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07/26/2006 12:05:16 PM · #1 |
I met a fellow photographer named Marco, an Italian. His day job is as a top children's heart surgeon. His passion for photographing people takes him all over the world, seeking out that special face, interesting enough to be captured on film/file.
During this brief encounter in my brother's hairdressing salon Marco asked me if I would visit his photographic society to discuss the possibility of me giving a talk about my fashion photography.
I said to Marco, "Whatever will I talk about?" Well, he said, there is something very magical in the expressions of your models and in the atmosphere of your pictures that I would love to have in mine, He asked me how do you achieve this. I said, "No, I can't, because I don't know myself."
You have to find out he said because this is what you should talk about. We spent the next couple of hours discussing photography and the feelings and techniques of managing your subjects whilst shooting.
During my visit to his camera club, we arranged for my talk to be done nearly 9 months later, so I had time to think about my talk and to get myself prepared.
For days, I looked at my work and examined myself whilst shooting my assignments. It was maybe 6 months later whilst photographing a bridal-wear collection for one of my clients that something clicked. I had decided that I would like to start shooting with wider lenses to change the style of my bridal-wear pictures. I shoot for so many bridal-wear designers, so I have to make them look and feel different to the each other. It also helps to use a short zoom, because during most of my shoots, I can take a variety of images from full length to portrait shots from the same distance, so my client gets much more usage out of the shots.
While moving in closer to my model, I noticed a big difference in the expressions in her face and her body language - they changed, as I got closer. I experimented more and began to play with this for the rest of this shoot. Not only could I see better, it also created a much better flow of the energy and communication between my model and myself.
For years, I have been shooting fashion pictures using medium-length telephotos, at times so far away that my models could not hear me directing them. An amazing thing had happened. I could see and control so much more in my pictures. Not to say that I will never use long lenses, just that I prefer the new results that I am getting with wide lenses. In fact, most of my recent projects I have shot with a wide zoom.
I find that by doing the poses and expressions in my face that I want, my models seem to mirror mine. If I act daft, they act daft. If I laugh, they laugh. If I pull a sad face, they pull a sad face - which always makes them smile :-)
Since this experiment, I have been adapting my directions to my models in much the same way, obviously changing my energy levels to match the levels I want in my pictures. If I want a nice soft and gentle feel, I express this in my voice and my manor and my body. If I want high energy, I do high energy. If I want my model to leap, I will leap.
Think about this as if you were a conductor. The next time you attend a concert, watch him or her, and watch the orchestra. They mirror him - fast tempo, slow tempo, and medium tempo. You can do the same with your models. Fashion pictures for me have RHYTHM and TEMPO.
If you want to express high energy or tempo in a picture, the shoot has to be high energy or tempo, or visa- versa. I look at pictures and sometimes wonder how boring the shoot must have been. I love to change the tempo up and down whilst I'm shooting, I would hate it if anyone viewing my pictures did not feel this energy.
This is why I strive to make my shoots exciting for myself, my model, the other members of my team, and, most important, for my clients. As a photographer, you are the conductor, your models are your orchestra, and your clients or viewers of the pictures are the audience. So you have to direct and entertain. Your performance will reflect in your pictures.
Try a little experiment. The next time you have people over to your house or you get a moment with some people at work, pick a volunteer. Face each other, one or two feet apart, don't speak, and don't look at each other. In fact, do your best to imagine they are not there. Stay like this for 30 seconds and remember how this feels. Stay in this position but hold each other's hands, look into each other's eyes, smile at each other, don't speak. Instead of imagining they are not there, do the opposite. Try and send them all of your good energy. Stay like this for 30 seconds. Remember how this feels, and compare the feelings. Ask your friend or colleague and the others to explain how it felt for them.
The next time you are shooting pictures, remember all of these feelings.
//www.brucesmithphotographer.com
Message edited by author 2006-08-01 10:34:46.
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07/26/2006 12:07:29 PM · #2 |
| That's cool how about some images to go along with the story? |
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08/01/2006 10:36:49 AM · #3 |
Hi I put a link on so you can see my work.
Bruce
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08/01/2006 11:00:22 AM · #4 |
Thanks for sharing your experience. Wonderful pictures!
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08/01/2006 11:04:08 AM · #5 |
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08/01/2006 11:52:41 AM · #6 |
Wow!! Amazing story and fantastic pictures!
The guy at the camera club is right--you DO have a serious connection going on in your photos here! |
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08/02/2006 04:49:11 AM · #7 |
Thanks Lady Hawk
Lovely pictures.
Bruce
Message edited by author 2006-08-02 04:49:57.
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08/02/2006 05:39:20 AM · #8 |
| Thanks Bruce, it's great to get an insight in how you get such amazing raport with your models.....the images in your gallery are wonderful!! |
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08/02/2006 07:53:34 AM · #9 |
WOW SUEMAC
Your pictures are stunning.
Im not patient enough to shoot stuff like yours.
:-)
Bruce
//www.brucesmithphotographer.com/index.php
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08/02/2006 08:00:25 AM · #10 |
Thanks Bruce.
A really great post with lots of insight into a difficult aspect of the photographic world. |
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08/02/2006 09:05:29 AM · #11 |
Thanks eschelar
Its a lot of fun but not all of the time.
I have my bad TIMES too like most people.
:-)
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08/09/2006 05:54:23 AM · #12 |
There are some places left on the Tuscany fashion class if any ones interested in joing us.
Great oportunity to learn to shoot in a fabulous location.
//www.brucesmithphotographer.com/workshops/locationfashion.php
Message edited by author 2006-08-09 05:55:04.
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12/18/2006 12:05:08 PM · #13 |
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12/18/2006 12:21:19 PM · #14 |
Glad this one got bumped back up - I didn't see it last time around. That rapport and exchange of energy with a model(s) is what really seems to make great portraits stand out and is huge rush when it happens when shooting. I'm slowly, slowly getting better at it.
Are you doing most of your shooting on tripod, so you can get your head out from behind the camera, or do you shoot handheld and just talk around the box infront of your face ?
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12/18/2006 01:03:15 PM · #15 |
I hate and never ever use tripods unless im shooting less than 30th sec which is rare.
I use my hands and body and talk, shout, screem, rage, laugh or what ever is needed to get what i want out of my models
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12/22/2006 04:09:12 AM · #16 |
Originally posted by BruceSmith:
I met a fellow photographer named Marco, an Italian. His day job is as a top children's heart surgeon. His passion for photographing people takes him all over the world, seeking out that special face, interesting enough to be captured on film/file.
During this brief encounter in my brother's hairdressing salon Marco asked me if I would visit his photographic society to discuss the possibility of me giving a talk about my fashion photography.
I said to Marco, "Whatever will I talk about?" Well, he said, there is something very magical in the expressions of your models and in the atmosphere of your pictures that I would love to have in mine, He asked me how do you achieve this. I said, "No, I can't, because I don't know myself."
You have to find out he said because this is what you should talk about. We spent the next couple of hours discussing photography and the feelings and techniques of managing your subjects whilst shooting.
During my visit to his camera club, we arranged for my talk to be done nearly 9 months later, so I had time to think about my talk and to get myself prepared.
For days, I looked at my work and examined myself whilst shooting my assignments. It was maybe 6 months later whilst photographing a bridal-wear collection for one of my clients that something clicked. I had decided that I would like to start shooting with wider lenses to change the style of my bridal-wear pictures. I shoot for so many bridal-wear designers, so I have to make them look and feel different to the each other. It also helps to use a short zoom, because during most of my shoots, I can take a variety of images from full length to portrait shots from the same distance, so my client gets much more usage out of the shots.
While moving in closer to my model, I noticed a big difference in the expressions in her face and her body language - they changed, as I got closer. I experimented more and began to play with this for the rest of this shoot. Not only could I see better, it also created a much better flow of the energy and communication between my model and myself.
For years, I have been shooting fashion pictures using medium-length telephotos, at times so far away that my models could not hear me directing them. An amazing thing had happened. I could see and control so much more in my pictures. Not to say that I will never use long lenses, just that I prefer the new results that I am getting with wide lenses. In fact, most of my recent projects I have shot with a wide zoom.
I find that by doing the poses and expressions in my face that I want, my models seem to mirror mine. If I act daft, they act daft. If I laugh, they laugh. If I pull a sad face, they pull a sad face - which always makes them smile :-)
Since this experiment, I have been adapting my directions to my models in much the same way, obviously changing my energy levels to match the levels I want in my pictures. If I want a nice soft and gentle feel, I express this in my voice and my manor and my body. If I want high energy, I do high energy. If I want my model to leap, I will leap.
Think about this as if you were a conductor. The next time you attend a concert, watch him or her, and watch the orchestra. They mirror him - fast tempo, slow tempo, and medium tempo. You can do the same with your models. Fashion pictures for me have RHYTHM and TEMPO.
If you want to express high energy or tempo in a picture, the shoot has to be high energy or tempo, or visa- versa. I look at pictures and sometimes wonder how boring the shoot must have been. I love to change the tempo up and down whilst I'm shooting, I would hate it if anyone viewing my pictures did not feel this energy.
This is why I strive to make my shoots exciting for myself, my model, the other members of my team, and, most important, for my clients. As a photographer, you are the conductor, your models are your orchestra, and your clients or viewers of the pictures are the audience. So you have to direct and entertain. Your performance will reflect in your pictures.
Try a little experiment. The next time you have people over to your house or you get a moment with some people at work, pick a volunteer. Face each other, one or two feet apart, don't speak, and don't look at each other. In fact, do your best to imagine they are not there. Stay like this for 30 seconds and remember how this feels. Stay in this position but hold each other's hands, look into each other's eyes, smile at each other, don't speak. Instead of imagining they are not there, do the opposite. Try and send them all of your good energy. Stay like this for 30 seconds. Remember how this feels, and compare the feelings. Ask your friend or colleague and the others to explain how it felt for them.
The next time you are shooting pictures, remember all of these feelings.
//www.brucesmithphotographer.com |
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12/22/2006 04:48:39 AM · #17 |
Nice read Bruce, I'm glad I ran in to you here. I will have a model to work with all next week, and I plan on taking your advice. I'm becoming more interested in people for subjects all the time. Great web site BTW.
Frank |
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12/28/2006 03:35:26 PM · #18 |
| Why do I feel so spammed??? |
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12/28/2006 04:06:46 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by BruceSmith:
I hate and never ever use tripods unless im shooting less than 30th sec which is rare.
I use my hands and body and talk, shout, screem, rage, laugh or what ever is needed to get what i want out of my models |
I second the hating tripods.
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12/28/2006 04:55:20 PM · #20 |
| I'll have to try that with the usual subjects, but shooting wide distorts them into long noses and spindly legs. Though that can be fun, too. Will remember that advice with peeps though. ;-) |
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12/28/2006 05:00:39 PM · #21 |
Originally posted by nards656:
Why do I feel so spammed??? |
At least he's generally a pretty subtle spammer, and actually answers responses :)
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12/28/2006 05:03:29 PM · #22 |
Originally posted by nards656:
Why do I feel so spammed??? |
A bit cocky, perhaps. :-) But, I truly think Bruce has a great passion for his work. I don't think he's spamming at all. Just has a few pet threads.
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12/28/2006 05:34:14 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
Originally posted by nards656:
Why do I feel so spammed??? |
A bit cocky, perhaps. :-) But, I truly think Bruce has a great passion for his work. I don't think he's spamming at all. Just has a few pet threads. |
I don't mean to be offensive by saying that, because Bruce is obviously highly skilled and very good at what he does. The nature of the thread, however, seems very "promotional".
I suppose that makes me a bit uncomfortable, as it doesn't sit well with my nature.
Bruce is apparently a teacher of fashion photography who gets paid to share the knowledge that he is willing to share for free here. That strikes me as odd.
I wish him the very best and I commend his excellent work. I also like the subjects he discusses, and I agree with his teaching.
Again, no intention to be insulting, just expressing an honest curiosity.
EDIT - I also wish to thank Bruce for sharing his knowledge and experiences. It is indeed a good read.
Message edited by author 2006-12-28 17:46:13. |
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12/28/2006 06:09:08 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by nards656:
Why do I feel so spammed??? |
Im sorry you feel spammed!!!!!
Its not my intention to kid any one or to make any one do anything against their will.
I have given an insight into how I achieve energy in my pictures, which is a valuable thing if your trying to improve on your photography.
Following links or visiting my gallery and profile to find out more are your own free choices.
I am very willing to offer any advice or help with any ones photographic objectives totaly free with out obligation JUST ASK.
I wish every one the best with their photography, if I can play even a small part in peoples progress I am a happy and fullfilled man.
Bruce
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12/28/2006 06:16:07 PM · #25 |
Originally posted by lynnesite:
I'll have to try that with the usual subjects, but shooting wide distorts them into long noses and spindly legs. Though that can be fun, too. Will remember that advice with peeps though. ;-) |
Re wide lenses and distortion!!!
Take a good look at my pictures, I am aware of distirtion and use it as a part of my style of shooting, I always possition my self/camera view point to avoid convergeing legs and pin heads or extended noses.
One thing to take into account when using any lens is its not the lens that courses distortion or alters perspective, its the view point/distance from the subject.
I love wide lenses because they make it possible to communicate closely and intimately with my subjects.
Bon lumier
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