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Shoot: Chair Pose and Two Models Together

Lesson 15 from: Fine Art Women's Portraits

Jennifer Thoreson

Shoot: Chair Pose and Two Models Together

Lesson 15 from: Fine Art Women's Portraits

Jennifer Thoreson

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Lesson Info

15. Shoot: Chair Pose and Two Models Together

Lesson Info

Shoot: Chair Pose and Two Models Together

straighten the legs or no it's a length okay um what about if you put the weight on the back leg and here in a minute when we do it but your weight on that leg so the other like maybe sweet back this way uh with the uh you want to get over there with her for a minute yeah cool okay gonna fall or can you let the chair go okay relax for just a moment try this let's put your knees down in the seat and bring them a ce faras we can this direction so your feet are actually in this bid if if it's possible yeah if you could go further out let's do it but if not that's ok ok yeah um and do the same thing with you have been kneeling that's cool yeah the hands are great if you rotate the hand just a tiny bit more the other way you had yes in fact I'm not even sure we need the other hand unless you're you are you using it lets bring it up let's start with it no that's somebody with it if you can get the elbow a little closer to your face it'll be longer um actually shove it this way though and the...

n yeah yeah there we go right in the back bandages as much as possible there there there and the shoulder in the front if you just drop it down we'll have it great go ahead let that hand just touch it grab your face so you're kind of okay fall apart girl I'm going to keep you forever in my pocket this is so much fun do you have any questions while she relaxes firm in it when you're on location and models need to change they're out there how do you do that on location and then wear just wondering do you tell people when they come in to wear nude underwear and not to wear like skimpy underwear to wear specific type yeah it totally depends on where we are to like right we're in public right here so she needs to be wearing and she is wearing like a full coverage ron and like boy shorts or something if you're at somebody's home that's totally up to them they could be nude under there you know it's fine also I use a lot of visible paste ease and those gel bras because no I'm talking about their like sticky cups those were great in the tank by the way too because you don't get you don't get girl part showing but it doesn't look like a bra that you have to retouch out in regards to where to change that just totally depends on the location here their bathrooms right up there in that kind of thing I do this a lot of people's houses too I shouldn't say a lot but people's houses they have their own way always set that up and have a change back there I mean you don't use like one of those sun bounce things where you pull it up no that's what you fancy okay and just a quick question from joanne leboeuf the model seems to be very fair is that natural or was there a makeup applied teo give her even more of a fair appearance she is fair is you're here and actually read okay yeah so she's naturally fair and ideo tend tio look for models who are because I really love this mad if I ng effect that happens and flattening out effect so she does not come forward with background because her hair her I mean especially your face and I do photograph a lot of blondes and and natural redheads because of that too not that I don't like I mean this is amazing looking with her hair but if you see a lot of my work I do look for that but that being said they did apply makeup and for makeup I always ask for rosy cheeks matt lips pink lips and natural eyes and except for the accession ended this morning which is kind of fashion but this is the look I almost always go for playing down the eyes playing up the cheeks look kind of victorian to me that's really helpful maybe one more question from jamie photo says do you ever shoot male models well they're no fun I'm kidding they are on I do but male models no I don't they'll subject sometimes I'll do a husband and wife for something yeah thank you yeah ok let's try one more thing with its crazy chair put your hip in the chair and your legs coming off this way so you're sort of on your side yeah just do something kind of elegant let's try shoving the bottom like under the top like so kind of like the swimsuit pose huh yeah the way you had it's great and let's just shove your feet both back that way so you're really kind of totally parallel to camera now we just extend the legs I think I got it yeah that's beautiful now if you could let your head kind of fall off the side and I think maybe the arm too yeah um the other arm wish inc home arms are tough right um what if they touch the fingertips touch down there on the other side yeah that's pretty so this would be something more romantic sweet maybe for somebody who wanted a beauty portrait not so much this crazy figure study high fashion let's try to get the feet a little closer together to each other and you get extended likes out toward me even more if you want yeah so that other background is in the pitch it back there now the second tarps and somebody grabbed that so it's not in the shot are you doing okay is that painful okay I think we're done with the lighting issue maybe so okay so as I look at her if she's okay to sit there for a minute the upper body I'm in love with the lower body I would I'm gonna mess with a little bit more because the legs were for shortened right now and he's coming at me which is okay but if I kick the feet out toward me even more now the legs are long I just gained three inches in the legs you see the difference yeah let's try bending the knees and just because I'm gonna run out of background there we go very cool if you could just roll your face up but still keep the tip beautiful eyes closed for me good beautiful beautiful okay way um do we have somebody to pose with her yet yeah okay we're going to doubt somebody well while we're doing that we could do one more over here but um can I curl you up in that chair one more time but kind of on your side this time yeah can the knees go up onto the back of the chair yeah and I think the front leg touching so that uh try to keep the feet together if we can huh and then the front knee you're right touching the back of the chair maybe there we go now they can lay yourself your head onto your knees that's beautiful I think maybe your hands under your feet might be pretty yeah I just kind of gently rapping there you know it is pretty yeah that's or just maybe if we could see the left foot a little less in the right but a little more beautiful beautiful beautiful and I see clothes for me and really pressing the shoulders down so the neck is really long good maybe let's not see the left foot at all if we can just tuck it away yeah beautiful try rolling the face up we're just a little there and really pressing the shoulders alone beautiful so for illustration purposes if you bring your shoulders naturally toward your face it's actually it's pretty it's a different gesture but I heard neck is so beautiful in fact there's a little bit of hair on your neck right there yeah if you lower your shoulder one more time present back this way you can't there we go look at the difference in the neckline and I so close when were time roll your face toward you need just touch so its profile good last little thing is it possible to get that foot in there bring it upon its toe yeah can I come in the chair with you on the other foot couldn't go through the chair or on the way don't even need to see it really yeah okay trying to bring that one up so yeah so you're shin is kind of on the back of the chair is that possible yeah that's cool I really drawn in and tiny once you have the hair go over sweets in your face I think the other hand if we don't need it it could just yeah good eyes close lovely get in there close to you that's a pretty close up or just ok let's get you out of there for a minute high huh you take a breather and put a robe on get yourself a little warmer can and then we're gonna try to get a couple of you guys together hi okay can I see you in the chair for a moment so this is an example I know this isn't the way I see people but I see her is very high fashion or she feels high fashion to me her bright red hair and that kind of thing and I see her more romantic and like a sweeter softer image um and I love both so we're just going to do this chair pose with her a little sweeter if you turn your knees that way even a little bit further so all the way yeah uh if he can come up against the chair and then up on the toes yeah just let gently I think their hands out palms up I think if you skipped your bum this way a little bit it'll help so you're in the middle of the chair give yourself maybe another six inches almost toward the edge of the chair still turning your knees all the way that way though so even further away from me turning your body full profile the foot can go on the inside of the chair too that's why there you go now just let your back and shoulders on them both both shoulders fine there you go beautiful good so just gently let your head fall back gorgeous we raise the front leg just a little bit more god let your head fall back even more beautiful right there gorgeous ah something even a little further if you get there and really press the shoulder down low so we see the beautiful met gorgeous right there so pretty okay good relax for just a moment even that it's uncomfortable she could probably tell you that right it is's yeah yeah so just being aware of how far you're pushing people I know I was pushing her really far but she was going with me you know so but it just and I know even just this which is a more gentle version of it is hard it's really hard so can I try you standing on the on the other side of the chair back here and let's push the chair this way about six inches good if you could turn your back to it turn your back to the chair there you go you're going to face that way all the way can you put your hands on the seat of the chair into a back bend right there so you can use the back the chair for support and try to keep the leg straight if you can do it and if it helps if it's really hard to bring the feed out if you need to further away from the body if we can't get the feet together we'll have it that's beautiful you come up on your toes yes it's lovely just look straight up for me let your head fall girl okay so let's fall apart for a minute try because this right here is in my shot a little bit trying to move it this way but you're doing exactly the perfect thing maybe not even that far before you get crazy two more inches this way yeah metal should do it so pretty and then come upon the toes do it just I want to be her too eyes closed is fine beautiful relax for a moment so pretty so everybody has a different form and shape you know and she's her middle section everything now that this bando top shows the form of her ways and that kind of stuff so I'm just trying to play with that shape a little bit um okay way have uh two girls we can put together what we have we don't have to get her wet yet that way she doesn't freeze because I already got two girls that are drenched do you ever use older models or is using much younger models just a preferences I do like to use younger models I mean I know that that's a thing and a lot of people were cess with youth in this country but flexibility and strength and stuff like that inappropriateness you know I like to do these crazy things and I'm not sure completely appropriate you know language wise there's a language barrier and their and I would want to do something probably little gentler with someone who might be in their fifties or sixties you know what I mean so I enjoy these acrobatic thing so I like young models it still needs to come out I mean where it's like barely hanging up out there so we have a floor down there to put them on or you're gonna put another one okay that could do so I ask you another question well kate is doing that way we talked about this yesterday but janie's I tl photography I know that jenna is showing multiple poses for the purpose of training but do you go into a session with a theme in mind perhaps with the goal of attaining a particular post shot and work with the model until she gets you get to that goal or does the ultimate shot evolved throughout the session it just evolved yeah so I'd actually try not to prefer not to go in with a set goal unless I'm doing a composite or something but with a woman's portrait like I'm getting a tone of energy from her so I'm watching your face I'm looking at her eyes her expression she's she's really spirited and I can feel that so I can I know that she's willing from first of all but that I think it's a good challenge for both of us were working together to make these crazy things happen um so that it just starts evolving what if what if can we push it even further you know a lot of those poses war that's wholly new and I'm getting that from her so it's totally evolution that way yeah I think that's such an important point because for everybody watching you work you know people are joining us now versus later but just seeing how that it is that connection that energetic connection we saw that a lot yesterday as well on dh knowing that knowing that you don't have to have it all preplanned in your line and having that openness to just go on x merriment is very freeing and uh there's a lot of people get fearful that they don't know what they're going to dio yeah and then they just don't do it yeah if you don't know what you're going to do and you have a fear of that it's evidence in the model but I think it's really important this is that we talked a little bit about yesterday about slowing the heck down slow it down and really look because like she was in the chair a minute ago um with her hands down on the ground I think yeah she had her hands on the ground and she was tucked and rolled up there really cool never done that before and I think you know she talks herself back up can we push it one step further and put a knot on your elbows that kind of stuff won't happen if you don't really look at what's in front of you for a minute if you go in with a specific goal in mind wander and do the chair pose with this thing you're that's what you that's what's gonna end and stop you're never gonna push yourself past that another question from a quick question from teddy bear would like to know if you ever work with contortionists no that would be fun what about gymnasts would you pay for a ballerina are gymnasts or something I think jimmy's servant muscular but it would be fun I mean any of that would be fun yeah contortionist would be really fun and you find like the majority of models can do most of the things that you ask or would you say it's happened how I mean no not everybody can and I'm pushing her further than I would push most people ninety percent of them you know l yesterday we pushed her pretty far but princess we're talking about the miles yesterday the um alex the younger girl I didn't push her nearest bar push her a little but not as far the push alex I knew there was a limit their of not just willingness but actual capability if you pushed somebody past the limited capabilities frustrating for both of you okay let's not do the chair for a minute okay can I put you in a little fetal position so you're going to need all the way down on the background huh even needs all the way down so they're gonna huh there you go and kind of face you all the way that direction so you're totally even a little bit further way go and if you could bring the dress up so I can see the feet we don't lose them they just go between your a bomb in the legs and kentucky it up even further to where we start to see the knees and stuff like that would be good what I'm doing is just trying to get a view of her leg line otherwise she's gonna look choppy down there okay and just going to flatten out your feet and sit back on them so you're not on your toes you were you had the right idea yeah just so you're not on your toes you're the tops of your feet will face the background so you're toast will be out from underneath you yeah there you go perfect beautiful okay I'm gonna move you back well actually no I think you're okay what what I'm dealing with is thies too little barriers here some struggling with that quite a bit if you guys you probably concede that turn your knees this way just a little bit morris you're totally off camera opposite direction toward the background even more there you go good okay it kind of took you down so your knees are gonna touch your face basically yeah okay can we adjust her garments where the bra strap is not star the show that's beautiful that's beautiful just you can we bring your elbows out just a little bit away from your body so that direction just straight in front of you huh yeah not even that much actually come back a little there and now if you took your forehead to your knees we can see your face under there can I get one of just her like that because that's really pretty we're gonna add to it kind of suck in a little bit so yeah beautiful awesome you okay there we're gonna add a lot of weight to you so you're gonna have to support her body weight here you do it yeah okay she's good she's great yeah beautiful okay talking roll one more time some wondered what would happen if you put your feet there where her feet are and lay yourself on your back on her huh you let us know if it's too much you okay under there why didn't let your forehead touching knees so you have some support there you go if you need to be on your elbows it'll be easier for you yeah ok ok go ahead lay your head back on her head if you can okay so your legs um yeah I don't mean to be on the toes and you can even put your toes right on her bomb if we need toso the toes or touching that's beautiful okay let's bring your arms up over your own head so they're kind of touching her hands if you can get to him you're doing great I know it's hard it's beautiful though just barely touch with those hands very pretty can you reach her hands or not that's so cool both of you guys eyes close okay let's fall apart that's amazing yeah you guys were great so I mentioned yesterday I'm really interested in this idea of people supporting each other's actual literal wait because I think that translates to emotional burdens and things like that trying to kind of deal with that can I do the same pose with you but facing the other direction so facing uphill did he won't be a supporting weight this time is much yeah it's so pretty and go ahead and come off your toes because it'll be easier for you there you go okay is it possible now with arms to bring them down by your side so they're going to face beyond your poems up that way cool yeah let's move you to the center of the background just a little bit more though sorry we don't have a lot of space to work with there okay uh any more space trying to figure out how to make this happen in this narrow area it's pretty like you are actually um thinking we're thinking anymore space somehow um maybe if we got move you to that to the actual background closer to it gives a little bit okay so that big lump it's in the background was tryingto straighten that out a little it's a tree it let's put you right on top of that then so it doesn't become an issue okay okay still facing all the way that direction and turn you a little bit more though because right now you're kind of toward the camera a little bit so turn away from me a little bit okay we'll be one step this way just a little bit yet so I don't lose your toes and still flying out the fees here not on your toes uh okay yeah now so your cheek is kind of on your knee right there that's gorgeous okay can I put you I'm thinking with your your bum right above her head there and your facing that we're gonna lay on her but not quite as much so I think your legs will go that way too but you're gonna be on your back I'm sorry that was a very clear yeah well on her back so your your bum will be right in front of the top of your head and your legs are gonna go that direction out from underneath you yeah uh just sit on the back ground all the way so you're back it's gonna lay on her back yeah yeah beautiful can you tuck your feet all the way against you so I don't see the bottoms of your feet I kind of like him on the ground actually what you were doing go and lay the legs all the way down you know I'm just trying to point your feet so I don't see the undersides of him as much can the legs lay down all the way or is it too much on the ways yeah I'm just losing you in the background is the trouble can we move you're bumped her head anymore sorry hard that's much better actually I'm still seeing the bottoms of the feet quite a bit though so if the lives need to go straight up that can if that is that easier okay if you bring him up on the toast if you can do it and right up toward your body if the left leg is closer than the right we'll we'll have it yes that's lovely okay it's lovely okay eyes closed guys hands are great can I have you bring your hands right under your own face um yes I'm sorry I'm bad with names that entire weekend just kind of like this they'll be back a little bit they're good and let your shoulder go down in the socket good that's lovely okay upon the toes if we could do it back bring him in torture obama's faras they'll go gorgeous gorgeous can I roll your face away from me now if you just roll the face toward me a touch so I see your face just kind of let it fall this way even a little bit more right there and I was closed really pointing the toe the last shot try to get as close as we'll come teo there got it okay fall apart beautiful ladies so pretty um so I have a question about your shooting in color we talked about how you shoot in black and white you your end results are in black and white and I know back in the film days I personally would see differently when I was shooting black and white film than shooting color film so when you're looking at your shots are you looking in black and white and are you seeing sort of those tonal range is and you are you looking in color no I'm seeing in black and white and a lot of that actually is things that concerns that I can dismiss for one thing we talked about color cast things like that but it's important to look at this in black and white because I know when that translates later her breasts her her skin tone all that is is really close range to the background right when it's not in color we're not going to see her form like we see it now her upper body her skin all that is it's coming off the background because she's in color so when I put this in black and white later you'll see a lot less of that it's gonna become one dimensional just kind of what I'm after dimensional really so jenna question from the reminder and ella who said they noticed the dress is soiled with dirt and wanted to know if you love that or if you plan on phony shopping it out no I love it yeah I think I know that all these symbols sometimes sound a little bit cheesy but to me it's relatable to this entire um baptism cleansing idea showing the actual dirt in there and then water on the bodies with like a cleansing ritual again I know said it a thousand times but baptism death and rebirth I like it it shows a little bit of a struggle I think maybe a little bit of kind of dirtiness and grit that gets in there you know I like it I just have a question about thes supporting poses do you ever study dance to get ideas or are you just saying what will happen yeah it's both but I love to look at dance yoga all that stuff you know seeing how people support each other's way and watching potter does stuff like that it's amazing to me to see what people can do you know and while I'm not going to translate that step directly it's fun to see what's capable you know I mean what the body is capable of and then try to kind of stylized in my own way but it's a great place to look

Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

I can't review the course as I haven't seen it yet, but I am buying it. I'm buying it based on the one free session on inspiration. I was so moved by who Jennifer is and her courage and commitment. I want to know her; be her friend, because she is so fearless and courageous. She admits that it took a long time for her to find her path. She reminds us again and again that it is hard -- art is hard. She was inspired by amazing paintings -- I completely understand why they inspired her, and in the direction that they did. I can't wait to watch this whole course, because I can't wait to witness more of Jennifer and her courage, her creativity, and her big lioness heart.

Joshua Pheneger
 

Jennifer is a talented and genuine artist with a gentle soul. Her perspective on how to approach the creative process and how to "quiet the little voices" and practice quiet observation are very helpful. I have been tremendously inspired by this course and I feel as though I am a better artist for having participated. Thank you for bringing this wonderful artist to the amazing creativeLIVE community.

Laura Arrowsmith
 

I love her work and her teaching. Her perspective is so beautiful and inspiring. I had the opportunity to attend a workshop with her in Colorado this summer and it was a life-changing experience. The location was spectacular. Jennifer is so brilliant, yet so warm and friendly. I really just don't have enough glowing adjectives to describe this event.

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