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Artistic Posing

Lesson 16 from: Unique Posing for Weddings

Doug Gordon

Artistic Posing

Lesson 16 from: Unique Posing for Weddings

Doug Gordon

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Lesson Info

16. Artistic Posing

Lesson Info

Artistic Posing

the reason I want to elevate myself here is because again thank you do I have enough tether okay so I have to do this on the red wall you're going to come over here because I don't have enough tethers so you could see it live you're gonna come right over here beautiful turn sideways course here looking down now again I love to shoot down because this element is going to do what it's going to start then her out now in her case she doesn't really need it and I don't think I'm going to get in as close isn't really want to come we can't take that for one second thank you turn your head to your right a little bit tilt the top of your head to may tell her what a good dad a girl stay right there so now I'm an appetite priority again one point four take a look look at what happens to softness that unravels that's a pretty beautiful image isn't it now watch what happens when I bring her chin up to me look up at me beautiful more turn your head to your left not so much back over but chin down a ...

tad come one step to make good just like that looking at me turn your head to me a little bit you are doing spectacular now this gets a little tricky because you're at one point four you have to watch your focal length but look at that eye does she not look stunning look att the softness of the veil that's all because of and how does her face look it looks spectacular doesn't it it's all about creating something inside just by elevating yourself now let's take a look and see what we can do here I love mirrors love them love them love them using surroundings come right over to me beautiful I want you to come right in here to the mirror now years ago when I first started shooting what I did was I would be here and shoot into the mirror and then I'd get everything I don't want that I want to make her one with the mirror so watch what we do we're gonna leave her and to the mirror but turn your head to make look at me I want to make sure that I get her bangs out of her face chin down a little bit look at me beautiful turn your head to your right I'm turning her head to the light okay so watch what we do here again the relation to the mirror is going to change everything one point four look at me beautiful smiling bigger oh not too much actually go serious soften up okay I'm gonna tell you why I went serious in a second okay take a look at the reflection here changes to cropping the reason I went serious is when she smiles what happens under I and with the veil on top of it how much work is that going to be in photoshopped to remove it now watch here looking down turn your head to your right a little bit actually go to your left a little more go to your right turn back more stay right there take a look look at the cut looked at the crop and how it changes interesting image isn't it interesting image creating a different unique look can I have you for a second you stay right there beautiful are you using auto focus even though she's not using auto focus there but I'm focused for the eye I'm trying to keep it by bringing the bailout in front of ultimately come I'm creating a question blur at that point now watch what we do here going to bring you here you're going to lean into the mirror again what's coming behind her just like that come in nice and close when you know start a cheek relax eyes back a little bit the hare is very sensitive very conscious of the hair that was bid my homeless had that window experience I was open pour amanda I'm coming to get you turn your head to me beautiful little bit little bit more little bit more just like that turn your head a little bit more to make a little bit more now adding him to it changes everything take a look that's really impressive it's nice soft light now how did that happen can any of you answer how was able to get him in what did I do I realize I tilted the camera to him tilting gets rid of things most of my tilts of the hide things but it works great and I got a question shoot no good yes albert do you have in do you follow any guidelines in the background in the foreground to four tilting I hide getting rid of things that are going to be a distraction and I'm gonna be annoying to get rid off it's a matter of setting things up like you look at this window right now it's a distraction right so watch how I eliminate things one of the things the biggest problem with photographers where they forget to do things people are afraid to move around the house and move furniture so what I'm going to do here is ultimately I don't like a couch that's right on the wall because if I light it what's gonna happen I'm going to course shadows are and I so I want to make sure this couch is centered I want to make sure it's a way of my center yes right with that window now watch what we do here remember it's about surroundings can I have you take a seat right in the middle beautiful of the couch you're going to sit back and I want you to slide all the way back I want you to be really comfortable throw your arms up on the couch good next now she looks terrible doesn't shit because we haven't completed her body turn your body side we slide your backside back now turn turn your body this way and coarse you like over look at what it does not turn your legs to me now how does she look she's got that she's got some junk in the trunk and magic is happening you go girl right there look at it so was showing body now her arms look great but they'll look better when we cover it up side to the hands side to the hands we got light honor we turn a face to the light looking at me chin up a little bit girl look at that seductive look on her she's got it now you stay right there I need to know from all of you and all the people at home and I the only one who realizes that when she looks at me she's in love with me it's so obvious I'm sorry everybody wants a big guy in their life we make women curious good here we got looking beautiful serious charge ahead to you right now if I miss my meeting what happens can I shoot this at one point four do I recommend to all of you at home to shoot at one point for you have to have good lighting and a good understanding of your relation to the subject if you screw that up it's a mess on remember photoshopped has not put out the the blurring yet okay so I don't recommend at home look at me beautiful chin up a tad now he's my problem I can't shoot at one point four because I don't have the room that I need with the lens okay but I've separated from here so I'm gonna shoot it what two point eight chin up gorgeous turn you head back to me a little bit you are doing spectacular stare it er wonderful now hopefully below the window out and get exactly what I'm looking for how does that look works pretty good right now I want you to look down beautiful eyes down chin down it's about capturing surroundings here's the other thing I've taken this ten foot wall by elevating myself and going wider and make this room look gigantic haven't I now what about adding the guy to this okay albert here oh you think I'm going to deport no no no wait go it's all right that when it hits you in the head and you own make no good come over here take a look right here look at heart she's just like working it so now here's one of the things that drive me crazy the photographer's dio did book oh yeah let me get this let me pose the groom with her doesn't work well what about it doesn't work it's gotta be a simple so let's take a look he puts his hand here he looks back at her do I even need to see him dude I did my macho pose now she's going to be more in love with mei based on this so watch this let's do it this way you hold her hand do you think he's gonna be in this image okay look step out I must let speaking really slow tio could someone get me a big piece of oak back so I could draw pictures for good look down actually turned your head looked the other way more good girl once I can stay right there so what I'm doing again I'm controlling the light here keeping it sauced he doesn't really need to be a part of it does he nice and relaxed turning your head look at the lights coming in at a forty five toe a body cutting through her face through her body look similar right did you should do anything for my camera because it doesn't come out right it's all on you okay take a look now I've got to make a decision here do I go this way I want you to look at the difference I'm making a bad decision now because I've made her look bigger ok doesn't look so good does it not a good angle but this will become a better angle chin up beautiful more more take a look at the deference but we're not done yet so what you gonna do that looks better doesn't it so what we're gonna do here lean into high no no no push your body out like you're walking away going back look up at him leaning closer now do I include him move over a little bit closer to the couch good I don't like his body position he's awkward we know that from looking at him so move out of there you go take a picture of me and hard just look at the magical what do you think you just press the button that's all I'm doing is good do it and I want you to lean your body energy back good good just like that okay this doesn't work for him so what we're going to deal with change it come in here just like this looking away but do I want to see him put your hand on the shoulder okay look at the way he's holding her hand nothing natural about it side looking down beautiful now obviously had fixes jacket and such and then we cut him out and now when we cut him out we see the best part of him it's a pretty nice image isn't it it's a matter of cutting segments up on working with what you have I can't stress that enough let's bring him on the black wall for a second hop on up beautiful okay hold on one second you're gonna come over here get on the wall put your back up against the wall course your feet come over here beautiful you're going to come in here just like this it did someone right in the chapel it yet if someone touch me like that I really coming close look for it turn your head look down what's the most important thing having their faces both in the same direction relax is her hand good right now no because it's too square it's got to be on this side looking down and take a look if I do this right I'm going to be able to create something now is my lighting ideal know why because this right here is doing what it's broad siding her isn't it lean forward a little bit beautiful turn your head to make or just good just like that absolutely perfect there couldn't x for better oops you're going to see something what do you think it's gonna be quick all rick's bowls to take a look because I didn't lock the exposure now look what happens to the window framing that's a nice image isn't it very soft very simple very easy so let's take some questions because I know him over on time again I'm sorry that I keep going way our gun you take all good take your time I got more time to pose yeah yeah yeah really do you want you want to take some more time to pose I would love teo is that all right what is it all right with the people at home you can carry your ipad with you you could cook and look it may talk on the girl don't going to go like doug in a box dug on a rod maybe okay let's do some more all right we'll do some more okay so what we're gonna do here you hop out I'm going to do something I didn't get to do yet amanda's inside being like he were wendell our lunches good come over here real quick we're going to do a little bridal for posing what is that I might take you to a real quick right over here let's take a look I love using hands so we're gonna bring her hand here hand here relax your hand always get the site's lean forward hair out of the face just like that we're going to come in here going to come in here look at me beautiful I'm shooting directly into a bright window that can't be a good idea can it who cares because it's a rule so we should break it because that makes it fun if someone tells you you can't do it what should you d'oh do it good so I'm bringing this fight end again isn't agreed that I'm just using regular constant lights keeping it simple so I'm working with constant simple lighting making it really easy for myself right there you're doing terrific on now I'm going to do just like I did with bride and groom I'm gonna make it really easy do you guys have any idea how many poses we've done today it's been a crazy crazy amount looking at may so the key here chin up a little bit beautiful good lean forward to me just a tad going just turn your head slightly to your right good hold it obviously this is not the lens I'd want for this but we'll work with it I'd be using the seventy two two hundred chin up a little bit smiling gorgeous nice and happy hold it right there good just like that excellent let's take a look that sounded a little fast so let's see am I getting the blowout that I want on the background not as much okay so I'm here watch how I change it here just like that relax tilt your head to your right turn your head a little bit to the light watch what we do here looking at me going just chin up eyes here a little bit smile and beautiful nice and happy hold it let me find what I'm looking for one second I'm looking perfect happy teeth that's fake good don't move now we're going to change it up we're going to bring the veil around the head we're going to bring in a nice and tight here just we want the bail to go a little bit translucent and blow out just a tad tilting here we go looking at may you're gonna look at me here and you're going to be serious again eyes up here chin up a little bit you were doing great stay right there and look I'm getting right on top of her again I'd be using your seventy two two hundred turn your head a little bit to your left good looking right they're excellent eyes up now I'm going to tilt the camera the r the way take a look just like that eyes on may good eyes on me serious wonderful don't move so look one way she's looking at I'm tilting in a direction she's looking all the way I'm tilting the other direction look at the strength of her eyes there jumping here go hold this turn your head to your right a little bit tilt your head look at mate you're doing wonderful take a look so I'm tilting to the right and going a little wider perfect smile and beautiful happy come on the data girl now look down for me beautiful take a look eyes down no smile just like that good now turn your head and complete in total profile walk forward to may walk walk walk walk walk walk walk stop turn to your right good just like that now I got profile like sorry I'm going through it so quick but I just want to prove to you that again here we go looking down beautiful stay there eyes down wonderful eyes out looking straight out good smile and gorgeous happy teeth wonderful take a look one she's walking down one she's going forward how's it looking we're doing pretty good aren't we now we're going to go right in here about two more minutes worth opposing we gotta live bring your hands here we coursed her arms just like that we finished a pose and here we tilt their head to the right then we're going to bring the light up just a little bit but look at me with your eyes beautiful turn your head to me slightly a little bit just like that good excellent serious close your mouth up good don't move now watch what I focus on it go from there I'm going to go directly into a ring shut up a little bit beautiful good and I'm actually going to crop to the mouth so take a look right there I'm going to get rid of that I am finish cropped now from here I'm gonna turn it sideways and a basic pose hands on your head just like that turn your head here I'm gonna light into her face as traditional is compay and now watch how I change it we did this a little bit yesterday but I'm going to show you this way we get what we're looking for hold it right there one second excellent looking it lookit here beautiful look at mei good smiling gorgeous happy that a girl don't move now watch how I change my cropping look at me serious again no smile good you're doing terrific hold it let me find what I'm looking for you're doing terrific good stay there by their good now look down beautiful noticed a crop chin down I'm cropping cutting her and a half again I'm looking for just simple soft lighting excellent right there don't move now look up at me chin up a little bit beautiful tilt your head just to tattoo the left wonderful stay there hold it you're doing great don't move stay there smiling beautiful happy excellent how's my exposure everything's pretty good isn't it just looking and getting exactly what I want so how many poses that we just still in six minutes dominated we pull off another twenty goodall details that's all it's about quick and easy transitions ok go ladies what questions do we have cause I know we can't go to it's been quite a few you beautiful asking about whether you chimp or not um chip whether you chimp what does that mean when you look at the back of your camera while you're shooting whether you do it or not and then boogie googly googly you need a bookie do your clients ever asked to see the photos on the back of your camera during the shoot and what do you do what did you do when you're not so well established and recognized to make your client's trust that all the awkward posing did make them look beautiful I know we talked about this yesterday it's not about number one do I look at the back of the camera what do you think it slows me down I know after doing it as many times as I have I have to have confidence in myself do I show them the back of the camera never I want them to think that what I show them in the finished product is the way it comes out so definitely not and what did I do what I wasn't so established I think that I faked it with a fake confidence that I could get it done because if I don't have confidence in myself that's going to be the person who's leading me around like on a leash all day telling me what to do what not to dio because they don't trust me okay I'll give you an example had to deal with it for the first time this year that young lady I was telling you about before jesse public's who's one of our highest staff photographers she's got a terrific cult following I'd almost say she was pregnant so we didn't know exactly when she was going to go out but when it finally came the only person who would be acceptable obviously to fill in and do her weddings was made this where the clients didn't get upset so for the first time ever I had to deal with clients who had impede extra for me because obviously I charge more for myself than I do for my staff so what happened was I had to deal with that walked in and I wasn't I had to change my way because they didn't come to hire may they hired jesse so I had to adapt to what she did and change but I let the clients now don't worry I taught jesse I know what I'm doing I promise you this will be fine and once I got through that initial gutting them no it was fine you have to have confidence in yourself no matter what if not fake it you'll be fine because I wasn't confident it sixteen I wasn't confident a twenty probably wasn't even confident a twenty five um but I found my way to make sure that I was confident there's one thing I'm good at in life and it's this business and I'm going to make sure that there is no halfway

Class Materials

bonus material

Day 1 Slides
Flow Posing Guide
Bonus Video: Workflow: Doug Gordon Photoshop A
Bonus Video: Workflow: Doug Gordon Photoshop B
Bonus Video: Workflow: Doug Gordon Photoshop C
Bonus Video: Workflow: Doug Gordon Photoshop D

Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

I loved every minute of it! I watched and re-watched the Live show 3 times and now have the video version to burn into my mind. I don't get sick of watching it, I learn something new with each viewing. I have notes upon notes, inspirational quotes and I was truly inspired. I saw you live at your workshop and I wish we would of covered the business section a bit more in depthly because after watching you here on creativeLive I was floored! I can't wait to attend another one of your workshops because you are a wealth of knowledge, energetic and you inspire me to be better! I'm so glad I wasn't afraid to try even though I was terrified at first. Thank you, thank you, thank you for being such an amazing mentor!

a Creativelive Student
 

Doug is AMAZING! The way he teaches makes it fun and easy to understand. The way he poses his couples are so fast and easy to learn, I have taken my photography from mediocre, to world-class. I would love to meet him and thank him personally one day. Thank you Creativelive for introducing me to Doug, and thank you, Doug, for introducing me to CreativeLive! The best community for learning!!!

Adrian Farr
 

Doug has so much enthusiasm, it is beyond measurable. He is truly a fantastic motivator. He helps you understand the best ways to work with the light you have and shows you some very simple yet effective posing techniques. I highly recommend watching and buying this course if you want some great advice on improving your photography.

Student Work

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