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Live Shoot: Photo Booth Direction

Lesson 23 from: Editorial Portrait Photography for High School Seniors

Dan Brouillette

Live Shoot: Photo Booth Direction

Lesson 23 from: Editorial Portrait Photography for High School Seniors

Dan Brouillette

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Lesson Info

23. Live Shoot: Photo Booth Direction

Lessons

Class Trailer
1

Class Introduction

15:18
2

How to Make Senior Photos Stand Out

05:48
3

What is Lighting in Layers?

16:49
4

Build a Lighting Foundation

18:28
5

Layer One: Main Light

06:17
6

Layer Two: Fill Light

08:29
7

Layer Three: Accent Light

04:29
8

Layer Four: Additional Light

11:46

Lesson Info

Live Shoot: Photo Booth Direction

We'll switch over. We're gonna go through clothes, introduce our model, and then we're gonna start shooting. And we're gonna do light, different lighting setups again which I will explain. But we're not gonna get quite as technical with the lighting. We're gonna get more about the direction and capturing moments. And I'm gonna do a little more shooting. So it will be a little more rapid fire. Alright. Okay. So now we have Maggie. And she brought in these clothes here. So we've kind of, we have some options again with clothing. Any time I have a model, senior, whatever, we talked about these on the phone a little bit of like the general idea of what to bring. I like to keep things somewhat subtle and let, you know, the photos speak for themselves. So we have a range here from darks to lights. Obviously style wise, she has great style. So we have some stuff to work with. She came in wearing this, and that's what she's gonna stay wearing for the first shoot because why not. And with that,...

I'm already thinking of lighting. She has on a leather jacket, this belt. She's got. Everything's going on here that screams like the hard light kind of like that rockstar look. So we're gonna do some of that on camera flash and do some direction with that. We're also gonna do something that's less interactive and more just like hard light from farther away. Something that creates more mood. So we're gonna do two setups with that. And then she has this long shirt here and these leather, leather pants. So we're gonna do something, again something that's more pretty but also still has that edge to it. And then for the last look, we're gonna soften it up. And we're gonna go with just like your basic white tee, this pink jacket, and then, you know, kinda like some softer jeans here. And she has some really cool gold, oops, good shoes that we're gonna wear. And we're go for more like a soft, angelic type look for that. So we're gonna kind of run the whole range from rocker to something really soft. So we'll do about four or five different lighting setups, three different outfits, and that'll kind of, we'll be able to get through the whole range of direction and light. I'm just gonna put that there. So we're gonna start with what she's wearing. I'm gonna do a little light setup. If there's any questions about direction or anything like that, now would probably be a good time. And I think we're good with the clothes. So you can just hang tight. I'm gonna give you something to sit on while I set up. You can just chill. Grab a seat there. We'll move that in a minute. So we're gonna start with that on camera flash look with the B2. I'm gonna shoot with the 50. We'll make sure everything's working here as far as tethering. And this is where we'll use that TTL mode so we won't be doing a whole lot of, of metering to start. And we're gonna keep all the settings the same just for consistency. I'm gonna switch camera batteries real quick just so we don't have to deal with that. And then we should be good for the rest of the day. Alright. Make sure we're still connected. Looks like we are. Alright so we're gonna go on the white background similar to what we started before. I'm gonna handhold this. And we're gonna do the photo booth warm up. You've been in a photo booth before, right? Yes. Yes. That look says yes, but she wanted to say no and not do this. (audience laughs) I'm familiar with that. Alright so what I'm gonna have you do is you can stand up. I'm gonna move that stool off just a little bit. And we're gonna go right in front of the white like right in front of it. So you're gonna be standing right here. Like don't lean back. This is not a solid wall. You're gonna stand right here, and I'm gonna have you just kinda holding on to your jacket a little bit. Like kinda like you know, you don't really care about this anymore and just whatever over it. Kind of that look. And then we're gonna get into the photo booth 'cause I want to get that look just to start. Alright. Grab this. We'll do one test shot just to make sure of everything with, with this. It's still setup how it was before in TTL mode. I'm gonna leave the pack on there so I don't kick anything else over. Free up as much cord as we can. And we'll do one test shot. You do not have to do anything yet. Just, just stare right at the camera. Just kind of straight faced, yeah. Alright one, two, three. (camera clicks) Okay this is gonna work perfectly. In fact, I want a little more edge so I'm gonna put that reflector on this light just to give it a little more pop since she's wearing this leather jacket and all. I feel like it can handle it. Alright one more test shot. One, two, three. (camera clicks) There we go. That's the look. So what I'm gonna do is we're gonna do this photo booth thing. But I kinda want to be like photo booth of like the kid who doesn't care who's just like. You know, so you can be. You don't even have to look at the camera for all of them. I just want you like adjusting your jacket, whatever comes naturally. Like we can get a hands up, you know. Just like whatever you want to do. And every time I say go, we're gonna do six shots. Every time I say go, you just move and do something different. You can stay in one spot. But if you want to turn side to side, you can do that. If you want to look down, up, anywhere, you do that. But I'm just gonna say go. Every time I'm gonna take a shot, and I might take a few in between so just beware. Alright ready, go. (camera clicks) Go. Go. Go. Go. Go. Let's get both hands up higher. Go. Maybe even above your head just like you're yeah. Go. Looking down towards the ground. Go one more right here. Go, alright, perfect. So she's obviously really good at this. (audience laughs) Kind of like if I were to do it. Oh we have run out of cord. So I'm gonna scan through those real quick. And just so that we can take a quick look. But see that, you know, even though I moved just a little bit, the exposures always the same. And again when I'm shooting these, I'm going for like just a few good ones. I just want to catch as many possible expressions as possible. Now, what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna shoot from even closer. So we're gonna do a few more. Same idea but a little, a little more upbeat. So you can be more smiley, and I'm gonna be closer. So one test one. One, and I'm gonna crop even off the top of her head just a little bit to get real close. So I'm moving my focus point since I'm so close I'm moving it down to her closest eye again. And we're still shooting at the same exposure. So one. This is a test. One, two. Too bright. So, we're gonna go down a half stop. Same test. One, two ... hold on. One ... two, three. (camera clicks) Yeah, that's better. I can deal with that. So go down just a little bit. Make sure my focus points are still. It's easier to do this with two hands, not how I'm doing this. Okay perfect. So you can be a little more smiley, but you still don't have to have eye contact and all. You can be looking over your shoulder, and I might even have you turn more from side to side. So if you turned hard to one side, just kind of look back over your shoulder. But it'll be the same thing so. Every time I'm saying go, you're gonna move. So ready, go. Yep. Yep little smile but over your shoulder. Yep. Now looking back over your shoulder like almost like this. Yep. One smile looking down. One, two, three. Yep. Open your shoulders up more to me and looking down that way. Yep. One more smile like that. Now I want to get your hands involved almost like, let swing hard enough that your hair falls in front of your face. And then with your backhand, use your middle finger just to scoop it out of your face. So your other hand. Perfect. Then go. Alright ready, go. So swing that way. Let it fall. Let your hair fall completely before you bring your hand up. Yep. Yep, there you go looking over your shoulder. And you can smile some. One, two, yep. Even looking down. There we go. One more time. Let the hair fall and just look straight over your shoulder. You don't have to smile this time, more serious. Ready, go. Yep, now swoop the hair back with your hand. Yep one more looking right here. Perfect. That work. I didn't see any of them and half of them are not in focus. (audience murmurs) So you can see. I mean obviously, she's great. But the direction is that like. I know where the flattering look is for her 'cause I was watching. It's when she looks over this shoulder, and when I let her even when I let her, you know. That's we're gonna keep doing this and. I mean that's like lucky and cool and funky, but we're gonna shoot a few more. I'll get back to the end. And we're gonna do facing the opposition direction. But actually no we're not because the way your hair falls this way, I like better. Yep. Especially when she looks back this way. Because see her hair, it's more open on this side so when she's looking this, look back. Yep, so now you see how this is blocking. For me, that's perfect. Where the other way, it's just a little too open. So let me grab my light. I'm gonna shoot up close again. I'm actually gonna get even closer. Let me refocus. Okay. Whenever you are ready. Go. Yep, swing that hair around again. I kinda want to keep doing that so. And go. Yep. So when you swing around, open up your shoulders even more and end up looking like down at the leg of this. So yeah actually look down there once. That's perfect. So what I'm doing is I'm giving her a place to look every time, but I know that that's where it looks the best on camera. So if that weren't right, I would just move it. Like in my studio, I can look out the window, and there's a parking meter there. And I always know that that like at a certain time of day, that's where the sweet spot is for light. So when I have people do this, I'm like end up looking at that parking meter, and I know it's gonna be good. So it's kind of planning that out for technical reasons. So ready, go. Eyes up here. Awesome. Ready one more time. Ready go. Eyes here. Perfect and now the last one. I'm gonna have you sweep your hair back from your face almost instantly. So let it swing across and then grab it and look right up at me. And you can be a little more lighter mood. Ready go. Yep, perfect. Now looking over that shoulder again but still like a little happier yet. Eyes right here. Perfect. It wouldn't be a bad idea for me to turn the modeling light on. That's why the focus is a little slow. But we'll zoom through these real quick. Yeah so we have some options there.

Class Materials

Bonus Materials

Lighting Gear List

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Lighting Terms Guide

Ratings and Reviews

pete hopkins
 

awesome teacher and awesome technique. after soooo many webinars, it's really great to see someone break it down to the bare bones of lighting with exceptional quality results. i can listen to Dan all day. no pretense, no over the top emotional pleas, no drama! did i say awesome!!!! Plus, I'm a huge fan of the B! and B2 systems. Freedom is key. Now I can shoot anywhere, anytime. Thanks Dan.

user-2f7caa
 

This is by far the best class on senior photography I have found on creativelive. Dan explains the technical aspects in an easy to understand format. He does a great job going through studio shots, outdoor shots, editing and marketing. He's given me some great ideas and inspired me to be more creative. I am going to rewatch the lighting set up for the "hero shot". It's super cool!

Tristanne Endrina
 

Dan was great. His class was very comprehensive but easy to follow. The slides he used weren't flashy. Instead, they were simple and he went at a good pace. I left feeling like I could really pull off the lighting techniques he taught. I'm excited to put what I learned into my photography. :) Thanks, Dan.

Student Work

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