Lessons

Lesson Info

Day 20 Bonus: "Mandi Shoot"

I've been photographing this family for years in fact, the first session that I did with them was back in the film days eons ago, the boys for a little little now they're all grown so it's fun to be able to keep contact with these families all through growing up makes me feel old, but here we are and I have photographed all three of their senior pictures and now it's time for a family session again, so we're out at their farm mama set me a snapshot of their living room and that's the room that will be shooting for we are going to be shooting for black and white that's what we've done for this family throughout the years when we've done family sessions so kind of going for black and white it's on my instruction to them with their clothing was just to make sure everybody was in medium to dark tones on top. We never want somebody and white somebody in dark when we're photographing a family together because when you see the image, your high is always going to go to the brightest spot in th...

e image and that's going to be that lightest shirt if everybody's kind of in different colors if we do have somebody who has something lighter on I usually if it's a mom and want her through a scarf on or a sweater over it so it's not that glaringly bright white spot in the image so that's the purpose of laying out all the clothes and being able to see everything together that makes perfect sense to the client when you talk to them about that and so we've got everybody and medium to dark tones and it's gonna let great when we put it all together and photographing black and white how do you guys feel that way a model today three cameras pointing at you all right we're going to get I'm going to start and I brought these rocks over here because I thought they would blend with what we had going over here give us a little bit more toe work with but I'm the one who started to you know have you sit right here your legs up that way and e turn just a little bit right there good wait hold on you know put him on it's just to keep things got his own money yeah, but keeping him from going black for the pictures look at me something have you sit right here? Okay. Well I gotta be on top of the food chain right there and let's bring about their legs on on this side and the scoop is far back into many as you can you're gonna happen over passion just like right up in here like you're married wait we like each other and we're gonna lay on you right around her and good what it hopes scoot that back a little bit maybe and when it comes time you're gonna hug around her leaning into each other yeah that's good ok and then let's have um who do we want here let's have the day off right here hey every day with your feet out this way good devon let's put you right on the ground right here oh isat wet good alright that's perfect okay pjs almost back all the way to your dad some smarts okay then alex we're gonna put you right back in here and you're just going to probably hands in pockets or whatever's comfy there actually I like your foot up yeah let's hey let's take your phone out of your pocket though even if it goes in your back pocket for now it's fine we won't see it and all right this looks good in eastern you're all your shoulders towards me but you're bottom half can say like it is but just turn your shoulders okay and then you're gonna turn into her also so that bring that left or right hand around her yes yes that's great okay let's go ahead and get glasses on land we've got glasses that get dark outside so I had him take him off for just a little bit uh let's see, this looks great you guys okay? Alex let's take that your right hand on your knee a little further and left hand us maybe in your pocket all right devin you're perfect everybody looks great alright betty turned into denise is a little more just to show and that's good all right awesome hey bj could you pull your front left pant leg down just a little that's great we just had a little bit angle show and so that's perfect and try leaning forward right on your knee b j this a little don't gets lucky there we go ah that looks great you guys I love it and and I'm just going to check this out here real quick come on v j day or how this works this looks great and I love seeing that fence line and the and the drive behind you guys awesome relax your eyes bj good oh you guys look so great and I'm not chasing you around anymore like it was when you're little all right one more time let's look super you guys all right awesome okay I'm gonna have everybody stand up and we're gonna we're gonna toss our rocks for the moment scratch no it's just a spot that doesn't transition back okay mom and dad together in the middle okay guys, I'm gonna have you all back out we're going to get just mom and dad hear your chin back into him perfect and many lane and to her just a little good okay turn towards each other once freezing and that's great. Just like that. I like your your arm on hers. Lean your heads and together don't smush but that's perfect that's her big, huh? They don't like god or they like great. Okay, these just reach up and don't like pucker by just kiss the side of his cheek. E and I like the last dignity. That was great. That was perfect. I just looked at each other. Okay? Right where you are. Stay right. Like you are it? Actually, I like just what you did. Just step away just a little bit and just like that kind of keep your arms just casual, buddy. Let's, try taking a hand in your pocket. Yes. Okay, that's all right. Come on, guys. You're over there warming up while mom and dad are friesen teaching over there. All right, let's, go. I gotta decide what order I want to put you e oh, they're there all tall and grown. Okay, um b j, we're gonna put you right here once. What kind of behind your arm and either hand in your pocket or on your waist. Whatever feels good. Okay. And that's that's. Great. Pull your hand out just a little bit so we can see it in your pocket, yeah. Yeah and if you wouldn't normally say it with your thumb like that go ahead put your hand back and I just want to see part of it I want it all the way here that's great. Okay, that is perfect. Okay, alex let's put you on this side and right like that okay, we're going to give each of them their own space in this you're all grown so we're gonna bring you on this side and just kind of casual all right? We're going to do this and then we're gonna loosen it up a little bit on that looks great you guys okay? Okay. All right, that looks awesome. You guys are here okay and that is perfect. All right, everybody look at mom mom like a dad and let's laugh okay? And then I'm alex if you will go down on one knee right there yes and you go go on inside sorry kind of that kind of back where you were and vinny your hand on his shoulder is great. Yeah, perfect. Okay and then let's also go with b j feelgood down on one knee and damn it if you'll sit there feet out that way maybe that write me up good. Yeah, that looks good all right, um denise let's go with your hand on his shoulder and vinny let's drop yours ok, ok and just maybe I'm right on his back yeah okay b j straightened out just a little bit can good job let's bring your right foot out just a little bit bj good that's better okay good perfect right alex awesome force still still got a nice triangle composition going here and all right here we go guys that looks great alex loosen up just a little all right that you did great that was perfect okay denise let's turn you back into many yep snuggling together a little bit but he does take your hand up on her arm yeah good want that connection there and that's perfect any spring one foot out just a little bit to your feet aren't right together that's perfect awesome okay mom and dad lean your heads and together just a tad yes, that looks great alex lucinda bien she's got the best posture in the world and I'm trying to make it not so great okay here we got that is perfect you guys it looks awesome and focus okay all right the day will put you back behind and then alex go that way ok come this way I think this is gonna work try it okay. Um alex put a foot behind bj yep and then turned this has had just like that and you're going tio b j I'm gonna let you just keep your hands out like that and then alex he take one hand in your pocket your right one and yes I like this a little bit more okay devon come this way just a little if you can yes, this is good okay glasses on boys you did it and that is good to needs take your right hand on your thigh there go we don't want a hanging between your legs all right, I love this with the barn in the background this is great. Okay, tj um let's take your right foot a little closer to your dad's yeah, just a little bit different angle and then straighten out there all right? Okay, here we go guys looks great and smiling pj awesome. All right, b j try your right hand on your hip let's see with that looks weird your brain in front alex no final I get okay, try hanging your hand off your dad's shoulder just give you a little bit of angle. Oh, that looks good, alex a little bit more angle bring your right foot to me and then in your foot take it a little bit closer there we go. Awesome. Okay, this looks great. You guys okay? Ray looks fantastic. Okay, I'm gonna have you turn all the way the other way back to your dad you're back to your dad and let's cross your arms yes, turn your shoulders towards me just a little bit yes, let's go that way does it had okay devon that way just a little bit I know we want to keep you tall but um okay I like this there we go okay, that looks great you guys okay and let's laugh a little bit without eyebrows alex she doesn't know I don't do laughing without eyebrows, huh? All right it looks great you guys okay that's awesome but what you're going to do we're gonna have mom and dad in the middle and you guys are going to snuggle up however feels good you can just hold hands or put your arm through then he's whatever is good and then we'll have two of you on one side and one on the other we've got a little bit of a slope so we're going to put the day on this side since he's the tallest and are you taller? No, I think it's the hair all right, well you devon on that side okay and then that means we're gonna have you two switch all right and then what you're gonna do is we're gonna walk slow together and just kind of exaggerated feet in front of each other and you're just going to look at each other and talk as you walk so alright and we can start we're just go start right about there where where it starts to bend coming back towards you know we're gonna walk away from me okay all right so it was on the gravel on the gravel and let's go right about past right about where that rock is right there we'll start about there and then what we're going to do is and they're doing a good job of planning together all right and we're going to start with um and now I'll let you guys because you're older I'm gonna let you guys kind of decide who you're looking at normally I would say you know everybody look at mom and dad look at mom and mom like a dad but you could decide who's going to be talking and telling the jokes and you can all look at that person so I'll let you guys decide and all right and walk however is comfortable for you guys for the boys just you know hands down her hands in pockets how arena would normally walk okay all right and go and uh okay and everybody stop and keep your feet right where they are and just turn around look at me everybody like if you're gonna keep your feet facing the other way just look back all right and everybody scoot that way just a little if you can not beat it arvin you're fine okay okay everybody looking back this way hey b day little are there we go uh huh vinnie and unease connect their connect a little bit. Hold hands or something. Yep good okay now you're gonna do the same thing and just walk back towards me don't look at me all right all right that's perfect that's all we need all right you guys I am going to get um just a few of each of you boys by yourselves and then we'll be done you guys did awesome all right you guys look awesome I love it you guys all right horse around a little bit hee hee all right that's okay um uh all right devon when you go sit on that fencepost just like there and you guys take a break for two seconds all right it looks great okay bring that arm out on your leg a little bit further and kind of lean into it perfect you guys are pros at this off and I'm gonna come really close for just a second and good said awkward trudy changers shoulder just a little bit oh yeah that's good ok and smile the day hey awesome okay one more time hold on I'm going to get closer okay stay right there I'm not gonna just attacked alright, that looks good yes okay your turn you just did this so you know we get this all right um I'm gonna have you actually sit again also try to make it look a little bit different on I was going to take a different angle with with him no hey that's great that's perfect try taking that hand out on the fence yep good and looks great we've got super dark glasses on you right now. Hey, hide him for it, like sixty seconds. We can do it, it's. Not even quite as cold as it was. It's. Actually getting kind of nice out after that. I'm getting used to it. And what I might dio has just get a shot of you here with out your glasses. Just so I have eyes if I need him. That's. Great. One more angle. All right now likes good that snuggle in good. You guys, denise, turn your chin back that way. Just a little and down that's a tad good. All right, that looks great. Okay. And then, honey, let's have you just staying with your hands in pockets. And then denise, I'm gonna have you got behind him and yep, snuggle, just put your arms or his I love it. That looks great. Okay, alex great, you guys and in east, don't smush your chan quite so much or your cheek yet perfect. All right, it looks great, guys. Awesome.