Lessons

Lesson Info

Building Visual Interest

I'm gonna start with color because like I said, I love color. I love the way that it adds something to the image that you normally wouldn't see. So this was kind of, ah, dreary er day in a pretty monotone backdrop. So all I did was bring in a pop of red. What it did was not only does it, like, instantly draw your eye to him and you know, because without that, I mean, obviously, you're gonna look at him cause he's the kid in the picture, but he would have just kind of blended, um, same with her, like it gives you that you know exactly where you're supposed to be looking. And the great thing about this is because he had that little papa red. She has that little flag like you could make the wall display everything looks cohesive and nice and tell the same story. Um, and I do that a lot with with color, where I'll just maybe a prop has a color in it. And I'll pop that into wardrobe or part of the background. Or and I do I drop the background a lot on that to, uh here's another good example...

of where it's just that one you're going, you'll find if you look at my work, you'll see it's a lot of monotone. I like white, but I like to keep things all in like, kind of the same hue. And then just give that little that little pop. So that draws the eye. And unless you know what, what I'm thinking is important so that it doesn't have to be a guessing game. And like I said so sometimes it's the lack of color. This, uh, photo shoot had was a themed photo shoot, and it was an underwater theme with I don't Know how well you guys conceit from there. But like it has a little bubbles and the fishies in we have, like all the we have looked quarrel and all the under underwater things going on, which normally, if you're going to create a theme, you think you would want to do all that like color and showing and making it obvious that you're underwater for me, though I still wanted to keep it about the kids, I still want them to be what you first look at, so I just kind of made it like a background like it was just understood there underwater. But it's about them, like having fun and playing. And when I was talking about before, like the amount of money that I may put into a photo session, this the white was posterboard. So it's like, what, 49 cents a sheet goggles? I think I got him in one of the like, the dollar sections. So altogether. I think the most expensive thing was like the bathing cap. And but that's all I had to it had to invest. This was one that I did just because I had this idea in my head and I had to get it done, I can't imagine. Probably many clients would hire you for this way. All want to be in a bathing suit way. Do have a question. So going back to the boy with the red headband was that something that you had in mind ahead of time? Or was that something that you looked at the shot at the time and noticed that he was blending in and then added At the time it waas I had talked to while help mom was photographer Data Pew. Um, so she had already told me where she was thinking that that was up in Calgary, so I'd never been there. And so she showed me where she was thinking would be a great spot to shoot. And when I saw it and I saw what it looked like and then I help decide on wardrobe. So I I knew going into it that it was gonna be big rocks. You know, there wasn't gonna be a lot of color, so I pre planned on that one. And again, Why we try and plan so well beforehand is that you'll know you'll know those kind of things and the so and again, like the bandanna. I don't know how much this costs. Like a few dollars at the craft store and the flags. I just, uh I'm kind of addicted. It's kind of a joke, cause anywhere I go has sticks, I collect him. I probably have 40 walking six. Uh, but I embellished so those were, like, free, like beach sticks. And then I went Teoh, I don't even more was and got clearance sheets like flat sheets and just ripped him apart and made flags. So again it was under $10 that everything costs to bring it together. And I feel like it lead way more to the visual impact than had. I just showed up and shot them in the clothes that they were in. And that's what I'm trying. I guess emphasize here with the styling. It's just those tiny, tiny little things that make it, you know, take it up this this much more. We're good, OK? And then sometimes the entire shoot is based, Uncle. So for this shoot, the entire inspiration was based on I found those two little umbrellas in a clearance. Been there the kind that, like pull down to, like this big. And I think they were, like, a couple dollars each. I think, Oh, my gosh, These are so cute. And so I just went home and kind of started brainstorming like, what would I Why would I need to umbrellas? Like, obviously, you could take it out and just do acute shoot like, you know, on a street with a little umbrella. But, um, I kind of like the juxtapose of doing, And if these aren't great examples, but the rest of the photo shoot, I kind of made her the Cloud Girl. There's like shots where she's like her like more like angry and like a little more turmoil on. And then the Sunshine Girl is happier. So I thought, It's fun. Do I really tried to play off that juxtapose of color and doing it in the personality, too. But you can see I stuck with again white Teoh to make sure the attention was brought to the theme that I was trying Teoh trying to portray. And these all these shots were actually taken individually, and I put them together post process so they weren't actually interacting. There was good actors, but I do like using. I mean, I think most people are aware, like certain colors are supposed to portray certain feelings. You know, Blue is calming. Yellow is happy. So, um, I do work off that when I'm when I'm shooting, um, this one to working the theme. This one, I completely went off of the dress, The earth tones. There was little flowers. It was a very, um, felt very nature driven to me. And so I pictured it being amongst trees and flowers and grass. But we were in studio, so How do we make that work? So, uh, again, this waas my grandpa had cut down a tree in his backyard and I'm, like, save those winds Don't don't get rid of him. So I just cut him down to size and made little frames. Um, craft store got, like, little mushrooms and a little bird's nest. But again, it was, you know, not not much money involved, and not actually a whole lot of time. It was pretty easy to put together, but it I think all lent itself well to let carrying that additional, like natural, natural feel about the backgrounds. I noticed you have the green and the blue. They're using, like, seamless rolls. Or are you? Yeah. Well, yeah. Video, seamless roles. And they're great. Especially if you're don't have a studio, because you can get them. I always get the nearer or narrower roles. Our local camera store will cut rules to whatever size, but I even know like when you buy them online and you can get the narrower sit in your car. So I like seamless a lot. Uh, when even when I was doing portrait, I would carry my little mobile backdrop stands and take a rule of seamless because it didn't matter what their house looked like. Then all you do is find good light and put him in front of it. Save the day. So I highly recommend a night backdrop. Stands. I think mine was like $ like it wasn't It's not super high tech. It's not. There's nothing special about it, but it totally gets, gets the job done. So, yeah, I would highly recommend that if you don't, I have a studio when you need to set up other places. And so that was pretty cool. So you travel to sometimes the folks home with the with the seamless is backdrop stand and then you're using natural light. Yeah, I do have, like, lights. Aiken bring. I shoot with alien bees, huh? They break down really small and easy toe pull in and out. I try not do that too much because it is a lot of spend more time setting up tearing down. And I like to spend more of that time with the client, But little trick. Best trick ever. Garages have amazing light, usually, and so just tell him. Make sure it's clear like six feet back. Push all the junk off courage out of the way, and it's usually beautiful. Open like the perfect open shade that light grey Don't concrete the perfect reflector. So that's a little little trick for the day is if all else fails, open the garage and said Have been there. There's quite the the underwater one that I just showed was shot that way in a Gresh. Folks were asking about how you prepared that board behind the swimmer. It was just white seamless paper up and then just posterboard that I cut to shape. And Tapout. Thank you. Yeah, um, again another another theme based one. And just to kind of I know, I keep reiterating, but how small the inspiration can be to make it something, Um, the little aviator goggles I found. And I was like, These are the cute things. There's got to be a way to use them, right? They're not something you would ever typically bring. Like, why would you bring aviator goggles toe? Photo session makes no sense. But you also saw him. Actually, the little boy in the know he's wearing an aviator hat, isn't he? Wasn't wearing those The little boy. That's the I guess the my little what I guess is not a biopic. I don't know what you would call that with him with the yellow plane. When you call that picture that's there, it's what's shown every day way. Did The Aviator thing with him, too? I'm not sure. I don't know what you would call title screen. There you go. Title screen picture. But anyway so, yeah. So for this photo shop photo session, I actually waas traveling. This was done in Dallas and I was talking with I was gonna work with a stylist down there and we're kind of going back and forth because my initial thought with Avian aviator goggles was Let's make a cute little, like cardboard airplane and put a little can it. But then we found out our models were older, like I think they were 11 or 12. So obviously awkward. Just get in there. You could fit. So we were kind of going back and forth, and she was like, What if I just did the wings? So she did the wings and I I knew that she was going to be wearing this dress here with the little raspberry ruffle and bow. And so we just pulled that color toe kind of tie it all. Tie it all together and you see the other. The other girl, she's got shoes that are in that color. But I tried. I tried to keep everything monotone, except for what I want people to see. Um, so, yeah, So this is another thing where the collaboration, like, totally took it to another, you know, Took it to another notch up. And I thought it worked really well even though they were older girls. And you might not necessarily think to put that age girl in something playful like that. They were all about it. And they were very cute. Very cute playing, um, still working off the theme. This is an example. So you see the lemonade stand idea all the time? Um, people, you know, it's very cute doing with little kids, do a little bit lemonade stand and do their pictures. And so I was trying to think of a way to kind of I don't get to shoot a lot of boys, so I'm always trying to, you know, think of like, what's a boy theme with something we can do with little boys that's fun and playful. That still so I can't remember. I think I was talking to a little kid and they had come to the shooting, had a but, like just aton of temporary tattoos that were kind of worn off. We were talking. I was like, What kid doesn't love temporary tattoos like they cover their bodies in it if they could. And so I got to thinking, I was like, Let's to a tattoo parlor for little kids. So just a little thing like you can see the little boy the sucker And it's also trying to think, you know, normally tattoo parlors. You think you know, tatted Guys get the Bulldogs smoking cigarettes Greece tear banana. So we like, popped in the suckers a cigarette and just kind of took it down Thio Thio way. That's more acceptable for kids to be, but they had so much. Finally, it's kinda hard to see these pictures, but like he had a sleeve and they're just they thought that they were so cool and so much. But he was so cute. He was like what, uh, very cute and even see he has. This little guy has little like knuckle knuckle tattoos, so it's It's fun to intermix. I think I don't follow a lot of like other photography ball. Like all my inspiration really comes from magazines and movies and things like that and a lot of those air adult based. There's not a ton of inspiration in that way for kids like magazines Go like can hardly find print magazines anymore. When you go to Barnes and Noble for kids, so most the time when I'm flipping through stuff, it's adult. So I'm always looking for ways that when something catches my eyes like, Okay, how can he twist that and make it acceptable for a six year old? So this was one way, um, and this falls into that, too. I had mentioned a little bit watching movies, watching I love documentaries. I love hearing what was going on inside the head of if it was an artist or a musician, or I was even watching one on the team's just hearing how like they came about, like creating their furniture. To me, it's such a It's such a inspirational being to watch in here beyond, like loving with whatever it is that they created and seeing it and being like, Oh, that's a really cool piece. But hearing how about their to me, it's a way more interesting. So I watch a lot of documentaries. I watch a lot of movies I had happened to watch Freedom Movie and just what I mean, what's not to love with the color and the flowers and all the all the beautiful stuff? And I happen to be chatting with, uh, clothing designer at the time zozo on and she was like, Oh, how I love free to two Amazing. We need to do a photo shoot. So she created the little dress and pawn show and the background is a tablecloth and so just brought in tiny little pieces and made her freedom for the day. And she was amazing. She actually loves to paint, and so it was cool to bring that into it, because it was about the theme I wanted to do. But at the same time, it was what she loves to dio. So it was kind of cool to capture that to capture that for her and, um and her mom and like I had said before, when I'm when I had that theme in my head, I picked a kid that I knew, like, fell into that mold and would like be a miniature Frida like I didn't just push it on. Whatever photo shoot, you know, it was coming my way. Next throughout a quick question. What's the process you go about when you wanna bring in a stylist? What's that process of finding the stylist? So I've worked with professional stylists, but a lot of my stylist are people that are just crafty and amazing and just is excited about whatever I'm doing is I am and volunteer to help me make whatever I think it is that I make. So I don't think that you're the stylist, necessarily has to be someone that you like. Goto a rep for agencies you know blawg and hire a stylist off there. I think that's a fantastic way to work, but I also think it's fun. Teoh, just tap into the creative talents of your friends, your mom, your you know, whoever whoever can help in whatever way I'm I don't know if it's maybe the people I hang out with or who I who who I draw to me. But that's a lot of conversation that I have with people is like, What do you Teoh, What's exciting? What are you doing right now? And so then when I hear something they're doing Michael, that's so, so cool. We should do something together. So I think that that's a lot of the times how it unfolds. So, yeah, I don't think it has to be necessarily hired. Um, I was gonna say to the way again with with color, just bringing those paying attention to the colors that Aaron planning ahead. So I already had the tablecloths that she was able to pull fabrics that helped bring it all together. Um, meaning so. This shoot was really fun. This is actually the big sister of Frida. Uh, she had because I had done shoots up her little sisterly. We got to talking huge, huge, huge Audrey Hepburn van. This outfit is hers. She had it from a Halloween or or something. She watches every documentary books. That and so we I so on this one found a hair and makeup person that we knew could recreate all the Audrey looks. So there's there's a few more looks to this, but we tried to, like, ask her about her favorite movies. She told me the fare movies and I Googled images from those movies and, you know, found out how Audrey's tired styled herself in those movies. And so we just tried to recreate each of the each of the her favorites. So I think that's really fun to, because I never would have done this shoot. I don't I just wouldn't have done it had she not brought it to the table and ended up being really a really fun, creative, creative outlet for both of us. Hobbies, Um, or like moments that parents want to capture in their top and their kids childhood. This little girl is an amazing little violin player, and not to mention like violence or just such a pretty instrument to watch being held and played. They're inspiring to me to shoot, but I thought it would be really fun to take it beyond just let's shoot her with her island violin and we took it out into, um, another setting, I think, to kind of just give it a little juxtapose and give it a little more. A little more whimsy. And I think that it kind of takes like this is her everyday thing. Like she plays every day she performs every day. So I think making it a little bit something Maurin capturing these images that she'll have. I mean, she's already these were taken a couple years ago. She's already got all of her big teeth in and turning into a little Tween, but it's fun to like, See her And you know, the violin size compared to her at this at this age and just combining the two two loves of, you know, her being out, exploring and doing fun things and being able to bring that musical, that musical component into it. Um, I'm gonna move on to talking a little bit more about posing and stuff. So if we have questions we do on the styling and okay, we do for sure. So, um, Terra land photos would like to know for the session like the tattoo parlor. Do you put out a model call or do you already know who you want to be in the shots and I against my question is to add to that Is it the chicken before the egg? So do you have your family coming to your kids coming to you for a particular looking for particular something? And you pre visualize that, or how does that process work? I do it both ways. Sometimes it's the chicken. Sometimes it's so like for the tattoo parlor. I came up with the idea that tattoo parlor and then I just went through my arsenal of kids I had worked with before and was like, OK, who could work this look and pick those to the little girl had never worked with before. But I had my eye on her when I saw her picture and was just waiting for the right opportunity that I thought she would fit the theme. But like, for instance, like this shoot or the auto helper and shoot, it's all about the model first and then creating the theme around them. So I were both ways I keep I have a folder of models not necessary, like agency model, that kids that I've either shot or parents of said, Hey, if you ever need a kid s, I keep ah, folder of those. I keep a folder of ideas. Sometimes they just matched together perfectly great. Thank you. And then let's see. Um, get Oh, please. So for those kids, are those paid or those kind of I need a child and I have a set. So do you. Yeah. So when it's something that was my idea, and it's my initiated thing. Um, they don't pay. Uh, give them images, sir. Yeah, from images is Thank you. Yeah, yeah. And but there's times to where I am hired by a client I'm able to because I work with a ton of clothing lines. I'm able to be like, Oh, these air some, these air, some concepts I have in line. And then they pick one and I'm able to get paid to do it on. And then they get paid from that. They may get paid from that from the company. Yeah, so it works. Like I said before, I think it's about 25%. I still dio just because I got to do it, But it does bring. I like to think of it as advertising dollars spent, because then it does bring in those paying jobs that will make it all worthwhile. Hey, so, uh, question from J. C photo? How would the cost of props factor into pricing? Would it depend upon the reusability by the photographer, or is it a standard cost? So I have a standard cost that I've come up with O through years and years of doing it. I've kind of figured out about what I spend. So I charged the same exact fee toe everyone. Sometimes I'm only using ah, force of what that he is. Sometimes I'm spending over it, but it all kind of equals out. In the end, they're just paying a styling fee. They're not paying for the actual props or anything like that. They just pay toe, have me put that extra effort into it. But you kind of have to just figure out. And if you're haven't really started doing it yet, I think it would be fair to just quote her job. Um, the what I found with that that's the issue is that when people start pulling back because they can save money, If we don't buy that, then we don't have to spend that we So that kind of makes the shoot. Not all it can be so I found it was just easier to have a set fee. And sometimes you make more and sometimes less cool. And I think we have one more from the audience. Yeah, I got a follow up on your models. So when people do send, like, send you an email like, Hey, I have a kid and you can use him, Do you send them the question there to kind of get to know the kid to see what? No. I usually So I'm at everything. I just keep the folder and I will base it off. Looks if they fit the look I was going for. And then when I decided, I think they might be good, then all contact them and be like, this is the idea. Do you think your child a good fit and edit it? A. So I don't do it initially? Um, I might be a good idea, though. One more question here, from the Internet from Laura L. And she ask you just quickly sort of describe actual session. How do you plan the location props to take and prepare the clients just kind of in a nutshell, which we just kind of comes first like, um, again, that's like the chicken or the egg. Like if I already have, like, this amazing location and do you want to your shoot at that location? But it's all done in the planning of talking Teoh the client. We either, even if they have a location, I have a location. We figure it out together. Um, it's in that story board I was talking about that I created where that's kind of. It's also like my checklists when I'm making that little collage keyboard or I have my folder kind of looks the same. You know how you can open the folder and all the pictures, or like, thumbnails. I do. I open it all the time when I'm planning for a shooting like Okay, okay, so it's my little checklist on DAT gives me the ability to get what I need. Teoh, talk to the client. See if there's things that can they bring. Do they have once that's all figured out. Like I had said, I try and keep things pretty organized. I try and collect things as I go, so the day of the shoot usually isn't too hectic or bad day before the shoot have like a Rubbermaid, Ben I usually use. And as I'm getting closer to the shoot and I'm thinking about I'm like, Oh, yeah, I need to put that, you know, ukulele in there and oh, yeah, they said that they didn't have shoes or whatever. Like, I keep an arsenal of, like, kids shoes because sometimes I'll have to buy because it and so I just keep him. And I have ah, walking shoes. So I'll grab little thing and just add to the bin, um, in the day or two leading up. And so then the morning of it's just more of a checklist of joy of this. This is in this, and then you show up and one last question before we move on. Let's see a Brett from Arizona would like to know are the drawn frames part of the deliver Robles or just for the slide show the drunk, the front of the drawing frames around with the delivery of what you provide to their client. Oh, yeah. No, no, no, thank you.