Saturday, March 10, 2012

Kelby TV: The Grid

I have been captivated by creativelive so much, that I forogt about the other brilliant resources for photography learning. Today I am going to watch the episodes of The Grid, a show hosted by Scott Kelby and Matt K. Here are some notes from the show: Episode 46 * 3 process to photography: take picture, post, look at picture (EVERYONE uses photoshop) * Web use of photos: shoot wide. Pictures look bigger on website Episode 45 onone: marketplace for textures, backgrounds, etc... Episode 44 follow on twitter: photogzilla sports looks best with strobes Episode 43 D800 anti alias filter off=sharper image blind critique color, composition, curiosity

Sunday, March 04, 2012

Sue Bryce's Glamour workshop

Photoshop Actions
button mode for actions
1. totally rad s http://www.gettotallyrad.com
2. Jinky Art- http://www.ittybittyactions.com/
3. http://enlighten.jeshderox.com/




choose 25-30 images
2 minutes each
No portraiture on eyes, hair line and lips (default minus softness)

color wheel
take away magenta=add green with %1 flow (inner eye for redness)
dodge around eyes
burn around makeup line

lasso tool.select part to change
copy paste
free transform
right click=warp
turn on and off
flow= %10 erase for breaklines

healing tools: moles
cloning: fastest form of retouching
face is size of fist=clone stamp size of thumb nail


Julieanne Kost: photoshop guru
https://signnow.com/--- top model release

Blog etiquette
%40 knowledge
40 Positive Attitude
10 Personality
10 Self Promotion

blog twice a week


lynda.com

Determine clientele
Who are you trying to attract as a client?

Friday, February 10, 2012

The Boudoir Workshop with Christa Meola

christameola.com website

redefining boudoir
clearly defining your brand
honing in on your distinct style
What is your definition of boudoir?
male photographer-have female present and have client bring friend
Use safe terms: be polite and confident, keep your energy high, focus on fun,
1) artists' figure model
(art schools and art galleries) require least amount of direction, possible nude and will sign model release
2)pro and amateur models (model mayhem)
3)real women (prep work , flattering, (what do you love most about your body?)
prop shots, head shots, modest dress

creating emotions--coach actions
flattering postures:
flipping hair: transfers energy to motion instead of wondering whether she looks good
creating natural movement: run your hands across your body
cross your legs
throw pillows, twirl, jump on bed
take one strap off
crawl towards photog with arch in back

demo everything that i ask her to do
eyeline: at the lightsource, at your body, with your eyes only at camera (flirt with the light)
smile with your eyes,

http://www.creativelive.com/courses/boudoir-workshop-christa-meola?quicktabs_course_quicktabs=gear#quicktabs-course_quicktabs

Friday, January 27, 2012

Creative Live Workshop:Zach and Jody Gray Wedding Photography

Where you are going to be in five years depend on the people you meet and the book that you read.

Approach to weddings:
your network is your net worth...
people that are willing to do things for us in our field.
referrals from having such a great experience.
1) esteem: geniunely interested in other people
people's deepest need is to feel important and loved
2) give them more than what is expected:
faster than expected, service industry
3) capitalize: future potential clients
give them a reason to talk about us and tools
facebook + slideshow
Gear bag:
shooting with natural light
thinktank V2 security suitcase
1dS mark 3
5ds Mark 2, battery pack, black rapid, hand attachment
3 flash
light meter
extra batteries
backup camera (crop sensor)
cf cards with car holder
2 expo discs (custom white balance and exposure)
tiffen neutral density filter (putting sunglasses on your camera)
85 l1.2 lens
(2) 50 1.2 lens
natural, what you see with your eyes, men's shots,
70-200 2.8 IS(ceremony, portrait)
24-70 (girls getting ready) 24 get wide, 70 get tight...story that is going on
back of dress, focus very close,
16-35 (dress shots, details, environment with dress, dramatic shot..
very distorted in top and bottom at 16mm,
100 Macro (portraits, details)
the rings, shoes, portrait (makeup shot actions

flash-triggers, cybersyncs, cables, batteries, diffusers, reflectors

securing equipment in wedding: use assistant to protect bags

SHOOT IN RAW

Lighting
---indirect window light
softest, prettiest lightsource

4-6 ft away from light source
height of window: determine shadows on faces
position of bride to light source: 45 degrees or more to window

ambient room light: turn off lights because they look orange

no light: flash (short lighting)

Getting ready:
dinner a couple of weeks before wedding
+come in: make personal connections with people (this is different)
+first details: 15-20 minutes
dress: find great back light
shoes: chair/45 degree to window/ 100 macro (fill in shadows with reflector)
1 1/2-2 hours editing pictures
unique to client-show detail!

then: makeup artist
brushes on the cheeks
(coach along with facial expressions)

24-70 moment put on dress
50-buttons on back of dress

girl photographer-girl
guy photographer-guys

+Make sure to shoot other stories...ringbearer
+unique memories
+portrait after just getting ready in good light
+ pull in quick for detail

portrait lens
50 1.2
natural eye-
85
looking in on a moment
70-200
1st looks-just capturing from a distance

Reflective light
open shade
diffused

detail shot
bride
reservoir of dogs

family portraits

head set for communication in church
5 hour workflow
exposure check: expodisc (neutral) (portrait one adds red in cheeks...NO)
3 step process:
1) pick aperture

2) set shutter speed (one over focal length rule)
70mm- shutter speed 1/70th of a second

3)ISO
1 stop of 0

(fine tune with shutter)
custom white balancing

double check with histogram

apply it to camera...custom white balance

buy the one for the biggest lens and hold it up later

DAY 2
the final touches of makeup...very put together (don't have to fix the skin)
standing on a chair...24-70mm looking down at bride
low viewpoint..wide shot of bride on piano bench
camera should be pointed in center of your composition for it to look natural
guys-sit down, lean on knees, look out of window
high key---everything is bright, except for them.
start of with couple walking...takes down their guard
vertical/horizontal-for story board in book


COUPLE SHOTS
otalux deep octa 70cm
20% strobe-80% natural light
elinchrom ranger quadra-lightweight/weather sealed
w/adapter to put any size modifier
(would like 500ml to outpower sun source anytime of day, but has 400mls)
(A-action/ S-****cheaper, it is what they use)
vagabond mini....!HAVE IT!
cybersync...Paul C bluff (INCREDIBLE)
cybersync transmitter


PORTRAIT STYLE LIGHTING
Glamour light/Butterfly...flattens them out and shows problems
Straight on light
If yo are not Glamourous, dont use glamour lighting

Loop Lighting
30 degrees off to side

45 degree from subjects face

Positioning the light box 24-32 inches....with A crate grid (inside to narrow in light source)
1) Height of Light-the center of box above the center of the eyes, bottom of soft box at height of chin exposed
Turn it perfectly straight---DON"T CHANGE THE ANGLE TO KEEP EYE COLOR BRIGHT
2)Distance-as close as I can put it without getting it in the picture, closer-softer light 4-6 feet away
3)Vertical vs.Horizantal (horizantal-more than i person/1 person vertical)
4)Umbrella vs. Softbox...(.group portraits-umbrella)


Lighting Ratios
fill light-reflectors

3:1- (70%)light is twice as bright as background
light on subject looks natural...very soft

4:1:2 stops darker on the fill

5:1-(90%)background is kicked down by a few stops
light meter-

The Process-shutter speed does not effect your strobe lighting, it only effects your ambient light
decide on lighting pattern (quickest is 1/250s)
set the strobe
set meter ISO
Set the x sync speed
check the percentage...if at 40% (power up), if at 100% power strobe down 3 clicks until 70% is reached

EXPODISC NOT USED WITH STROBES.

Custom skies
Shutter speed to 1/100 sec
iso 100
point camera to sky
adjust f-stop to preferred exposure

YOU DO NOT GET TO PICK YOUR APERTURE ON A STROBE,
so your composition becomes very important
Late in the day, you can use F/2
Sun should hit the should or side of face, NOT NOSE
FEATHERING THE LIGHT-pointing it 2/3 diagonal to the center (perfect face lighting)

short lighting....making larger people smaller
white balance when using strobe-FLASH (constant kelvin)

Adding a speedlight
put orange gels for more ambient light
8ft away from her-small and contrasty

1) ambient light...underexposed by 1 stop with person
2) set up strobe 45 degree light
3) flash in back...adds depth and drama

(tight space...point straight up), sitting on ground with foot

HIGH ISOS...1/3 too bright to have less noise in the shadows

Wedding on location couple portraits
overcast day (CUSTOM BLUE SKIES)
ISO 100
Shutter Speed 1/100
f/13 gives the -1 stop on in camera meter

Neutral density filter 3 stops (Adjustable filter)


Clamshell lighting:
softbox overhead with reflector under bouncing light back.
Bride shots over high school senior portraits

Reception lighting:
1.underexpose ambient lighting by -1
2. Manually power flash

checking ambient light
ISO 400
SHUTTER speed 1/100
f/2

Ring shots:
bounce flash off reflector that is above
macro lens

Off camera flash
add micro apollo (8 inch softbox)
receiver-hotshoe, triggered off camera
stand 6-8ft. away
pick lighting style
power flash up or down until correct exposure is achieved
(the distance to your subject must remain the same for lighting to remain constant

Adding a kicker light (shooting rim light)
postion the light pointing from the crowd
start the background flash at 1/32 power
raise up 7-8ft., bare bulb
take test shot to see how bright/dark the light is
few feet away from the wall
shooting it into the center

ISO 100
SS 100
f/4

bouncing it off the floor.-fun cool shots

dragging the shutter
getting below 30th...


back button focusing
take images with the front focus
back: focus on the back

Shot list:
Special family considerations: list of names of each family members
Any special things going on throughout the wedding: someone singing, remembering family member,
knowing religious traditions
first dance song
plans for the formal exit: night (sparklers)
vendor information: immediately after wedding, e-mail and build relationships
planner:write before for introduction
ACCESS TO WORK MUST BE ONE CLICK: easy for internet (sharing)
bridemaid's names
leaving for honeymoon/coming back form honeymoon
sneakpeak images
married address


TIME:
1 hour guys getting ready
1 hour girls getting ready (30 min. bride/30 minutes with bride and bridesmaids)
1 hour for couple poses (bride and groom)
30 minutes for family & wedding party

Creating album: SWAT
KISS books

Friday, November 11, 2011

Creativelive with Mathew Jordan Smith

What is beauty?
+Beauty is all about the face, hair, skin (The business of photographing skin care, hair care, makeup and jewelry
In every picture there is a hero of the shot.
less is more 85 to 100macro....in editing, select shots that work together.

Casting models for beauty-
great skin

T.E.A.M.- Together each Achieves More

Fashion vs. Beauty
Fashion-Swagger, energy, Clothes come alive, swim wear,
High-end magazines-the clothing is the hero
Beauty-clean, beautiful light

storyboard-what is happening in your life now
yin&yang
find concepts-shoot what you love
favorite books, movies, etc...
magazine layout>2 pages: you don't want two images that look the same. the language of opposites
big/small, motion/still, b/w/color

irving penn...measure light, which card to use,

pitch to client-1 ideal pitch

beauty gear: 100 macro + 85mm

Cast and Crew
Model Mayhem....




Day 2
using one light, getting different effects.
Beauty shot: iso 200,
metering 16.3, 16.2/16.1/1 (very even) shooting at 16
16.5-dark skin and shoot for 16
He wants to know the tenths....exactly between 11 and 16
13-11 1/3 15-11 2/3
a third open for beauty shot. if the meter is shooting at 16.3, he shoots at 16
sweet spot-concentration of the light-center of the face (nose)
shooting men-show texture in the skin (silver beauty dish-gives harder look, shows more texture)
shooting women-porcelain skin (white beauty dish-softer look)

1/125th of a second, f/16 iso 200

once all of the settings are in place, work with the model...don't lose the model, work with them

Day 3 fashion

hard light: pop
Magnum reflector on profoto head-1 main light f/22
focus can be on face or on garment
light is very high (12 feet) to increase the texture on the outfit
background lights: f/22.7 (4 lights)
V-flat
Foam core: Art stores 4x8
4x8 clear white plexi (shiny wood panel)
gaffer tape
platform with shine


traveling gear (get carnet):
2 heads
2 c stands
battery pack
rope
gaffer tape
sunbounce

long lens with f/4 girl in focus and blowing background out (even on location)

mistakes to avoid>
the client wants the photographer to select model
forget gear
leaving things off that i needed to "save money"

The clients are paying you to shoot, not permission for every picture you take.

Friday, September 09, 2011

Creativelive with Tamarah Lackey

Guest Speaker:Matthew Jordan Smith
Favorite tools: Pro photo beauty dish 362.00 + 22" Diffuser Sock 29.95
Passport Color Checker
Magnum Reflector

Put on an exhibit

Friday, May 13, 2011

Creativelive with Penny de los Santos

lens choices

35mm
85mm
good photograph:
light, color,composition, food subject

light direction: best! from the side, quality: diffused
what needs to be done to modify the light?


infuse energy in your food photographs

shoot the whole process of preparing food

if your food doesn´t have color, then you should add it with utensils, backgrounds, etc....

apertures: typically 5.6
camera angles for visual pacing and explore subject:
shoot vertical
overhead: use ladders
3/4: foods that are high

cutting into the food

1) establishing shot: show your environment
2) environmental moments