Lesson Info

Shoot: Conquering Boring Spaces

Once again, this is my client here Arlene Evans. Very nice to meet you. I'm so glad you're doing this. Once you start shooting we have about, we have that 15 minutes with her, once you start. Okay, so I'm going to take out this card. Let's move this out of the way. How are you doing? I'm actually nervous, which is weird. It's not weird, that's what's supposed to happen because having your photograph taken, as we've talked about the last few days, can be a little bit intimidating. I was about to say it's awful. It's not awful but having your photo taken is hard. It's really hard for me. So I'm with you. You can empathize. I can empathize for sure. All right, let's move this out of the way completely. Can we do that? Where would you like to be? I'm going to stay over here. Can I move these couches? There a little on the heavy side but you can move them. Can I just slide one maybe? You're good, you're good. Talent doesn't have to move anything. Do not break a sweat...

. All right, I'm gonna let you move that. Let's just slide this to this way. Put that lens right here. Okay, that's nice, let's just do that. Just like this? I think so. I don't know, yeah, let's try that. I like it even a little bit less. And just push the whole thing towards me. Okay. I'm liking something about the way you were sitting over here. Thinking. Yeah, can you please the phottech up all the way the other way around and we're gonna start right there just with the phottech. I'm gonna have it feathered but directional, yep. And we're just gonna see how the light's bouncing around in here. We should probably turn off the overheads. Just so we don't get any ambient. I'm sitting down on the job guys, I'm sorry. All right, let me have you sit here. Thank you. All right, so let's try that. Again, I'm starting from scratch with no prep time and the most important thing is... I'm starting with lights that I like. Things I've experimented with before. This light on purpose is not facing my subject. I'm feathering the light, I want this light to hit her. So I'm going to see what this looks like. So the first one doesn't count Arlene. Unless it's awesome. That was pretty nice. You look very serious. I'm not serious. I know. You've got a great smile in there, I can see it. Okay. I like the couch and I like what I'm doing but I don't like the background. There's a lot of distractions so I'm actually going to move the couch I think. Think I might do something over here. So Arlene you can just take a seat. This is fun. Really neat. I'll put this up here. I like to have things a little bit off angle maybe. Sometimes I think instead of moving the furniture, I should just move around the subject. That's obviously really important but I've got a table over here, I've got windows back there. That might be cleaner. I like the environment better this way. Instead of this white board. But let's try that. Can we just swing this all the way around? We're gonna go in a big circle so this way. All right, perfect. Let's try this. Something like that. So I'm gonna have this like come this way. Again, if you're in someone's home ask permission before you start moving their furniture. Let me have you take a seat. So I'm gonna have to clean up this background a little bit and you know what Arlene I'm even going to move you one more time so I apologize. This way, I just need more room. So I'm going to be shooting this way. And we're starting that 15 minute clock. All right, I'm ready. This has got to get out of our way. So I'll just bring it this way. Okay. Hopefully that's out of the way, we'll see. Have a seat. Okay. That's great. Now we're talking. This is really beautiful. All right. We're good. No, I'm just kidding, I'm going to keep going but it's really beautiful. So let me bring your hand up here, let me just see. And bring, yep, you're right hand bring it over a little bit. Other hand. Yeah. That's why I'm like what's my right and left? Because of my dyslexia again, I have to go I write with my right hand. And then I just went like this 'cause it's your right hand. I was confused. That's okay, it makes me feel better. It really does, this is really nice. I'm going to bring in some more ambient here. More ambient light. This is great. So bring your head around towards me. Yeah, that's nice. Excellent. All right. stand up and sit down in the same spot. Yep and then go ahead and sit down. Great. Sort of cozy on in there, get comfy. Yeah, there we go, that's great. Really nice. This is very open. I'm just using one light. I do see some cables in the background but I'm not going to worry about that because it's not affecting the image. This is great. Really beautiful. Let me have you look this way for me. Great. And back to camera, great. So I want to try something when you turned your body this way. So look this way somehow, whatever feels comfortable. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And really lean into the side of that couch. Actually going to have you bring your body back and then lean forward so there's a little bit more space between you, yeah, exactly yeah. Really nice. Look this way towards me. Gorgeous. I'm kind of competing with the light in the background but I'm also using it to my advantage. This is great. I'm blowing out the windows in the back and having the light wrap. Okay, so while we're here, look this way. Okay, now I want you to actually I'm gonna do really nice wide here. Look this way, great. And a nice smile in that direction. There we go. How long have you been married? 31 years. 31 years, that's amazing. What's your husband's name? Mark. Okay so look this way as if Mark was calling you, What would he be saying to you? (laughs) That was a great laugh, I love that. So I would I want to try something even a little bit more casual. So bring your feet, yeah I like where your feet are but bring your body more this way and kind of lean more this way. Come closer. So you're leaning in, you're on the sofa a little bit more like this. Oh, okay. Like this? Yeah, get in there, whatever feels comfortable. You don't have to do what I did. No that's all right, whatever works. Great smile, love it. So what if you bring your arm up? This one? Right? I don't have any hair to play with. No, it's okay, you do though. You've got an earring. Playing with ears is always nice. Take your eyes that way, great. Let's see how that's looking. Chimping again. Here we go. Great, let me slide this over. You're doing great. I love this. This is nice. So I'm going to, I'm seeing my friend in the background. I'm going to bring this down it over for a sec because now I feel like I got some nice pictures in there so I'm going to change it up. Great. Feathering it even more but there's a lot of bounce in here which is I'm using to my advantage. Great. Great. Fun. Okay, so let's turn towards me a little bit more. Yeah, that's nice. Like this? Yeah. Don't like rest, rest because nobody likes to have the... so yeah, it's kind of a you sort of rest your hands. But now, now we've talked about it too much. So we've lost it. Exactly so let's put your hand again. And then we go back we'll go back. Go back and play with your ear again, that's nice. Yeah, there you go. But I think my angles too low. Let's try that again. And I see a light in the background. And chin down here for me. Okay, let's move on from that. I think there's other stuff. Okay, clock's ticking! All right. Let me look around the room here. See what else I've got. We have five minutes. We have five minutes? Five minutes? Yeah, that's how fast it goes. I love this still. Instead of doing something completely different I think I might stay here and I'm going to bring this light back. Underneath. How long have you lived in Seattle? Three and a half years. That's right. When are you coming back to East Coast? Whenever I can. Over the summer. Oh good. So we check that again. I have one other idea to try. Feet up again. Yeah, there's something really, yeah. This is great. Let me check that light, I'm gonna do the full length here. So really like this backlight that I'm getting. All right so within here. Gonna have you look this way. Did you go on any vacations this year? I'm going to Paris in two days. Oh my gosh! Really? Yeah. What for, for work or for pleasure? For fun. Oh my gosh, that's gonna be amazing. Where are you gonna stay? At a small Chateau outside of Paris. I'm coming. If you fit in my suitcase. That's amazing. I think this is really beautiful and I have some nice stuff here so I want to bring you over into this window. So let's bring Danielle this soft light again. I'm gonna just see what happens when I just put you completely back lit wrapped around. I actually, one of my favorite pairs of shoes I was wearing yesterday I bought in Paris a couple years ago, four or five years ago. Everybody loved your shoes yesterday. Oh, I'm glad, I'm glad. Thanks you guys, they're my favorite. I just was walking down the street in the Saint-Germain and saw them and was like. It's great shopping area. Have a seat on the window. Is that comfortable? Oh yeah. Okay, great. Let's see how this looks. Okay, I'm going to open up. Let's see. So that's looking pretty good. Let's turn that light down. Okay, I go here. Beautiful. Chin down a little, great. Let's turn that light down even more Danielle. This is really nice. Great. All right, go ahead look away from me. Do you have a favorite place in Paris? Have you been often or? Can't be a first time. I've been, my mother was French so I-- Your mother is French? Yeah, so I spent time there. Do you speak French? I used to. Yeah, I know. Well you'll go back, I'm sure you'll pick it up. That's fantastic. That's really beautiful. So turn towards me a little bit and just sort of rest your hands together on your knees and I love your your crossed legs. That's great. Look that way again. What area of France was your mom from, do you know? She's from Lorraine. Oh yeah? Northeast corner. I've never been up there but-- It's beautiful. My white balance is a little bit chilly here. Excellent, here we go. So turn a little bit this way. Maybe turn your whole body. Do we have a seamless? We don't have a seamless? Just oh, the gray one. Well we've used that one so I'm not going to do it again. Well, you want to set it up quickly? I don't know how much time we have but... Over here? Anywhere, just on a wall that will hold it. That's great. I love that, look the way again. Beautiful. Same thing happened here, when I looked away Arlene went oh, and looked away and then I went oh, like right now. Very good, I love that, great smile. Really beautiful. I'm gonna just even feather this even more. Almost nothing getting to you. See how that's works. Do that again, look that way. Good, eyes right here. Okay. So I'm using the backlight. Can I get, you know what let's scrap that idea but use it just because I think my time's running close. Either a scrim Jim or a reflector, soft show card. Sorry to change my mind on you. Sometimes, there you go. I'm just going to use some of this. There's a little fill in your eyes. A little much on my exposure here but you look great. It's nice so my exposure is a little hot so just come in a little. Yeah, really good. That's what I needed. So I might... Great, look this way. Great, your smile is awesome. Look right towards me, towards camera, great. Okay. I love how your hands are. Why don't you, you know how ladies like to play with their rings? Yeah, I like that. Yeah, right. There we go. Aren't we all. I have a ring problem I should say. I had a lot of them. Oh really? I like rings a lot. That's not a bad thing. You're in frame a tiny bit so come out but then find it again, great. Okay, all right. So the last couple frames, I'm going to put it up to you to decide how you want to move. So each frame like a photo booth. Each frame you just move. You don't have to do funny faces but you can but it's just you know, shift up your weight a little bit. But there's no wrong answer. We've got four minutes. Oh, we got four minutes? That's what I've been told. Does that math work guys? No, it doesn't! Not at all. That's okay, there we go, yeah. All right, so ready? If we have four minutes. let's set up the seamless. Ready? This might end up, you know, might not. Do you have the tape? It's already sort of taped from below. Put it right, we'll just do right here. The camera crew is like seriously guys. It'll work. It'll work. All right. Okay, have a seat over here Arlene. If I had had my Druthers I would put the seamless closer to the window light so I could use the window light but that's not an option right now. So we're gonna move on and try something else. So this is going to go this way. Can you just help me push this? This is just sitting right where I need to be. You know what, I'll sit on the couch right there. That'll work. Okay, so yeah, you're great. Bring over the soft lighter. I'm going to put the soft lighter right there and have you have the beauty dish right here. I got it, you get the beauty dish. Just because it doesn't need to be much higher. I'm going to put the bottom of the soft lighter at her eye level. That's where I want it. With the side. So this is going to be, now I really feel like I'm sitting down on the job. But hey. Okay, so turn towards me. Let's see what happens when you lean forward towards me. Like this. Yeah like really, yeah exactly. Let's check this out. Right, you come lower with the light. Go like down so it's filling her eyes. There we go. Okay. Where am I, five, here we go. Get my exposure. Which I wouldn't say to my subject. I wouldn't be like by the way, that was wrong, and I totally messed that up. I'm just letting everybody else know. You know, I keep it in. Let's go up a little tiny bit higher. Not in power, in height. There you go. The more Arlene and I spend time together and the more Danielle and I do, Danielle will understand where I'm going and even Arlene will understand my gestures when I say head this way. Exactly. So you're already, turn your body this way for me. I want to try something just very artful so like what if you're just like. I mean, I might look, yeah. Really nice. Even relax your eyes, look off that way. And rest your head, go ahead, yeah. I mean this is sort of, come a little bit around Dar, Danielle. I just combined your names, Darlene. Easy to do. Now bring your other hand in, let's see where that can go. Yes, gorgeous. This is a really nice image. Let me bring you over here. I need to be coming on the same side I think. Great. Really great. Now, I'm going to see what happens. You just exit frame and I'm going to open up a little bit. I want to get a different quality of light. You look comfy. I am comfy. That's great. So this is it's a different quality of light and not quite where I want to be so I'm going to bring it down. And again, more of the edge. See how that goes. Yeah. All the way in, there we go. Even more. It's like right when I again, it's like what when I think I have the picture, just really start to see what else is out there. Good and look this way. So now turn your body and do it in that direction a little bit, yeah. Face you? No, you can face away. We'll just do that see what that is. Yeah. Now head up, look towards me. And sort of look up. Yeah, cool. And let's try it on the all the way on the other side. And last shots please my friend, last shots. All right. That's great. There we go and sit up for me and just sit up nice and straight and look this direction. It kind of reminds me of the painting of the grandmother sitting in the chair, you're like. You have great posture. Thank you very much, appreciate it. Thank you. It was fun. Thank you so much. And now we'll look through. So as you start to ingest, wanted to give you some comments that are coming in. Once again, despite all the challenges people are saying you still do make it look fluid and coming through and make it look easy but people know that you have had such experience having to come through and do all these things. Elsesbox says I love this segment, her model is very much like a typical client. A little bit nervous, uncomfortable, quiet. So this is great to watch you work and see her open up. And again, people are asking about, so okay if a client is nervous, how do you open them up? And as you could see, Victoria starts to ask her questions about her life, about vacations, creating those moments of connection where you can see Arlene's face light up when she starts to talk about going to Paris, right? So that is really exciting to see and watch you do that. Well who wouldn't light up about vacation? Or France? Or France, right. I mean vacation, those things that make us all human. The little things, that's where I'm going and sometimes people don't want to be personal at all. They're just there for business and that's okay. I will connect with them in other ways and like I've mentioned you just sort of find something that you can connect with them on. So maybe I'll say oh, I'm reading a great book right now about X, Y, Z. Have you read it or what are you reading? If you give, I mention this yesterday but worth repeating, if you give something of yourself, if you tell somebody a little something about you they'll probably respond. So Victoria, what happens if you have somebody that is too chatty, I know you touched on this a little bit earlier but who maybe that nervousness, like you said, it becomes more chatty or they just want to keep talking. That's hard to actually get a shot when they're talking. Yeah with their mouths not open and they're looking somewhere. Well, a key thing to remember is that you're in charge. It's still your dinner party. You're still the host. And when I say you're in charge, it's not supposed to sound very severe but in the sense that you need to be in control. And if somebody is being really chatting and really nervous, and that's their body language, that's why they're acting that way then you need to do something to make them comfortable. And they'll probably slow down a little bit but if you really need them to just stop, I always just say let's have a quiet moment. Let's have you look over here, away from camera but let's not talk and we'll just have a thought. Have a think and that's a way to sort of take back the control of the shoot.

Class Description

Lessons

1. Class Introduction

   In the first lesson, meet Victoria and dip your toes into learning her creative process. See the portraits that Victoria has captured in windowless storage rooms and learn why a bad location is no excuse for a bad portrait. Discover why portraits are about preparation, point-of-view, and connection and learn what to expect from the class.

2. Evaluating Location and Set-Up with Assistant

   Portrait shoots often mean walking into a location that you've never seen before. Walk through the process of evaluating the location and prepping for the shoot. Learn major essentials and smaller tips, like why portrait photographers should deliver multiple images with a consistent appearance but varying orientations.

3. Editorial/Celebrity Style Shoot

   Think you can't get several great portraits in 15 minutes? Watch a live 15-minute portrait shoot, from communicating poses with the subject to helping the client feel comfortable in front of the camera. Learn how continuous changes help the client feel comfortable while creating variety in a short time frame.

4. Culling Editorial/Celebrity Style Shoot

   After watching the shoot unfold, see the results as Victoria looks through the images from the 15-minute shoot. Get answers to questions posed from students like you, then watch an image critique.

5. Victoria's Portrait Journey

   How did Victoria go from a photo of a croissant at a tabloid newspaper to photographing Brad Pitt? Victoria shares her photography journey and the certain events that led to her success. Gain insight into how she moved from her early works to her current portfolio and stunning photo collections.

6. Victoria's Sundance Experience

   What's more under pressure than a 15-minute time-frame to shoot an entire cast? Victoria walks through her experience shooting celebrity portraits in temporary studios during the Sundance Film festival as a prime example of working under pressure.

7. The Power of the Portrait

   Rule number one of portrait photography? Portraits are never about the photographer. Victoria walks through the power of the camera and portraits that have changed the national conversation.

8. How to Connect with Your Subject

   Human nature means most people are uncomfortable in front of a camera -- but portraits aren't about cameras and lighting, it's about the person, Victoria says. Learn how to create a connection that will bring out the person in portrait photography.

9. Shooting a Commercial Image Part 1

   Photographing people doesn't always fall strictly under a portrait category. Watch Victoria's process through a commercial shoot designed to sell jeans and see how the same portrait photo tips work for commercial work.

10. Shooting a Commercial Image Part 2

    Continue the dive into commercial portraiture and move into more poses and deeper insight into the process.

11. Culling the Commercial Shoot

    What do you look for when culling images from a commercial portrait session? Victoria walks through her process and why, when she chooses photos, it's not the always the obvious smiling photo that makes the cut.

12. Marketing: Websites and Portfolios

    Victoria calls marketing the eye roll of the photography industry -- but it's an important part of working as a professional. Walk through online portfolio advice, marketing photo tips and more in this lesson.

13. Social Media & Blogs

    Social media is an extension of marketing -- and an essential one. Dive into photo tips for marketing with social media and blogs as a portrait photography artist.

14. Interview: Lacey Browne, Money Magazine Photo Editor

    Marketing to potential clients is one thing, but what about attracting the attention of a photo editor from a major magazine? Gain insight into what photo editors are looking for when they hire photographers.

15. Wardrobe and Make-Up Best Practices

    Just like marketing, makeup and wardrobe is an essential subject that photographers don't always have a handle on. Victoria walks through the process of selecting clothing and makeup for the shoot, from making the subject feel comfortable to what colors work best.

16. How to Work with Agents and Reps

    Portrait photography is not a solo career. Learn how to work on creative teams, starting with finding a rep to working with an agent.

17. How to Work with Assistants: Skype Interview

    Assistants help portrait sessions move quickly while under pressure -- but shooting with an assistant can be intimidating. Victoria dives into working with assistants and building a relationship through an interview with photo assistant Tim Young.

18. The Importance of Being Prepared

    Portrait photographers often walk into a location blind -- but that doesn't make preparation any less essential. Walk through the process of preparing, learn how to scout locations if you can, and dive into the process of building flexible ideas pre-shoot. Learn the gear Victoria brings with her and more.

19. Shoot: Conquering Dark Tight Spaces

    Portrait photographers don't always get to pick epic locations. Learn how to create a studio space in a small, dark space and how to assess a tight spot to create multiple different types of portrait images.

20. Culling Dark Tight Spaces Shoot

    See the result of working in a dark, tight space as Victoria culls and critiques the images from the challenge. Also, watch Victoria's initial reaction and thoughts on the "boring" location for the second shoot.

21. Shoot: Conquering Boring Spaces

    Learn how to make create interesting, riveting portrait photography in boring spaces. Watch Victoria set up multiple shots in this quick shoot, from re-arranging furniture to adjusting lighting.

22. Culling Boring Spaces Shoot

    Examine the results of the portrait session in a "boring" space. Watch Victoria critique her own work and see how she progressed from testing the light to developing comfortable poses.

23. Shoot: Working with Groups - Part 1

    Groups increase the challenges to portrait photography, especially under pressure. Get a behind the scenes look at developing a group portrait, from building a relationship to working with harsh light.

24. Shoot: Working with Groups - Part 2

    Continue working with group portrait sessions and watch Victoria create her own shade, direct poses, and channel high energy in a group setting.

25. Culling Working with Groups Shoot

    Build a critical eye by critiquing the group shoot, looking for what works and what doesn't.

26. Portfolio Best Practices

    Building a portfolio is essential to working as a portrait photography artist. Learn portfolio essentials from how to build your point of view to formatting options. Learn how to create distinctive features to make your work stand out and why a consistent appearance is important. See classical examples of portraiture in Victoria's own portfolio.

27. Portfolio Best Practices Q&A

    Grab deep insight into the most common portfolio questions in this Q&A session with students in our Seatle studio.

28. Portfolio Critique

    Listening to photography critiques helps you develop a critical eye for your own work. Learn the common protocol editors follow in a review of photo collections from distinguished artisans in the CreativeLive studio audience, and gain critical insight to use in your own work.