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Shoot: Editorial/ Fashion, Switching Angles

Lesson 12 from: Lighting, Logistics, and Strategies for a Life in Photography

Joe McNally

Shoot: Editorial/ Fashion, Switching Angles

Lesson 12 from: Lighting, Logistics, and Strategies for a Life in Photography

Joe McNally

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Lesson Info

12. Shoot: Editorial/ Fashion, Switching Angles

Lessons

Class Trailer
1

Class Introduction

28:46
2

Location Assessment

19:52
3

Gear Overview

14:09
4

Direction and Wardrobe

09:53
5

Exploring Location and Available Light

05:49
6

Bar Owner: Setting the Scene

27:38
7

Shoot: Bar Owner

40:49
8

Shoot: Bar Owner, Evolving the Look

49:57

Lesson Info

Shoot: Editorial/ Fashion, Switching Angles

So, let me just do this. (camera snaps) Sorry. (camera snaps) (camera snaps) Right now, I'm just kinda trying to figure out what this light is-- if it still has a useful nature at all. (camera snaps) Let me go back to my original, sort of, proposal here. Let's go with a-- can I grab a 35? Thank you much. Now, can we get the small, little, speed light two box into play please? Are you done with this guy, Joe? Yeah. No, no we're still gonna use that, that's gonna be my main light. Cali, can you wrap it this way? When I say "wrap a light", you see how it's kind of side-lit? I'm gonna have her looking more this way, now. So, for her position now, this is too side-lit. We've gotta literally wrap-- You want me to come around the bar, then? Can you angle the boom, or is that gonna be too much of a pain in the butt? It might be a little difficult, we can come all the way over here. That should be fine. That's fine? Alright. Then, just project in from that side. Oh, okay. Aw...

esome. Do you want me to still go in more? Yes, get as close as you possibly can, if you don't mind. (crew chatters) Alright, so we're experimenting with different kinds of light. You guys can go back into position, I'm sorry to have rousted you. (crew chatters) I'm really still feeling my way, I mean, you know-- Yes, Susie. Over here, the light, you use it really close and I wanted to know; is there another diffuser in that? Yes, the light is diffused at the source with two of the domed diffusers. It's diffused in the middle by and interior baffle and its diffused again by the exterior panel. So, basically, there's three layers of diffusion in that light. Which is why you kinda need two speed lights, if you're gonna go the speed light route. (crew chatters) Alright, so, I'm gonna leave this play, for now. Do you want a CTO or anything? No, you know what you could do? See the way you are right now? That's absolutely beautiful. Okay. You know what you could do is put it on one of the little junior stands, one of those-- There's one under the table, all the way to the end. Its kind of put away just because of the walking space. So, we'll put it on an adjusted clamp and we'll just bring it in here for her. Now, Nick might be happy about this cause I think I'm gonna go with 1.4, you know, we'll see. The problem is, it's very enchanting right? You look at this bar as very enchanting but looking at this over here and I'm thinking "that's just awful looking", out the windows. I don't see any efficiency in turning her this way cause the artwork up in there doesn't really work with the feel. This, the look, and the feel; the beret, the way she's dressed, the way she is kind of exuding confidence, and kind of moving. It speaks to somebody at a bar, you know, having an afternoon-- What would you do in the afternoon? What kind of drink would you have in a place like this in the afternoon? Cocktail. Cocktail, yeah. All of them. (laughs) Alright, now, pivot your shoulders more towards this light if you don't mind. This way? Yeah, that's it, nice. So, this is "E" (taps on bar) Right over there. (laughs) Alright, okay. Need a light? (camera snaps) This is just test to see-- alright, so... So now, this group is hot. Yeah, could you give me a light please, Cali? Yeah, sorry. I got it You got it? Yeah. Thank you, Andrew. Cool. (camera snaps) So, now you see the effect of the low fill? That's the little soft spots. See how the main light was wrapped, and nice, and pretty but it was also a little bit of character to it cause it dropped a shadow on her cheek. She's got great cheek bone structure, so it crafted a shadow. That shadow is now gone, this is a TTL light from below. Can we actually lower this? Yeah. Cool. Is that too low? No, I think we're alright. Now, again, if you could just kind of blasé lean into the bar like "I am waiting for my boyfriend and he is late. Oh my goodness, I am so bored." (model laughs) (camera snaps) Maybe not quite that bored, just, you know... (laughter) That kind of veered into "soap-a-rific". So, lets stay just this side of ennui, okay? Do you guys like that light? I think it's gorgeous light, that's just plain dig-dang gorgeous light, okay? Now, lets do this; to make things even more painful. Can we take this row of chairs and put them back up on the bar upside down, please? This one as well? All of them? All of them, please, yep. (laughs) Thanks. You gotta get along well with your crew, you have to respect their skills and how hard they work. (chair scrapes) Because, you are lost without your crew. If you've noticed, a lot of times today I've said "please" and "thank you". "Move that light, please?", "Thank you, that's great" "If you would", "Would you mind?". Because its just the more congenial way to operate. There are photographers out there who are a little bit maybe on the autocratic side of things. I tend not to fall down on that side because I think it's just not necessary, you know, its just not necessary. You run a congenial set, it comes back around to you, it really does. Alright, nice, nicely done. Thank you guys that was awesome, terrific. (camera snaps) Hang on just a second, let me just see what is happening with those chairs. Cool. Can we just lose the near chair to her, just lose that one and everything else can stay. Thank you, Andrew. So now, lets got to 1.4 at 1000, and we are maxed on the Profoto B-1. I can tell, its barking at me, the air remote is saying "boop boop boop, we're done, its maxed, leave me alone". Alright, sweet, there you go. Beautiful. (camera snaps) Alright, now, could we get a full CTO, 200 millimeter zoom, on an F-Group light, F-Group speed light, no um-- Actually, you know, you could leave that shaper on there, lets just give that a try I never do that so why not do it in front of several thousand people? (model laughs) Full cut? Yeah, full cut. Actually, no, no light source. Lets just go raw. In the box still? You can keep it in the box, if that's easier, that's okay. Andrew, where I'd love you to put this; see the window sill down there? Yes. Maybe just clamp it on that window sill, the open window; about at that angle, you gotta go behind the bar and just rest it in there, or give it to Cali. Perfect. So, when it's doing TTL with two lights is it combining the powers or do you know how it's figuring that? I mean, it would, if I put them in manual, one over one, you'd have one and then the other. You'd gain one stop. With TTL, it modulates itself so I don't know if I'm at twice the power, half the power, where the power really rests with those lights. I do know what I'm getting is more volume. There's two sources exploding in there so I'm getting more wrap, more volume, that's why the light looks more luscious than the smaller soft boxes we were using earlier today, cool? Yep Yep. Thank you very much, Brad, appreciate it. Thanks guys. So that is a F-group light? Let me just double check... Yep, 200 zoom? Yeah, sure, why not? Is that kinda what you're looking for? Yeah, I think that's kinda perfect let me just do a quick test. (camera snaps) Alright, that's a manual one over one, I'm gonna take it down to 1/16th power. Okay, sweet, beautiful, beautiful. (camera snaps) Bring it back up Beautiful, gorgeous Alright see what that little light did? See how there's some scalloping on the chairs now? I'm at 1000 at 1. Could I be a real pain in the butt and ask for a 24 millimeter lens? I know I keep changing lenses, but, that's the thing about just the field of view. The 24 to 70 is my go-to lens and I could do that, you know, I could use that lens right here but the background of the picture will be kind of quote unquote a normal lens type of a look. At 1.4, that projects it into another area. (camera snaps) Okay, do you like the 24? Or like the 35? Cali, what do you think? Honestly, I preferred the 35 I think. I think so too, I think so too. Maybe just back up just a touch. Bad idea. How many bad ideas have I had so far today? A lot. Joe, just to clarify for folks at home, the mobile light that you're using, mobile cell phone light is for...? Auto focus assist, basically. She's very back lit Right There's almost no light on the forefront of her, coming this direction, so I'm just giving the auto focus a little jog that's all. Great. Maybe Cali can do that light? Would you mind doing the auto focus assist? Not at all. Same thing as before? Yeah, hang on, stay with it, stay with it. Okay, nice. (camera snaps) what do we think about that? I like that a lot better. I think that's nice. I think that's nice. (laughter) What are you gonna do? Cool, cool, okay, good, nice (camera snaps) Lets keep working, nice. Good, good, good, and good, nice. (camera snaps) Beautiful, good expressions, good expressions. Eyes at camera, there we go. (camera snaps) work it, work, work, work. Beautiful, beautiful, good, good. (camera snaps) Nice. Nice, lovely, lovely. (camera snaps) Stay with me, now, stay with me, home stretch, home stretch. (camera snaps) There you go, good, beautiful, beautiful. (camera snaps) Cool, cool, cool. Stay with me, hang in there. Alright, good, good, good, nice. (camera snaps) Beautiful. (camera snaps) Beautiful. (camera snaps) (camera snaps) (camera snaps) (camera snaps) (camera snaps) Okay, keep your arms in closer to you, please. Good, that's it, that's nice. (camera snaps) (camera snaps) (camera snaps) (camera snaps) (camera snaps) (camera snaps) (camera snaps) Okay. Let me check some of those. Would you mind looking at those? Cali checks my LCD, I rely on my 1st assistant whether its Cali, who's with me or whether it's Andrew who will insert himself as our first assistant-- Cali does video. I want another pair of eyes in there, okay. Because, the simple reality is you can miss things. You can miss things. I'm working like crazy; I'm moving the frame, I'm worried about auto focus, I'm tapping my buttons, I'm kinda like moving the camera around and then at the end of it I want some sort of confirmation before I abandon the location. Cali, do you think we hit it? Yeah, I think this looks great. If you wanted to do one more set, I might pull the crew in the corner out again and just-- Yeah. If you guys wouldn't mind, one more time? And I would just fire off some more and you'll be good. But you're sharp as a tack, cause you're great. Good. One other thing to keep in mind, too, is you'll see, going through, that light that I put out there is kind of coming around on her face a little bit when she turns-- see how its just hitting a little bit there? Yeah. So its really nice when her chin's a little more towards you. Yes, okay. Yeah, like right there. Okay, so, sweet-- But it looks fantastic. Okay, sweet, just don't turn so much that way. Chin to me, and to here, this is your arc of movement. Okay, cool. Alright, here we go. Beautiful, little assist. Sorry, coming in. (camera snaps) Stay up a little bit, draw your arms into yourself. That's it, good, beautiful, beautiful. Again, Cali, please, good, nice, nice (camera snaps) Turn chin, chin down like this and turn your chin that way. That's it, lovely, lovely, lovely. (camera snaps) Stay in there, stay in there. Now eyes at me, eyes. (camera snaps) Good, good, good. Stay with it, good. (camera snaps) Good, nice. (camera snaps) Pretty. (camera snaps) (camera snaps) okay, and there you go, good, good. Sorry. (camera snaps) (camera snaps) (laughter) Ill say "good" and you pull. Good. (camera snaps) Good. (camera snaps) Good. (camera snaps) Beautiful, beautiful, keep your arms in close. That's it, that's nice. And... good. (camera snaps) Good. (camera snaps) You're late, Joe. (camera snaps) Beautiful, stay right there, stay right there, good, nice, stay with me, alright, good. Bravo, bravo, bravo. (applause) Thank you. Thank you.

Class Materials

Bonus Materials with Purchase

Joe McNally Gear List
McNally Lighting Diagrams

Ratings and Reviews

josborne
 

What is there to say, this is a master at work. I feel like I owe Joe a hundred lunches for the information I’ve learned from him and used in jobs through the years. Personally I relate to his slightly self-deprecating style quite well. Joe’s a confident, supremely knowledgeable and incredibly experienced photographer who doesn’t need to wear that on his sleeve to get the point across. He is also clearly a great leader who has built a terrific team. I snap up everything of Joe’s I can find and use it as a library, where every time you watch you take away something new. Thanks Joe, you’re a legend and good on Creative Live for offering this wonderful and beautifully curated course.

ileana gonzales photography
 

When I saw the chance to learn from the great Joe McNally I jumped through the screen at the chance to be in the audience. It's one thing to see how a fantastic photographer works, thinks, composes and styles, but to get a behind the curtain view at the way his entire shop operates was truly amazing. By allowing us to see Lynn's processes and Cali's workflow it encouraged me to diversify before taking the plunge into the business side of photography. Truly an amazing team and an unforgettable learning experience.

dlevans
 

Joe is fantastic! The wealth of information, experience and extraordinary talent he shares is invaluable! He's also a very engaging, humorous instructor who keeps an audience a part of the "discussion." Don't miss a Joe McNally class, seminar or workshop opportunity!

Student Work

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