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Studio Shoot: Two Dogs with Studio Lights

Lesson 11 from: Pets and People Photography

Vicki Taufer

Studio Shoot: Two Dogs with Studio Lights

Lesson 11 from: Pets and People Photography

Vicki Taufer

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Lesson Info

11. Studio Shoot: Two Dogs with Studio Lights

Lessons

Class Trailer

Day 1

1

The V Gallery Evolution

15:52
2

Selling the Experience

09:33
3

Why Pets?

19:08
4

You and Your Clients

16:32
5

Pet Photography Intro Q&A

10:26
6

Creating a Market: Dog Days of Summer

36:30
7

Educating Clients about Dog Days

29:03

Lesson Info

Studio Shoot: Two Dogs with Studio Lights

Kind of the set up what I've got going on right here that I decided to dio I've got this wall of light like we talked about, we're gonna have a reflector up here, but on these floors wants to out like these are big dogs, their labs, they may not come over, but they're not going to hurt anything it's just fabric, but the couch right now, I've got set just facing the camera, which I'm thinking, maybe the two dogs sitting here would be very nice with the owner. We're going to bring the owner in with the dogs as well it's, a black lab and a chocolate lab, but I also am envisioning maybe a couple shots with her with each of the dog's separately, but a couch is one of my favorite favorite props, and actually I would say somebody asked earlier about, like the money shot as faras imposing and, you know, we're talking about all this dog posing and props and things we dio but really, if you think about it, when you talk about photographing people in pets, I mean, you have to make the owners look...

great, you know? So I'm really applying all the things I've always done, and I've learned. With with the children with the families and the lighting and the posing and really the dogs are just being added you know into that now you have some different dynamics that could be challenging like what were going in to shoot right now dark dogs tend to be a challenge for people because just having that solid just really dark fur and getting detail um in their eyes and things so that's where I'm gonna be playing with the reflectors and positioning the light but I don't want to just flat light it so I mean that is an option and like with the ring light that would flat light it you get detail but that's not necessarily the lighting I want on on the owner on the subject I want some beautiful portrait lighting on her so we're just going to kind of play we'll see how the dogs do uh with the fact that there's two dogs um the way I would kind of work this's it if one of them is acting up a little bit like that's where I might just jump right into hey let's do um let's just do one of these you know, one of the one of the dogs by himself before we bring it in and do do this together so I'm not sure oh, they are right here, okay um I'll show you really quick though um so this is kind of just with the big dog, this would be a really nice pose. And it's could be controlling but still look nice. So I'm a vision. A neo owner here, dog here just kind of snuggled up like this. But one of the top selling poses I was talking about is if and you will have to see an angle when I shoot this because I would shoot this lower and not get my feet in it. And we may need to grab the longer couch for the shot, but actually is leaning down towards the camera. And then maybe the dog can lean in this way or actually bringing the subject here. And if the dog is chilled and kind of hanging out, this would be a really fun shot if we could bring one of the dogs here, one of the dogs here. So until I get him up here and we start working, I won't really know. So I think we need to bring him in. And this isthe tell me one more time. We've got rock suraj ago is the black lab. And roxy is the chocolate lab. Perfect. And your first name again? Jamie. Jamie. Jamie. Okay, perfect, if you want, um I'm thinking how are there any certain things that kind of our trigger words for them or I should say or I shouldn't say they'll come attacking me I know you said you brought treats and things I have some is there anything that you does it matter if I give him the ones I have you're cool with okay okay awesome huh and are you open to doing a cup I might just to start talk posing and stuff and demonstrate just start with you with one of the dogs and then we'll bring them both in and then we can get the dogs by themselves without you as well okay so I have someone I want to be I don't know but we have a dog handler that can hang on to one of the one of the pumps so beginning take rocks and either one is fine oh you smell yeah I've got treats in here uh I'm gonna get that I'm good either way so let's go see rock you wanna go first and are you okay if we take the leash off if you want um and collars I'll tell you about collars I leave up to the client some clients want the collars on they like that that's kind of part of them and someone it off so I'm I'm fine either way so if you prefer them at homes so maybe take him off and they seem very well behaved so you smell the trees so this is yeah I normally like said have a belt or a little thing on that I could throw a bunch of different hi hi. I'm goingto aim to get a couple shots of you two together but I might just get some serology baby hi. We're just gonna get amused tio these what? And well a squeaky toys okay that's kind of that I've got a couple hanging on back there which may sometimes it backfires and hook him attacking me I mean that nicely attacking me but I'm going to go ahead and head over by my camera and just kind of get a few things set up I'm going to let on the two of you guys come on over here. Okay, okay, come on, mama. So that's okay? I'm gonna actually jamie I'm gonna have you I'll just show you I do a lot of mimicking um, so I'll show him kind of what I'm thinking um before actually even do it right so I'm envisioning if we could get him to sit down here we go. So I'm envisioning something like this and he's gonna be a little excited tongues of me in the mouth but we already just turned out the squeaky toy work, so I'm not going to try to overuse it, but when I'm totally ready I know everything great we'll use it his head will perk up we'll get a great shot then we'll add in your buddy okay so I'm gonna trade places with you so I'm envisioning hell pride get him to sound a little bit better than me but sitting right here and just leaning in on him and then not to bring the reflector on dh that we're going to use you know there's all of this stuff going on sarah go the internet is loving you oh oh I did not mean that was so accidental yes I know you hear the chicken you hear the chicken you hear the chicken so I used these life stances I love how they got the little um they're free standing and that rubber stopper on the wood floor keeps them from falling once in a while the dogs will run into it but you know what we're gonna think it's time to bring some treats out we're gonna give it to mama I'll give you one when you get a chance say don't do that you're gonna slowly and john I'm gonna have you pry bring that light forward a little bit it's a little too much I think off to the side okay and I'll tell you when I'm ready you're gonna snuggle in what saying then is the other thing okay same hope there we go all right so pull him in a little more and your arm's gonna wrap around ready on then looking right here jamie you're gonna lay your head over uh hold on bring your arms together together together up higher on each other and you know what is that a hair tie on your wrist no that's okay, I'm just we just brought this couch and there was a little you know that's the tag photoshopped that there's a sticker ok so this might be I'm gonna actually can I have a volunteer assistant um what somebody may be in the class or because look great so this would be I'm probably going toe grab one of you and basically anything you do just to ride around my head okay so go and hold these two things okay it's ready are there any trigger words like I'm walk treat you a ball when I ball that's gorgeous gorgeous okay let's d'oh that's do this let's get it up let's waste gonna lay down e I know I know I know I know I know you know you know let's try this. We're gonna let him hop up on the couch with you. Another great way to shoot this because like I was talking about having sections were prevents the dogs from jumping off I'm going to actually have you I'm going to turn to catch a little bit more we'll see if we'll put his paws up here and it'll hold him up and you can just kind of he's basically going to be trapped here kind of year on this side and then hopefully if he holds himself up just like that okay, we're gonna try that again oh, it's like a ball it's like a broad okay, wait okay, where I might actually try a couple just just of trying and you're gonna you're gonna hold this and we're going to use it oh, my you okay? Okay. Yes. So you're going to just work with him in this area as long as you I'm gonna have you on this side is where I kind of eventually want you just to your goal is just to kind of keep him there. We'll work on getting them to look up when a body what about you wait that's right? That's right? That's right, let's go ahead and just what we might make it more challenging. Why don't we get the two of them out here? I'm gonna try getting the shot of the two have won the couch together. Wade got to bring the light around. Roxy wants to be on camera, I think yeah, I think it needs to be way getting is that dog coming in his other dog here? Yeah, no, I'm going to try go ahead and try getting up we're gonna try getting the two of them yeah, I'm sorry, okay I will say one thing I am one thing I will tell you like this is a much more open space than my camera room and so that is a different challenge that I wouldn't necessarily have in my camera room it's definitely a more contained area they have a lot bigger area they can run off and go what just fine we can work with this but that is something I am um that they have take our freedom rome a lot more maybe we made um okay I know we're going to wait that's gonna be perfect we're gonna just oh we're going to do that I'm gonna have you they actually are responding to you just like that we're gonna shoot I'm gonna shoot from above we have a ladder I can just stand on the couch we're gonna just use the wood floor we're gonna basically my plan is we're going to just switch this whole thing and I'm just gonna be on a ladder shooting down fried at their faces because they were looking at you pretty well um whatever ladder any ladder I guess I just need to get you up up and then you're gonna end up being right right behind me I'm gonna be in between these two lights so since the's right now since I'm not gonna have the owner jamie in the picture I'm going to go and flat light them since they are both dark dogs and that will really show a lot of their detail um this's a big ladder okay, big ladder with boots I think I need teo go barefoot okay, give me one minute here so what's gonna end up happening jamie you're gonna something really important that you're right by me all I'm just getting more up close of their faces so hold on with her dog let's get that tongue in your mouth, huh? And would um we've got something we can get him water it's not something you think they'll help are there more just excited to get the ball probably yeah yeah sam kit and so right now actually what I'm doing I'm going a couple shots where there each looking um intothe can you dial this one down just a little bit so I'm getting some individual shots too wait okay uh I'm good I'm good right let's do this let's go let's go ahead and get him um back just see when getting both sit on the couch and kind of chilling out a little bit I may even have you sit with them um but we're going to try to teach. I know it's hot. I know it's hot e I e I no thank you thank you thank you that's yeah, I think I'm gonna wait sure, yeah, yeah, okay you know what give me appear you know I'm here to mind holding that for a minute no I do actually we bought towels at value village for that reason wait I'm trying from apron I don't know where it ran off to yeah that's ok I know let him drink okay we're gonna sit up here we're gonna get you to chill out all right so I'm gonna so we're set sit have a treat stay stay stay I do entreat oh yep okay you can have one go back up on the couch quick we're gonna get your brother with you sit stay stay what about what about yeah a couple of nice ones in there actually that was great. You know, I actually no, I got a really nice when I think um of roxie let's go ahead and see going to a matching shot because there's actually we're going to do a few other things too so put it right above my treat weigh your guy so what? Okay, okay let's put it back up here one more time oh, and you know what, john? I'm in any cards I didn't realize when its tether like I don't have her yeah perfect. We're gonna try to get the two way all right no, why don't you get in with them for one um but I'll probably have you do jamie yep I'm gonna sit in between um sorry you know what I think it wasn't a man it was the problem there so it should be fine it's just with all the chaos you think you got four minutes okay yeah that's new for me see you get think we're in business now and I'm gonna pry wto um get that light up just a little bit because with having jamie in there that's all right go ahead and lean in lean in here I'm looking right here at me with the ball at the ball I know you do I'm going to lay down a little bit more oh, wow okay, maybe pop it up the power in the light okay? Would they ever just if you stood there and like held like the balls up some like I'm envisioning a shot where they're kind of next to you or by your feet or probably slide the couch let's just lose the couch I think we're just let's just anywhere yet it just doesn't matter I'm gonna try to just get a shot this's good hunt this should be a bit maybe cited as far up just a little bit yep. So someone maybe jamie take step this way step this way right about there and then kind of call him over teo actually do me favor throw me one of the balls okay, maybe that was a good idea okay, I'll get mom back booth no that's okay yep yep yep that's ok um let's go ahead and just do you mind sitting on the ground with them rather than the couch and just yep let's see that kind of way yeah yeah okay, I think we need a different game plan way need to switch gears, huh? Yeah, yeah, because they're goingto watch you so I mean, I know I've got a couple of shots of each of the dogs by themselves, so I think we need to just figure out focus wise if you want to try to get a shot with you with them or you with each of them individually or what's most important we are going to take a couple shots were totally change upsets and she was some window light which may not be as contained as what we're having to do right here so that might be good would they sit both pretty big just trying think the other furniture that we have but there's anything else we have that would be cute but it's my only other thought I have would be if you wanted to take one of that like does it matter to you if it's more you with them or them by themselves or um maybe you go back to driving a couple of them with them by themselves again um thinking because then we can try to get the tube together over there so let's do that let's actually try to implement some of the other elements and the things that we bought at the value village possibly um I wonder if they would lay down we could try that let's try this this could be kind of fun to give him something that sit on so I'm not gonna actually shooting with the background now get out waken go ahead don't work we'll give him kind of treats a cv and get one of them I'm gonna probably going to need to have because of the light would have to have him we're going to go I'm hope I was hoping to get him to lay down I don't know if that's gonna okay there we go that's and I'll have you kind of hiding behind the light we might be getting somewhere here see how I can get what I get thank god no it's all right standing up you know, I just instead of laying down just let him sit up again that's fine if that's what they're doing I'm thinking I think I would like try shooting them actually with the window light um would be good so I don't know though before we change anything if we want to try bringing in the other dog yeah, that might be a good idea I think we're let him have a break, let him go outside get cooled off I know you guys did a good job. Good job really hot so yeah, we can flip flop thank you. Thank you so much, jimmy stop right there. Maybe on it's another e think it's another black lab I think just that these guys are too hot and overworked and I so there's a mom outside with them vicky do you want to do window light now shall we get that set up are we gonna see you know, I just there's one other dog that's justice single dog maybe try looking this a little bit more I mean again no different than kids hi and they're like panty I mean answers the question someone asked what do you do? I mean, there are times the dogs are big dogs like that like I don't think I got a couple shots actually were the times weren't like hanging, but um that's a difficult but that was it was really it was live that was definitely a difficult, difficult shoot I'm trying to think, you know, the one thing I will mention I mean, there are some different scenarios happening here today specifically, like some of the lighting and things that I used it's actually what I would normally use not what I have and that's ok it's just there's variables I'm dealing with a little bit uh but that's why I want to do some with the window light and maybe tweak this with one dog and kind of control it a little bit more but uh yeah, that was that was yeah, that was chancellor, but I do think we got a couple I don't have a cz many as I would like to give her a future so realistically I know my goals to show you guys the studio lane which I want to accomplish out for you in the window lighting, but realistically I'm just this session in the ways going like if I was at my studio, I probably would be tempted to say hello, go outside we don't know if that's even something we can do logistically I don't think it is, but that is something I would probably consider at this point with the client like okay, dogs, they're hot they're like not really want to stay here there and we would just pop right outside and there's a lease and grass and, you know there's just a few different different areas, but but I want to accomplish you know what we set out to do here today so let's let's retry a couple things and, um can I ask you a quick question while you're doing yes labella photo girl asked if you would photoshopped out the drool on the foam on them do you photoshopped that out earlier? You know, I'd be honestly, I really don't feel like, yeah, I mean, I probably would on the final images. And when we talk tomorrow in sales, that's actually something else that's, something will talk about about not overworking the images before the clients actually ordered them, but a couple of my favorite I would if it was showing. But they would just know when I would tell him, you know, like here's, our couple favorites, here's, what we did to him, this is what a finished governments would look like, and any of the ones you order are going to be treated, you know, in this way. So rather than spent hours trying to do something that again, they may not even be ordering who treat it that way. So, yeah, I would. I mean, I don't think that's gonna be a major, um, the major issue or problem or hard to dio, but I wouldn't go through and do that all before the client song, okay.

Class Materials

bonus material with purchase

Keynote Slides
Keynote Slides Day 2

Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

This was a great topic. I tuned in thinking I wouldn't be interested, and then, wow, it was fabulous. So fabulous I'm holding an event in two weeks time to launch my own pet photography and raise food for local homeless animals. Thanks so much CL team!

Carolyn Himes
 

Vicki Taufer is Brilliant as a person and artist. What an honor to experience her for the last 3 days. Thank you to Jed for your expertise and reminder that technology can help us all have time to play more and enjoy life more! Thank you creativeLIVE team....top notch!

Student Work

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