Setting up the camera

Equipment needed:-

Canon 550D

Tripod

Sync lead

Beauty lens

Reflector boards

SD card

Hot shoe adapter

Camera settings:-

Manual mode
Shutter speed: 1/100
ISO: 100, higher brightness = lower quality
Auto focus

Camera turned sideways for portrait images

Camera at face level

How it works:-

Using hot shoe adapter, sync lead connects camera to the lights, it triggers flash at the same time as the photo is taken.

Beauty lens zooms in more for better face portrait images.

Reflector boards reduces shadows underneath jawline if held correctly, usually there should be another person helping to hold it (depending on the reflector size).

Experimenting more with different lighting

Low exposure, soft lighting (light above the model)

 




Low exposure, soft lighting (light on the right side of the model)

 



More lower exposure, soft lighting (light on the right side of the model)

 



Soft lighting, low exposure (light behind the model)

 



Soft lighting, low exposure (the light below the model)

 



Soft lighting, underexposed (light in front of the model)

 



Hard lighting, overexposed (light in front of the model)

Hard lighting, high exposure (light in front of the model)

    

Different Lighting/Modeling

 Low Lighting (low exposure)

 





















Increasing the exposure

  

Using infinity cove (no shadow behind)

      

   

Using reflector board to reduce shadows under the chin

        

Hard Lighting (high exposure)

      

By experimenting with different lighting, posing and taking photographs myself, it helped me develop my skills and have a better understanding of what light I should use for different model, which light is more flattering. I learnt that for someone who has soft features soft lighting, medium exposure works best, however for someone with harsh features hard lighting and higher exposure looks better. I would also like to experiment with different backgrounds black, or grey to see the difference in the images, does it create different impact or not so much.

Touch Up's

Photo manipulation is a process which can change model's appearance, even out skin tone, hide blemishes, change skin color and many other aspects. There are many software applications that can changes the image into the desired one.




                              Untouched                                                          Re-touched



Retouching started back in 1860s, majority of  kings and queens were 'retouched' by their bust sculptors and portrait painters giving them a certain look and how they wanted to appear. Retouching started with drawing on the negatives places or parts of the face/body with a pencil to prompt prints to come out lighter or just gently scratching away emulsion to prompt prints to darken, to achieve the look they wanted they used to remove hairs, straightened noses or even erase double chins, therefore retouching existed way earlier than people would image, 'Photoshop' is not the only tool to retouch even though in today's society that's all we rely on software and computers to do the job however back in 1860s people did not have computers but still wanted the portraits or sculptures to look nice so they used their own method of retouching.




So many images that are shown in the media are retouched in fact all of them. Media shows lies to the public especially to younger people who believe that these celebrities actually look like this setting the standards and making them feel that this is beautiful when in reality it is not real it is only thanks to the Photoshop when you see celebrities in person or captured by paparazzi they don't look so flawless in fact they look completely different. Perfect body, flat stomach, slim thigh shadows creating slimmer face that is something that media tries to portray as 'perfection', making other girls starve themselves to look like those models or celebrities that are on the cover of magazines.



On the left side Demi Moore's face perfectly retouched looking like porcelain doll, there are no mimic lines or any wrinkles whatsoever, skin looks bright and youthful, it seems like her skin has no imperfections. However image on the right suggest the more realistic image of her, you can see all the lines and wrinkles, and that's what should be shown to the media more, the viewers need to see the real beauty unretouched, because Demi Moore is beautiful even if she has wrinkles she should embrace it and set an example for the younger crowds.

Lesson 2 - Notes

How to view models and women - beauty and power

Women or men that I see posing in the magazines:-

                                                                                -  Usually unnatural or even provocative poses
                                                                                -  Has a different effects on male and female viewers (women posing half naked will affect men and women differently)
                                                                                -  Many poses appear childlike for example touching mouth which is very common in photography in this modern society, also vulnerable poses that women usually do suggests that women are weaker and more vulnerable
                                                                                - Why most of the poses are aimed at men despite the fact that the products are for women (eg advertising a lipstick)?
                                                                                -  Models pose like this to show they are aware that they have men attention and control over the fact that they being watched (eg on magazine cover)
                                                                                 -  Photographers appear usually male?

Our task:- To impersonate a model and show different poses that they usually do also being directed, and directing others. The aim of this task was to practice different poses, how comfortable are we to do them and direct others, letting director get close to you and physically move you around.

Outcome:- I felt very awkward and uncomfortable to be posing in front of a few people, letting someone get very close to me and directing how my pose should look like. While I was directing I felt confident and was not afraid to explain the ideas and poses that the model should do.

My partner also felt uncomfortable and slightly awkward posing certain poses as they appeared very silly to us, she could do keep very still and was unsure of certain poses that I tried to explain and show.

Next time:- Be prepared for the challenges and be willing to follow the instructions of the director, also needed more time to get the poses right and also more confidence.

 

Photography that Inspired Me

I found this image inspiring because I love the soft lighting for this image, because the pose of this model is very relaxed and care free while her hair is blown to one side. her facial expression is very relaxed and not too expressive. The black and white also makes the image appear darker and more mysterious which also goes with the concept of the image as the model looks fully relaxed and not caring that her hair is being blown completely to the side. her make up is quite natural mostly emphasizing the lids of her eyes with the eye shadow which makes the image look more fashionable and not too casual.



















I also found this image inspiring because it looks very intense, the model pose tell a lot about the image, her use of hands gives an image more dramatic look, it can appear that she is worried or loosing her mind or any other emotion that these hands are trying to portray. I love that this model has more of the messy hair as it goes with the theme of being more dramatic and not 'calm', her make up is also not too natural especially the eye has a bold look. The lighting for this image is perfected considering they used black background, soft lighting, image looks slightly underexposed which created the shadows adding more mysteriousness to the image.

Anja Rubik by Stephan Moskovic, 2013

This image that I also found inspiring because I like how facial expression can give such an impact to the image, the model's face looks very serious and quite intimidating as she stares right into your eyes. Very minimal make up if barely any also goes well with this image as she looks very natural and using her scarf tries to hide her hair almost like she wants to hide. The pose of this image is very simple but at the same time tasteful as it perfectly portrays the mood of the model which to me looks as very serious. The lighting for this images appears to be soft and slightly under exposed with shadows which also contributes to the mysteriousness of this image.









 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Greta Tuckute by Julia Morozova, 2012

This image also inspired me because of  its simplicity but at the same time being so intriguing. The facial expression of the model is very neutral and kind of serious, the soft lightening and perfect exposure gives her skin a beautiful glow. I like the idea of hiding half of her face as it makes the image mysterious and intriguing. Not so much make up is flattering considering she has soft features and pretty face also black and white setting defined all the details that should have stood out.















                                                                                                                                                      Bridget March by Gita Gutawa, 2010


This image caught my eye and inspired me firstly by the happy atmosphere that this model creates. No make up, hair down and guitar in her hands makes the image look very natural and not over done, there is no dramatic pose that I usually see in the professional photography which is very refreshing and something new. The soft lighting is very flattering for the models skin it slightly creates shadows defining the edges of her body and features but perfect exposure making her face a little bit brighter than the rest of the body.

                                                                                                                                        Emma Kleine by People Photography 2014




I really like this image of this model and found it inspiring because there was clearly hard lighting used with perfect exposure. I love how bright this image looks emphasizing the models skin, make up and hair making it very visible. I like hard lighting when it comes to emphasizing certain features or details of the model that why I found this image inspiring and gave me plenty of ideas for my own work.















                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Simone Griffin by Lesley Tamaddon, 2009

This is the last image that I found to be inspiring to me due to the background and the theme of this image. The theme clearly portrays winter, cold and snow. I love how there is a lot of focus on the background and it almost overpowers the picture rather the model would do. Soft lighting and not too over exposed goes well with this theme, if it was too over exposed the image would almost look washed out because there is so much white in her clothes and background. The pose of the model is very playful and natural, nothing too overdone and something that any regular person would do while sitting down, I think it perfectly portrays the cold winter day.












                                                                                                                                                              Tara Rixon by Kiera Riley, 2011

Lesson 1 - Notes

Casting models.

1. Choose the right model for the shoot, have an idea of what model's features would go with certain lightening, harsh features - hard lightening, soft features - soft lightening.                              
2. Always ask to see un retouched photos from potential models (you never know what type of skin model has if all her blemishes and imperfections are retouched).                                                      
3. Choose models depending on desired look(bone structure and features are vital for creating the perfect image).                                                                                                                                   
4. Choose a model with a appropriate attitude or style (for example creating high fashion images you would need a model who follows fashion trends and has that certain look.                               
5. In portfolios always look for a variety of poses because it shows experience and versatility.                
6. Communicate in a friendly manner, make model feel comfortable and welcome, provide water and pay for model's expenses.                                                                                                                               
7. Use a cool room to avoid sweat as this will ruin photos (heat will open up the pores making the make up sink into those pores this way skin doesn't look as flawless or fresh).

Directing.

1. Don't be afraid to explain the poses to the model if needed show model pose yourself                         
2. Take tear sheets.                                                                                                                                          
3. Keep the model moving otherwise the body will become more stiff and poses wont look as desired.                                                                                                                                                        
4. Relax and be in a good mood because your own body language can set the atmosphere of the shoot and make the model feel more relax or stressed.                                                                                
5. Be honest with a model but not rude, never tell what you think quietly to someone else this way model will feel that the images do not look good.                                                                                    
6. Photo any quiet or unplanned moments as these may produce the best images because sometimes requiring relaxed images wont look as good when its forced.                                                  
7. Don't put pressure on yourself always run test-shoots, have plenty of time to set up lighting before model's arrival, this will prevent any additional stress to me or the model.                                  
8. Don't work in the dark because this can cause red-eyes or enlarged pupils (best to use hard light to compliment the eyes as this will reduce the size of the pupil making the color of the eye pop)

Lighting.

Soft lighting (using soft box), underexposed image will create more of a darker, natural, shadowy images.

Hard lighting (using dish light), overexposed image will create much of a lighter, brighter appearance to the image