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Second Beauty Look

Lesson 22 from: Beauty + Fashion

Matthew Jordan Smith

Second Beauty Look

Lesson 22 from: Beauty + Fashion

Matthew Jordan Smith

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Lesson Info

22. Second Beauty Look

Lesson Info

Second Beauty Look

You're very lucky. You give me a shot right here. I want to see this incredible one. Want to take a break for second. So now we make a judgment call. All this looks great in our mind's eye. So now we have the for we had the background all day working together. Are they fighting each other? Sometimes less is more so let's. See this without this? Is it stronger under one more? I really love the shot. There was also this that has more texture to people let's see, bo, I think it's much stronger without and this is what happens on set all the time. We have these ideas, but you don't know what works until they're they're one set. If you have an idea that doesn't look good. Don't do it. You don't make it work. Just a very good thing. They always trying to make your voice kind of make it work. Forces profile might be better if she won to wayne let's. See that? Wow. I like both versions of this both garments and on the job I apply. Shoot. I'm sure my client will want to shoot both versions. And...

this is the variation you told me earlier. That would be the variation clients would always want to do a different version of the garment the major would say the same her look is the same and then we shoot it and maybe didn't call what we have but we'll probably shoot both to get it in the cat so interesting from getting out of the background absolutely it was fighting having that makeup with this background material was in conflict it was too much less is more what's the hero this confuses the hero of the shot so you take it out and then you shoot so I won't bring you back into shoots images of her make a custom for you you think it would look better with a darker richard that but to bring her hair into it or anything just a nudist best I like the new because then it seems like it's not in conflict my eyes go okay that's what I want yeah absolutely wasted attention first wouldn't the government just wants one that I want to see it on the talent on the talent they will fall down and the system versus on her way she sits the way it falls that's beautiful that garments beautiful so here we have fashion incorporate into beauty like you'd only see it wanna cover but the fashion is the accessory fashions the accessory in the same way our paper is accessory she's all yours e little neck so now keep shooting as she's shooting and creating she's not to worry about the light well, the camera or the lens or all the stuff she can worry and think about creation and focus on the model, the camera, the lens, the lights, that's, all secondary. We've tested everything already. Now she can focus on being creative, thinking about her crop, the image and getting the right shot. She would have to look at the back of the camera anymore and see she has the shot correctly. She knows she has that now all the focus is about creation, and she could do that and guide and direct reply. It is a great place to be because you're confident, you know, your light tested everything you're ready to create right now profile doesn't look so good, so you want to make it going into more keep your eye on her the entire time so she does know small things when she's not being aware the camera, you might find a gym in that moment, you can direct her right back to what you saw. That was amazing. Okay, stay with her the entire time. Stay with her. So when change is a happening on set, my focus is always on my model. My assistants are checking anything else, make sure I'm perfect. My focus is right here the entire time on the model looking for those small nuances that changed throughout the way I like how you were just looking at just barely a little bit alright look right there, sweetie right there bring your hands up for me just likely yes, right there. So now she has the hands in the shop so earlier on when she first walked in here and I were talking about her fingernails and there and the paint and we made the call the judgment call to go for clean nail polish so could have the hands to use well, she came in they were dark nails so we want to make the change so they come in they can be used in the shot and not distract from the face perfect switch that was great. Thank you very much. Like thinking like that morning news? Yeah, I think so. Yeah, I think so. It's so good to have a team working with you because everybody is focused on one thing my makeup bars sallis was looking at different parts of the shop for the first shot we had the nose ring in and it worked so now just now and like oh, you think it still works on this shot and I don't take it out your team help you throughout the day that creative team the stylist, the hair, the makeup the assistance they help you make your shots they make it better they make you better as photographer that's how it happens thing is working or I like you but I think I like it let's go let's go back to that even we could do something with the paper to show me show me I love this I love creating this is why change from shooting sports doing fashion beauty I love the creation of my thumbprint on my work it's a beautiful feeling with us down I lose it so now we're using paper again simple paper as a garment from your local art supply store paper you have what you want you want to take it home and experiment with it it's all yours past beautiful so as we're shooting in changing my son is coming in and he's checking make sure nothing is one point that's a crew there watching every small nuance and it changes not off checking their phone texting and all that stuff they're one point checking to make sure everything is perfect every small detail is right I have a question right now I have a comment from our friend zack areas who has been watching you today he says tell madam he owes me a dollar each time he says one light then he says I'm going to be rich way will I love my one light was going anymore that um soft paper I put it behind sorry now the question matthew from tammy hi it's really ring lights have always been popular for glamour and both head shots do you ever use the large soft bring lights and several people have asked about the ring yes gabe I ask about the ring light because they're they're in fashion at the moment uh and they come in and out the ring light isn't like that so distinctive in its look I'm not a big fan the ring light for a lot of reasons number one the ring light on the model is very hard if you shoot a lot she'll leave saying rings it's a very intense light to use on it gives you the right to use you get the ring around I don't like it it kind of reminds me of the seventies um that's my personal opinion again I'm not a fan of the ring light have I used it yes not often I use it every blue moon you can't get away by using a very easy light learn light wow wow wow wow wow can't have you maybe hold it but just keep your movie don't have your hands in the shot e just needs a little bit of pressure but you just have to work get to work there we are way past nice come for you to bring this clothe you want an assistant like this young man who's always on point going in taking meter readings all the time that's what you want once said you can't guess at it you have to have that meter and checking to make sure in the right spot right partners to come so your assistants are here checking the exposure checking the meter reader the photographer wants to create your team makes sure things together so you need a great team a great assistant a great makeup ours in hairstyles a great stylists because you depend on that team so you can create if you're thinking about all this other stuff you can't create you need the team to back you up and then you can create great images so that's so nice I'm getting chills right now way are creating this in class in class imagine what you can do on your own imagine what you can do on your own we're using paper paper for props for the eyelashes around her neck you can do this at home it's on ly one light it's about the creation question from uh daisy ozunu lulu and that is does the addition to the wardrobe like the white paper ever require a change of exposure under over that's very good that's very good absolutely so you do need to be aware in congress and of that I thought about that when bored it out if you are putting all white around it will it blow out so I'm looking at the mark to make sure we have detail in it and we're fine but you must be aware of that we'll blow out if you have a big soft box with a blow out my look at your image we have tons of detail in the white because you're not yes ing on the light you've read every pit of where the light's falling in the sweet spot is here and it falls off down here where that white is so sweet spot we were meeting is right here and then the light falls off so we're not exposed on the white at all it's all within range and not blowing out that's control of light that's beautiful that's beautiful fast great form e I love that I love very much that was great that's fantastic you think feel like guys to shoot this was it feel like for you everything like everything but you don't have to think about is almost you're just saying that you're doing yes you're there just to create you should break shots just I love you being put on makeup artist her st the profile was great how callously street we're gonna sign and I love that foot because I won't leave envisioning went I'm seeing in my camera so I'm only envisioning a small portion of the picture she see it it you know come up on the screen I loved being ableto work down was that around great great great great way love that this is a back drop with a little texture I want no one right now. Okay, you know what? We're looking at a changed since what we had on before let's see how that looks? I'm not tender spring. That is no thiss problem creation is so much fun you are the shot is different and you're guiding the team and the team feels the energy in the room and you get better images we shot our first image we had a guideline and then we start creating we got even better stuff we had our outline, we shot that and then we're free to create we have all this in the can and this is how a job happens. I keep getting more jobs and more jobs and bigger jobs and more ads and war campaigns. This is how it happens and this is a lot of fun. I love it it's the chair for christie so you may want to bring them down. Thank you. That looks so good. How do you feel and what a big change in that first look I mean totally opposites. Now imagine those in just side by side, beautiful opposites the opposite it's all right here you getting that you're getting that this's so beautiful, okay sides before if they're right there right there right there, go profile like that again, way like that background or not let's see how it looks if it works oh not twenty years old alone making sure the bag that they are tethered first good can going profile like that's no nice that's beautiful that's beautiful right there seems we like that white background or not first I think it's stronger without it guys storm without it's nice but I won't focus on her I like see it fall off and I'm not fighting my tension not fighting for the background or her it does have a very matisse feeling about it the background but I want to focus on my hero this is that same kind of look looking away so when you have a comparison of this or that keeping my what's the hero what's the emphasis beautiful I liked this so much right there right mi has beautiful beautiful hit don t just stand right there nice and straight on to me that's beautiful past eyes that's nice actually don't again right in there ted moore that's nice fast guys there that beautiful, beautiful, beautiful dogs again a little bit right there right there that's so nice that so I love this stuff questions, questions. Chase jarvis is in the house with your questions have a question from joe mcdonald who asked, you know, when shooting like this, one of three of the things that you think very experienced photographers don't know or failed to dio uh, I think people who are experienced pry shoot too much because they feel they can, because that would his chute a thousand frames so they feel they've gotta shoot one thousand frames to get it. But you don't need to do that. You'll find if you shoot forty, fifty shots, you might have a shot then don't you feel it? Let it go and go to another variation or give the model a break so angie stays high if you wear her out with a thousand frames she's going forever, you've lost that energy, so don't overshoot that's one problem. The second problem I see with people who are in experience is there always looking down at the camera, making sure they have the shot once you've done all you're testing while she's in hair and makeup, we're doing all the testing and tweaking at that point, so we know we have the shot I have my team has my back and support, and I trust my team, my hair, my makeup, my assistant, this palace, they are washing all the elements so I can concentrate on creating the shot, right? Who I think learning how to trust your team is very important, great, thank you and trust yourself, absolutely. It's a question from robert flynn as many fashion photographers are doing video for clients along with still have you added shooting video as well? I have not and that's a question I get all the time have I added video to the equation of shooting stills and yes, I love that the moving image as well or better yet I like the moving image I love the still image I love that instant it that's frozen forever we'll never have another incident like that ever again I love that instant being frozen in time forever I love the still image just because we have the option to do video you can but you don't have to don't feel you've gotta follow the pack warren buffett does not follow the pack be your own man or woman and do what you love not what you like next question wilbert cs would like to know how long and hours does it take you to do a photo shoot from start to finish? Oh wow start to finish if I'm having a great time and the whole crew was having a great time, we might shoot from start time of nine and fish seven if you're having a great time, we don't want to stop the most leave I've had those shots where nobody wants to leave or you face the job the entire crew what's what have a drink or eat or whatever you want that good feeling to end it's amazing it's magical we are creating this moment here and everybody in the room is experiencing that moment and the picture is just the result of that that's a glimpse into the day I love the experience in the room with my crew and the models that last a lifetime they're girls who I work with when I was an assistant thirty years ago and I see them now or like oh my god remember that shoot back in that anna is the experience we never talk about the picture rossi tire we never talk about the picture it's the experience that time in jamaica at that time and ice in that time here in seattle it's the experience when you all go home you remember the experience this is the magic the picture is that one moment within the magic having a great team that's always on point all the time that you trust that has your back so you can just do one thing create right here create they're watching everything else to make the magic happen was a team effort and I love that I like the pictures a lot but I love this experience the bonding my client with the models with the team with my assistance I love that we're all one big family it's a good feeling it's a great feeling and she looks amazing look at this how do you feel? You look awesome. Live live for this stuff. She tries something way absolutely show way talked about this a little bit yesterday, but happy now is asking, how long did you did you shoot by yourself before you could afford a team? Because most of us can't afford a team until we reach a different level. That's very true. As as a photo assistant, it was just me. I can't afford a team, so I work all day long want to shoot as the assistant, and I'm there working with the same crew all the time. Going on trips together. We're shooting in studio, we're traveling around the world together, so I'm going to no hair, make up stylist, and I'm testing on my own and I'm working on building a team little by little so those expensive hair and making people on those jobs becomes friends with me on those jobs. And then, like, oh, you are you testing now? Do you want a favor? This is justin together and those who would come my make bars, they help me test and then it grows, and then I become a photographer. That's our hiring bill as my team that's, how it happens in the very beginning is very hard to get people, yes. But as your gets better and better they want great talkers to work with so perfect your craft then the rest comes to like another one force okay question from sb in a typical week how many days are you shooting for clients or preparing for a shoot how many days do you dedicate to personal projects and testing or learning I wish I could put more time on personal projects uh there's never enough time you always being uh you're always working even when it's slow you always working when it's still you're working to get more work you're going out pushing emotion and having means of clients it's ongoing it's this kind of lifestyle when you're shooting and it's busy in a typical week um if it's advertising you might have one advertising job three editorials um and in between you're producing and trying to get time for you know for your life with your family and wanting to have time for your personal projects in books thank you go my good times goodbye gotta shoot timmy I need a break you guys got to shoot this shit wow so when you were creating like this it's not boring it's never the same and the whole team feels good maybe even a little passive passive nice beautiful come for just a tad for me it's a tad there there that's beautiful last night last night did you see a pro family bring arms around more there that's nice that's better past a better guess ipad beautiful right there right there right there right there beautiful face did onto me right? They're very soft mouths very soft down a mill crime just a little bit beautiful soft mouth that's nice that's nice I love this this makes my life all those moments that happened you can't repeat them it's once in a lifetime and if you want to create it again you can't take questions again I'm having a great time to shoot this again you guys come on up students are saying I can't leave I love this I want to greet and keep shooting myself but I wanted to have experience also capturing this moment and experience the feeling of being in this seat with that happened right there it's a great feeling it's a great feeling who's next and also want to sit like this when you doing editorial the hair and makeup changing and creating the entire time even if you're doing an ad for ah hair client here doesn't stay the same the entire day is changing evolving as the day moves on nothing stays the same it's always changing, always evolving that they have in the workshop uh you used three lights I guess yes yes yes could you explain a leader with I was sent so on the shot that you referring to that's on the the uh creative description of the workshop yes we're using one main life amusing es para umbrella I used the para tu twenty umbrella for that shot which is a big source behind me like a window source and I have lights from the back coming as cutters so from behind the model I have screen grab any one of these lights so our names that you're describing I have a main source in the front and I have a light here give me the rim light behind her and then we have a black flag like there here to block me from getting hit by that light on both sides that's it so these lights are coming back to give me an edge light uh the flag blocks me from getting hit by this light and we have the main light why use a bigger source instead of the beauties for that uh because I there I'm doing hair and this is a hair story actually so I want to get coverage with hair as well and this light won't cover me with hair okay without my big pa ra will so when you do here you would just bigger I use the biggest source of an additional lights so I have this being a cutter and it's also knowing that that rim around the hair yeah yeah once you learn how to use one like first then add the others but master that first then brain other lights hey I want to add more stuff and more stuff yeah, but master the one first and then add the others now we have one goal for the list question from rab cummings do you find that you get your lights darold in with your assistance but then when the model steps in the lights need to change you to skin tone color clothing color hair reflections etcetera when we're doing the testing before the model is on set I am taking into account the model not the assistant I'm thinking about the model so even when I'm sitting in there I'm thinking about the model being there not me some think making sure that I'm thinking about her and not letting me it was lighting for me that they do a different interpretation of it but I'm always thinking about my subject not the assistance or me we were standing in we're lighting for her we're testing the lights arranging lights for her shot matthew uh ruby it looks really good ruby marine would like you to please remind them what the difference is between advertising and editorial oh thank you thank you thank you so we have advertising on one in in editorial on the other editorial is some of what we're doing now we're shooting for magazine and every magazine has their own brand say were hired to shoot for brides magazine one of my clients and were hired to do an editorial a beauty story where they're shooting for the magazine wish weighing six seven eight pages for the magazine and it's the brand of the magazine and I could be creative and do all these different things in editorial advertising is very different a lot more pressure a lot more people are a lot more on the line and you're not playing around and getting extra shots you were doing just the concept on ly with small variations so advertising using a lot more money get paid ten thousand dollars for advertising when editorial you might get paid one hundred books now those against numbers I'm just throwing out there but that's the difference in rate but editorial leads to advertising editorial is we've become famous getting your name out there but I want to see every month your name is on the editorial your name is not on the advertising next question question from will burt's soldier girl do you still get nervous on set? Oh wow do I still get nervous on set? Yeah I do but it's different it's like a energy down anything else than a nervousness uh it's like I guess what are you equate to playing sports before the game before the game? If you would ask kobe bryant, does it get you know, feel weird before game? I'm sure he does is the excitement I feel that excitement before the shoot I love that feeling, it's nothing like creating I mean, look at them right now look at them they're having a ball I love being in that mix and creating and sometimes you'd go crazy, but I want to pull it back and get the right stuff in the very beginning, people go crazy wedding too much and it fucks fighting and when it does pull things out and remove them less is more. I saw a comment I saw a comet in the chat room a little bit a bit ago that somebody who hadn't been with us all day and said, wait a minute, we're they're just using one light wait a minute process your photography is the product or the process the process is the process of creation, so this is all about look at them having a ball over here model the hair and makeup they're having a wonderful time creating creating images that last a lifetime that instant it's a beautiful thing very often that one shoots topper has to be director at all times and keep it home in the end he stays at a certain level you must be aware of everything going on at all times and make sure the crew is not going off on other tangents from focused that's your job keep them focused to get the shots to help you get the shots keep everybody focused if it becomes too much, take something away. If it doesn't work, take it away. Don't push it very often. I feel like we had to use everything that we brain. You don't have to there's. No rule that says you must use everything. Les is mohr less is more so here I feel we have too much going on. You think it's too busy. Okay, we have to make texture going on. I'm confused now, but what I'm seeing so hee I want take things away out of the equation and keep it simple, simple and classic and beautiful. And you can't do that with age as well. But make sure you stay in control of everything you're doing everything that last one was like that's. Really beautiful that's beautiful. That was perfect. Trade places and bring somebody else in to shoot you. You have a chance. I think I have my you know, you have it already. I'm not sure, but I believe uh, okay. Oh, yeah, we need to go there. There's one shot you had. It was so beautiful when we have time. Okay, perfect. So oh, yeah, you shoot this first and they will go to break side I lost track of time there a softer one. You're going back to this after one perfect beautiful just her less is more and just like this if it gets too much in creation take stuff away take stuff away because that can happen where a guy gets happy and brings other elements in forgets busy take it away and get back to basics get back to basics yeah he's gonna fire first ok it's on should you want to put this over here just one while we're setting up we'll take one more for your more uh well I wanted to read out a comment to you um from laura camerata who says I've got the flu I feel very sick at the moment but matthew's positive attitude makes me feel so better so thank you thank you laura thank you you're not just teaching people that lifting their spirits feel better laura feel better she is all yours excellent we're in sixteen so through all the changing all the moving around all the material coming on and off we want check and make sure the explosions to the same and guide her back into the light but we'll always testing into shaking so always the entire day testing and check it go down to high goto going very well I would love to spend all day just shooting a story based around this it's great to have a talented beautiful model town's a beautiful hair and make up a great crew when all that comes together, you get magic it's, a great feeling, angry, discovering new talent. Laura, you're fantastic. They're beautiful. We have to go to break someone stopping for right now, thank you so much, man. Thank you, laura. Thank you. Taking a break for a second, thank you so much, it's. Incredible.

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Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

Thanks Matthew for the super informative courses. I'm from Thailand and I'm very impress with the way you speak. It is super clear and very easy to understand. Your answers to each questions are extremely inspirational. I think you are the best teacher on photographing so far on Creative Live. Each of your answers and information are very motivational and very thoughtful. Thanks again for this great Live broadcast. You are a great teacher and a very nice warm person as well.

a Creativelive Student
 

Thanks Matthew this two days have been amazing, and I am looking forward for the last day,,in which you will be talking aobut the photography i would like to do, since is my dream to be a fashion photographer i have learn a lot from you, and this expirience has been amazing, if i only lived in L.A. and not mexico city, i would definitely write you a letter and try to be your assistant to learn as much as possible from such and amazing photogrpher and person; once angain thanks for everything. Thamks creativelive for bringing this amazing photographers, and letting us learn more and more about the amazing world of photogrphy.

a Creativelive Student
 

This course has been an awesome experience. I have learned so much about the process of beauty and fashion photography. Matthew takes the viewer through the preliminary thought process. He not only covers the technical aspects but also the importance of the photographic team itself--the stylist, makeup artist, model and photo assistants. The photographer plus the team equals magic. I do not use the term amazing lightly. This man is AMAZING and INSPIRING! Thanks to Matthew, I feel confident that I will find my own vision.

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