean on your sister oh okay oh no does okay so I like this noodles I've got honey noodles to turn just a little bit because we're like shooting right up her skirt there you go that's better perfect now lean on your sister there's a beautiful dagnall now we can leave everybody the way they are or we can move georgie between your other sisters on this side so come right between the girls on this side and this will help balance out that seem just a little bit can you see that so that's it georgie arms around the girl's lean over them lean in put your arm like up on your mom on her back that's it you got it and then hold onto noodles leaning leaning a little bit more keep leaning towards me chin up lean in that's it I need my reflected to step back just a drop and we're busy hold already I had to take it out because well that right there okay gabby turn your face to me just a little bit more got it that's it lean on all the way over doherty okay and this is normal for this age we're losing earthly plane they they've been working all day perfect but you lied your sister your sister get up nice and tall lean on your sister blah blah la la la la georgie lead over them hold onto them get nice and close okay noodle sit up just a little bit taller just a little bit georgie lean over everybody all away squeeze in a little bit more little bit more all right that's the way would make that happen right perfect all right let's do one more thing okay um let's add tatiana all right come on in here we'll get down kneel up jordy stewing and yeah you coming round cup right there yeah okay see I see all right go ahead and tuck your feet back behind a little leaving an abuser happens if this theater sticking out from behind it looks weird but when they're coming out to form that base that no that's okay on our lights are really starting to change now so that's it georgie get nice and tall sweetie that's it leaning and victoria go this way just to drop georgie go this way just to see how I fill in the hole behind mom's neck right there so that there's not that space georgie go this way a little bit more lean over your sister's just little bit I don't know and gabby you got that model face she turned scared that like side left turn all the way to me that's it and slowly turning this way a little bit gabby go back a little bit further toward your mom who's more fabulous than noodles nobody ah there we go that's it here we already squeeze in odile's huh don't you dare smile don't do it everybody keep looking me gabby turn your face all the way to mee noodles lean forward just a little bit your wiggly squiggly are you legally squiggly sit up nice and straight lean on gabby's leg can you lean on gabby's leg for me you know every joining up a little higher lean over her sister's every time you squeeze squeeze squeeze awesome same grouping neo all the sisters together we're missing one little sister she's sleeping but in a seated position so you know if you're sitting at home like well what if you don't have a chair that's how we'll work that okay good let's do on less you know the sisters together yeah what's that yeah only if you want teo no maybe not no we don't need noodles no no you go you go stand over by mom no I'm kidding I'm so I'm just kidding I wanna be like no I want to stay you got to stay honey okay so um your turn so we've done sitting what's do standing okay show show me standing okay so tatiana I'll have you stand out and I'm gonna have you separate your legs how we say that separate your feet okay and um turn one hip to the side your toe out and we'll put your fingers in your oh you don't have pockets so just make a little god like pickpockets yeah just kind of put your hand on the crease there of your hip to your thigh there you go overhead sunlight directly above us yeah okay so um what see jordana I'm gonna have you stand right here like this okay hatching just can you do after that wait a little bit more forward that's better than okay dan cabbie I'm gonna have you standing right in front of tatiana little bit step back just a little bit okay and um george I'm gonna are noodles I'm gonna have you stand right here good job and then an aussie at all have you stand here unni cia sorry sweetie okay put your feet spread sweetie put your tip your toe out mommy I'm have you put your hand up on your hip a little bit good job okay okay now if you guys can lift up a little bit and then just tip your hips back a little and lean in together journey and if you could put your arm kind of behind your sister to get a little bit closer and can you stand up sweetie there you go and I don't have any lean si with your arm its little heart can you step actually this way just a little bit sweetheart there you go and lean back a little there you go and if you can pull up a little and lean forward between them we're just little bit more okay good well talking to him from the camera now right okay okay good hey noodles can you put your feet like your sister's with your feet separated a little bit stand kind of like a triangle there you go right and can you put your hands up here on your hips a little bit like that there you go you have put your hands on your head and then let's see how about gabby can you put your hand up a little higher there you know like that make a triangle on the end and can you point your toe out good all right so I'm gonna have um I have one of you give him a little bit of light so uh whoever wants to come in and just catch enough of the light that they get a catch light but without lining them out altogether it's it's like it's literally right around there that's a great start look at their feet beautiful you started the base of their feet we built a triangle from the ground up gabby lean out this way a little bit more so not with your leg with your hip yeah there you go and then um tatiana lean over your sister and relax outback elbow so they don't see it and then gabby bring that hand more to the for hip flexor so put your finger right where your thigh bends alright down here for your side bends keep going and pull it back just little bit more there you go whoa look at you almost to de pants okay so jordi lean over the side and then suli armed down just a little bit lower oh you poor thing it must be uncomfortable walk around here I'm like this all the time is it or you just don't even notice it anymore you don't even notice it anymore so twist toward your sisters just little bit now see the only thing is you see where um silly is compared to everybody else they need to lean in to her just a little bit so already lean over get closer silly lean back just a little bit and whoa um where's my will find cracker where's my firecracker and so there I am a little bit higher than their waist level if we're gonna do this is a full length so I'll come down just a little bit so that I'm more at their waist level and I'm not creating any distortion what's up noodles it's her can you fix her uh skirt there you go way go noodles we're live honey we've got to move it we gotta move it every lean in ohio they have gorgeous back light with a little bit of that reflector on them um slowly moving to your sister just little bit more lean into her lean and yes harry oh look how gorgeous say look we made some minor adjustments to what you did but that was really good and you're getting more comfortable talking to him and going back and forth and doing the whole thing right how's that working for you guys you feel good all right let's do another combination this was aa we had five here um let's do five but using uh two older brothers okay and christine that's going to be for you where are the boys okay the one that didn't break his fingers poor guy our son has completely changed directions this is like honestly the worst possible light can have right now um so I'm gonna move a little bit more inward towards the house so I could get a little bit more shade on them if that makes sense to everybody so I'm gonna kind of go this way so that they're in the open shade pieces the sun is coming up over the house um our light is totally in the wrong place and I was a near miss okay so okay so christine here up cans don't worry so much about the background will kind of go in this direction so that this way we're not really seeing any of that stuff back here and look what we have right here what is this foreground this is foreground baby okay yeah it's a good thing I said that the right way hey come on brothers so no no don't worry about the notes don't okay just don't have one of those two just those two okay so then let's go ahead and I'm gonna have you go down on your knees right here but I want all the girls with their older brothers okay yeah all girls okay so um then let me go ahead and yeah let's have you just go down on both knees right here okay and then let's try to look at this new angle okay so let's have gabby okay have you come back here with me for a second have you pre thought this whole thing out no no ok so well no because we're at a different angle then yeah we are in a different angle because I mean we want to you know use this open shade that's available to us right now but even before we even no matter what situation we're in I really want you to go okay I have two older brothers they're this tall my mind I have tatianna I've got three other girls how'm I gonna pose them in a way that makes sense so I want you to start with the final product in mind okay so what I was thinking with that isthe since we have five we've got these two brothers I was going to bring them down on kind of the second level with tatiana and behind him okay which creates my triangle and then I was going to bring in the three younger girls in front okay okay okay so long as you start with a plan in mind and not kind of willy nilly all over the place okay so then um and we're probably gonna have to have you at the single are you shooting right I'm sorry I'm totally in the way I'm never gonna mess okay yeah I'm shooting that's good weight height of going off to in this direction towards our cameraman back there hey guys get closer together okay and then we're gonna have tatiana come in and you're gonna stand right behind your brothers and you're going to go ahead and get started I'm not trying to step on you and you're gonna put your feet down between him and your come forward just like that sorry okay and then I'm going to keep them up because we've got this foreground here okay okay so I'm gonna have let's go ahead and have giordano jordy stop and I'm gonna put you right down here in the center ok and right now that's the best place for her because she's the taller of the three little ones I was thinking so okay let's keep this okay let's keep on okay and then I'm gonna have both you girls come on over and I'm getting a real basic pyramid and I'm not intending to do that so how would you finesse is at this point because I would have the girls call down finish it up and then okay on that go ahead and come down get on your knees here and then I'm gonna come over here actually you're a little taller so I'm gonna have you over I'm gonna have you right here and then let me look at your guy's is heights ok so then I'm gonna have to to feast so you're right you should be in the middle so I'm gonna have used over here I was right about what you kidding I was actually telling the little one she was right I want you what did you say she says I should be in the middle of uh oh I think you did all right we're gonna come back here okay and camera yeah I want you to actually look through my camera okay so right now my problem is that they're all on different levels yeah I have to just my exposure because we've uh we've come into a different uh light and we're a little bit backlit so I'm just gonna open up a little bit okay so okay I see is it home let let were tethered now correct okay great okay so at this point I would finesse um and have the brothers coming closer so if you can actually have the girls back up okay oh yeah really isn't a foreground yeah yeah so you the boys stay and the girls otherwise like the four rounds totally eating him up okay and then I'll have the brothers lean up over the girl's shoulders in front okay and then tatiana over up over the top but then let's go ahead and how jordy you've been kind of come up on your knee and kick this knee out so you're outside me ok ok it's ok it's ok um yeah yeah it's okay so um I did shoot it just so that we'd be able to see before and after you know from whom perspective let's just change it all together so you guys kick all the way out I think that might be the first time would you start all over from scratch okay so I'm gonna place tatiana right here that's it you're gonna separate your feet for me just a little bit and abby you're gonna come and sit right um floor in front of your sister was that uh come up on your knees let this would move out and put your feet back behind her a little bit there you go on now lean on her so by putting her feet into that little niche I'm actually moving her body closer see how close their bodies are right now so in this instance if all I had was this is our way to show us without the opposing prop sir is there there is you could do this exact same thing with tatiana on her knees okay and her sister's legs coming underneath that accent you imagine her on her knees okay okay it's just going to be hard and yeah okay so gabby you're gonna come no I'm sorry jordy you're coming right back here and one foot's gonna go behind the back my little blocks one foot comes this way gonna back away from your sister just a little bit hide this hand bring this hand in and squeeze over shoulder already better right look how good she looks from here okay all right come over here a pumpkin pie your foot one foot's gonna go over there once was gonna come over here yeah that's fine but I want this foot all the way up here there you go see what happened her body here so if she's too far back by stepping her foot up and leading up and over faces are together guess where we can add brother in writing this beautiful see the difference okay yeah I'm going to shoot this okay guys lean right between the girls right in here me nice and tight together perfect you can actually lean over this shoulder so bring your foot out this way no you're good yep you got it or you don't come around her shoulder up a little higher sam straight for me but one foot over here you're working too hard for me man now lean over her that's it now lean over into the center here we go okay ah everybody squeeze together lean in that isaiah go to the middle just a little bit more and then surely lean over your sister just a little bit right there right is that I get that right uh I'm gonna switch gabby and sully right now no jordi and suli switch dario casey why did that okay what's that height that's exactly why and let's switch you guys so that we can kind of hide that farm a little bit that's it so your foot's gonna come out here this what's gonna go behind there you go hand here yep she's got it there you go lean back toward your sister just little bit now over hold on her okay you seeing that you need to see it from over here okay pretty lean over sister just little bit guys lean forward uh hey lean forward towards me just a little more get a little closer to your sister bring your hand more turn towards her wrist that's it yep and get closer to her step in step stupid do you yes looking like I got to shoot this shot okay every lead together gabby turn your face towards me just a little bit yes oh my god you guys are gorgeous squeezing out gets a mouse squeaking oh that is a fake a smile I've ever seen in my life girl yeah I'm talking to you thinking like hey I see the difference in that huge huge difference I'm really glad you do that because it's a common thing that a lot of people would do and I really want to show boom how do we fix that awesome in the heights for all I know you're trying to use the height of the boys but use their height for standing and build underneath them in a way he was the little ones and build on top of that does that make sense you guys rock

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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