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Lesson Info

Styling for Shoots

so they were going to go over what I think is pretty close to the top of my favorite is the styling posing. I thought it was kind of cool to when we did. The questionnaire is like the kids. All of them put that in there, two that they loved posing and they love dressing up. So that was kind of fun that we get to work with kids that, um, love the same things. Ideo I also forgot to mention we're going to talkto Krista Metcalf, um, for our interview today who is amazing at styling. Um, she has a couple of different little tricks and tips that she's going to share with us that are different than what I do. But I think it's gonna be really help. People see how they can bring their own their own things to the game. It'll I think it'll be a really fun on juxtaposed. So what I do, but seeing how you get the same results with all the different different angles, I didn't get a chance yesterday to give you guys. Speaking of styling the clothing line, I wanted to make sure that we, um, got that up...

for anybody that was curious because she provided all the kids clothes yesterday. Adorable, adorable clothes. It's Floren dot and on And then all the cute little we had the little felted wool ball wool ball bracelet and she had a little hair clip. And then the cute cat slash Chihuahua years, depending on your favorite animal. Those were all Georgia blue. And she is in our swag bag, too. And then also, when I just mention briefly yesterday that my blawg died and I had some people ask me when I was gonna start anyone I don't think I am. But what I've done is 10 years into my career, I got a business page on Facebook. So a few weeks ago, I started putting up just like I would've blawg. I just started putting up. So if people are curious and want to follow, um, there is no blawg, but there is a business Facebook pages. I'm completely a business person now and ready, ready to rock and roll with it. So, um, we're gonna start with styling this morning. Um, first kind of question is why worry about it like the pictures are supposed to be about people. So why care? They should be able Show up, however, and capture, you know, in the moment type things. Um, to me, I use color. Color is a huge portion of my styling. I use color almost like use a focal point to draw the eye to where I want it in the picture. I also use it to almost, uh, create like relationship in the picture to draw to see, you know, these two things are connected. Accessorizing to, I think is an amazing way to help tell the story that you're trying to tell and accessories ing could be because it's winter. You throw this car phone or accessorizing could be the little prop that you bring in. So I think accessories can kind of run the gamut. Um, it also helps Teoh like create So obviously Christmas cards, things like that. So if you're going for a special that I know a lot of people that shoot kids will do like around birthdays, things like that. So it helps dial that in, which seems like it would be obvious. But I think when you really think it through and you're paying attention more to the filing aspect of it. It's a better way toe to bring the story together. Um, I do a lot of editorial commercial work. I'm sure a lot of people out there don't. But maybe they like the look. That's a huge portion of making your photos look. Editorial are looking commercial. That's how I started into what I'm doing. I was a portrait photographer just making it look that way. So that's one thing to I would pore over like magazine spreads. And you know, the catalogues that you get in the mail from all the different clothing lines and just pay it. Pay attention to what it is that when when add captures captures your attention. Why? Because so many ads don't even you don't even know what they're selling at first glance, Um, but it's the feeling that you're getting from. It is the feeling you're like, I want to be a part of that brand. So that is a really, really I think important part of this process is actually questioning it. Like don't just find the inspiration and great I love that picture and put it in your thing. Actually break it down and be like, why did I double take? Like what? What is it that caught my eye? And what feeling did it evoke? And did that feeling matched the brand? Because that's so much a part of how you were going to differentiate yourself from the photographer sitting next to you. You could use the exact same styling as the person next to you. But it's the way that you use it that tells your story. So, um yeah, so beyond adding the visual interest. But actually, it brings theme to your work, and it brings meaning to the image sometimes to, um, you know, you can have little girls playing their dress up or, you know, building their little pretend castles and forts. And it captures that moment in that child's life. It's, um, you'll see a lot in my work where I put kids in that scenario that fits like that age in that moment. And I know even me when I look back like kids. It's mind boggling to me how quickly they go from 4 to 8 toe 12 and they're practically teenagers like, So it's so cool to me to have that, you know, because you forget the little moments. Life is a blur, and I forget that. Oh, yeah, I remember that used to be his favorite thing to do. Remember how much he used to love to pretend this. So it's a great way to provide that for your client, and I think it makes you more special to them. So it's a way to keep bringing them back to you. Um, you can also, when I say bringing meaning to the shot. There's also situations where it's a little more meaningful. Don't want to carry on this one. Uhm, I might need one moment. Um, she lost her dad, and so the mom brought his helmet and boots, And so in that way, it's still styling. But it's like, obviously for completely different reasons. And I think moments like that are hard, but they're so important. I had several situations where you realize after the fact how important those moments you capture are, and so that's something to think about. Two is when you're putting the extra effort into your photo shoots and bring that meeting like how much it can really mean. Like I know we're just taking pictures. We're not changing the world, but for that one person you could be. So, um, yeah, just really kind of thinking through. And, you know, making sure what you're doing. Tell tells that story. So my approach to styling. So for me and I touched on this yesterday Children's photography. It's 100% about the kids. Um, it's me tapping into those little moments how they like to play. I'm trying to make I'm trying. I'm trying Teoh showcase What makes a child child like, um, it's the imagination. The fine, Um so for me, designing around the seams and I had talked about like, the movies, I think movies are a great example cause we go kind of her in that together, like we all feel, movies air really good, causing us to feel emotions. So it's easy to explain it in that in that way, that's what I want in my photos, and I think it's a little bit harder because we don't have the dialogue. We don't have the music. It's telling us we're supposed to feel sad right now. We're supposed to feel happy, so we have to work a little harder and how we do it. Uh, so but, yeah, I just want my photo to be like the real life version of that, that little story. And like I said, it's little details, the props. I mean, you'll notice on this. We just have, you know, just having like the little floater. What are those things called? Should know that right? The floaters hanging off the front of the boat. But things like that, like it would be a great shoot with just the boat, but adding just those little details and thinking through each little each little piece like we have the little parrot you see perched right above her shoulder. So just paying attention to those little details, I think tell that whole story. Since we don't get toe have said be sitting by the viewer explaining toe, Um what what it all means to us And this this We'll talk a little bit more about collaboration, but this is an amazing example of a collaboration where I brought a drawing to the table and was like, This is what I'm picturing and had someone she sourced the boat, cut it in half, puts it against the wall. Pay twice should an amazing job bringing it all together because I'm not exactly handy with carrying boats and selling them in half. But it turned out like if I I wish I had the original drawing that I gave her cause it's like, exact It's amazing. So, uhm, and another thing to which is really interesting because I shoot a ton of quoting brands, obviously like we had yesterday. Today will be a new brand. Tomorrow is the new brand, and for me it's kind of an interesting place. I'm in because it's all about the clothes, right? Like when you think when you think of what I do, you think fashion and other that. And it's so funny because that's kind of like the opposite of who I am. Like I hang out with all these people there, you know? Oh, look who just came out with a new line. There's just knew Colin Gumby New and I was like Yeah, cool for me. It's when I see a clothing line and it's the feel, like the way they put it together. So it's even the like the colors they used in the way they, you know, juxtapose the different things. Like, to me, this was like so happy and bright and cheerful. And so that's how I find the brands that I am going to use is it's all about the feeling of the brand. To me, it could be, Oh, you know, my neighbor up the street that makes clothes and everything that the feeling or it could be, you know, top of the line, $350 little dresses. And I'm like, That's the feeling. So what I try and look at is and I break it down just like I break down. When I'm saying Break down the ads, the designers, my Whenever I talked to him, I'm always like, Where did you the inspiration for this, like, what was your thought process behind this line? Or like what they call the lines? Sometimes we'll just capture my attention and I'll be like, Ooh, I want to shoot something that's like a wonderful parade. Like, Who wouldn't want to shoot that? Um, so I think digging into that creative process all along the line, all you know, in every aspect I think, is what will really take home. Um, you know, everything that you're trying Teoh capture in portray