Lessons
Day 1
1Class Introduction
10:08 2Why Light Matters
35:34 3What Makes Good Light?
18:32 4Equipment Q&A
13:04 5Subject Centric Lighting: Bowling Balls
10:51 6Wizwow's Rope Meter
17:44 7Softbox vs. Shower Curtain (Claudine)
26:05Technical Q&A
33:07 9Light Modifiers
13:37 10Light Modifiers Shoot: Alyssa & Claudine
47:40 11Light Modifiers Q&A
23:25 12Subject Centric Lighting
25:14 13Subject Centric Lighting Q&A
03:35 14Shoot: What We've Covered
22:45Day 2
15Lesson 16 - 29 Introduction
08:41 16Reviewing Previous Images
20:21 17Placing Exposure
31:22 18Placing Exposure Q&A
11:43 19Emotional Lighting
17:58 20Shoot: Window Light (Brie and Alyssa)
42:11 21Working with Models
09:41 22Shoot: Window Light with Reflectors
06:20 23Shoot: Headshot with Hot Lights (Brie)
22:51 24Shoot: Headshot with Hot Lights (Alyssa)
13:09 25Shoot Q&A
11:15 26Shoot: Beach Lighting
27:47 27Shoot: Clam Shell Lighting
26:15 28Shoot: Beauty Dish
20:23 29Reviewing Today's Images
31:23Day 3
30Owning Your Own Light
13:57 31Telling Stories
09:43 32Shoot: Dramatic Single Light (John)
20:08 33Shoot: Beauty Setup (Natalie)
28:50 34Student Shoot: Tracy
13:18 35Student Shoot: Kimberly
15:18 36Student Shoot: Ian
16:53 37Student Shoot: Lori
16:13 38Student Shoot: Moe
05:54 39Shoot: Building the Ambient (Isabel)
53:48 40Shoot: Two Subjects (Briana and Natalie)
16:23 41Student Image Review
13:46 42Life as a Photographer
51:09Lesson Info
Working with Models
when I remember a talk I say when you're working with models and talent you've got to keep talking here's a perfect example of when that becomes very hard to do because we've got it you gonna give me a verbal on this on the timing yeah can you get a verbal on the distance okay this's becomes hard because you're having to keep them involved with you while the strobe re cycles you don't have to do that when your power in studio and things just pop it away right so I might do something lag I said brrr it's nice right there good can I bring your chin up just a little bit and down right about there that looks great okay so I keep talking to them during the strobe recycle okay this is taking a little bit of were probably low on batteries again definitely eats through the batteries so that's what you have to do but I'm gonna give you a quick kind of my way of working with models as something that you need to think of so just hang out and we'll bring out the lovely and vivacious briana here wh...
o I photographed for about three and a half years probably done about nine thousand photographs ever the question yeah can I ask a quick question were between and that is um folks are asking if you can use a natural state of a photographer yes if with this amount of of sunlight if you could just use a reflector instead of that oh sure let's do this real quick and we'll do a couple of real beautiful natural light head shots with this great light and we'll break for lunch and you and the question was specifically about reflecting back from reflecting back from with the stroh back here instead of this oh no I'll show you why I know but I can show you how we can make it work okay thank you one of the things that you're gonna have to do with models you're gonna have to deal with them and you have to understand it's so many of them are psycho wait a minute that's the wrong speech it's the wrong speech back when you're working with mama's going to make him feel comfortable okay and part of that is your demeanor now I have read on the internet where it says you're never supposed to touch a model ever touch a model all I can say is have you ever been around models first thing it was walking to hug you right ms it's just we do that the board that they leave out is inappropriately don't ever touch models and appropriately that works on every different vocation you work at if you work at taco bell don't touch your fellow taco bell ian's inappropriately it's um it's an amazing thing is global okay but I don't ask models too if I could touch them that's just creepy beyond words I just can't do that but I will tell him when I'm going to do I'll say okay I'm gonna make it I'm gonna bring your shoulder down just a little bit right about here you can touch shoulders arms lower arms middle of the back I think we're done right it's pretty much it um if you don't know what inappropriate is ask your wife girlfriend or mom will explain it to you it's really important now there's a couple of different types of photographers that air that you run into out there and you have to be really careful that you're not one of these guys or gals and that's the the guy or gal who's really really not sure of what they want to dio and they'll they'll do this they'll say hey okay um move around a little here you go that's so nice has no idea what he's doing to move around a little really she could get something caught in her throat you know and be moving around a little she could have she could have had a seizure and be moving around give them some direction give him a place to star put hands on you have to feed a little bit twist your shoulders to me that said bring your chin up a little bit that's nice always talked to him always tell him that it's really good you have to be careful you don't be this guy he's the guy does this all right that looks really good he's totally disappointed because his flash didn't fire she sees it as oh god he doesn't think I look very good don't do that don't make that mistake no negativity flash doesn't fire you inside you use a lot of scary cuss words and move on and make it work there's no negativity and you also don't want to do this okay that's great that's great being your chin down a little bit that's oh don't ever do that god you look like a like a like a turtle when you do that because the rest of the time you're shooting all she's going to be thinking of is please god don't let me make it look that mistake again and looked like colonel okay always always always take the shots I'll take the shot if you look like a turtle or what have you I'll say that's really great good take the shot I'm thinking that I don't want to do that again so great now twist a little bit this way and I'll break the state when you take the camera from your eye and have the model do something you've broken whatever state you were in when you bring the camera back up your fresh again we all get stale when we're shooting oso all start thinking covered it I've covered up you know I'm just not seeing it I'm not seeing it why would you express that to the model hey you know what I I'm done I'm out of ideas really I don't want to ever be out ideas but sometimes I am so just bring the camera away from my face and start to do it okay start to change it up make it fresh again you also have to be careful you're not this guy does hey all right bringing chin down is really nice okay bring it up just a little bit all right that's that turtle after okay you ever go out to dinner with uh someone who was texting and sit there and have him go I know just hold on and then there was that whole um through it isn't it makes a difference with your models up there they're your world there everything to you I don't care if it's a real estate agent or ceo for a head shot there your world all attention on them that's what you're there to do not to do this you break this you break the state you break the relationship you have with your talent if you're constantly chipping chimp to get a shot that you want the lighting set you got your hair light going whatever you want chimp that great and then don't chip until you see something happening where you need to take the camera from your eye that's that's my thing and then of course there's the last guy who who does this he's like okay that's great can you bring a chin up a little bit just a little bit more now is too much come down just to the right a little bit little bit no no down a little bit good god take the picture so you could ever do that and take a bunch of pictures is digital you're not shooting eleven by fourteen chrome where every shots one hundred fifty bucks or something get it processed it's digital take a bunch of pictures keep them engaged don't don't let them be bored so that's my little sort of working with models models will come into you and say what dress should I wear first most of us don't know or care because we know we're going to shoot both right we're thinking I don't care we're going to shoot both of them but you know who does care she cares that's why she's asking so haven't answer let's start with the black one start with the blue it doesn't really make any difference to you but stop the black one started blew it where we're going to go into a head shot first yes when the head shot first where which earrings okay they'll say which earrings now some some women charms out they'll know some guy for doctors they'll know and some of us guys and gals won't know great at great question is which do what do you normally wear with that don't only wear the studs let's let's do that which shoes which do you normally wear with that general where this okay that looks good let's see the flats in the heels different see what what goes on make those decisions because you don't want to say that the the deadly words I don't care what am I gonna start with oh I don't care if you don't care what's the point you're the dear why they're there to take photographs you shouldn't care even if you don't do even if you don't really care make an effort to be involved let them know that you care enough about the photograph to help them make a decision hair up or down what do you think well I mean if it's down I'd like to see it up if it's up I'd like to see it down you know we'll make a decision we'll put it back up or something okay but be involved them or involvement you will have with your subject the mohr involvement they'll give you back you know so that's that's my little rant on odell's I like motels without o'dell's we'd have to shoot nothing but grapes and old car parts or maybe grapes and old car parts we think it would be kind of a cool still life
Class Materials
bonus material with purchase
bonus material with enrollment
Ratings and Reviews
Cheryl
I just finished watching this course, and with teary eyes can say, without reserve, this class has been fantastic! Don's last session would be great to watch in the beginning and the end because it helps to understand his thoughts on being a photographer. The rest of the class is full of great information on lighting and Don is able to explain his thoughts and his processes with ease. I hope I will always think ahead and plan how I want my final results and how I want my subject to reflect light. Learning this was one of my "aha" moments during this class. I own over 30 Creative Live photography courses and this class is one of the top classes I own. I already plan on rewatching the whole class. Well worth the investment! I feel it is not a beginner course, but a intermediate to advanced one. Don has set a high standard in lighting...a goal to reach for...a goal that is possible for each person willing to take the time to learn and practice. Thanks Don and thanks CreativeLive!
Ryan Redmond
I am so glad I took this course. I'll be honest, it took a few lessons for me to warm up to this series but I'm glad I stuck with it. I have had a couple cheap speedlights, softboxes/umbrellas, and reflectors for many months now and was too intimidated to start using them. After going through this I am not only downright excited to use them, and confident that I can have spectacular outcomes, I'm also confident about shooting in natural light indoors and outdoors. It's also given me the tools and confidence to start shooting in manual vs aperture priority and to nail the general calculations in my head. I appreciate that Don used mostly budget or unorthodox equipment like speedlights, foam core, work lights, curtains, etc. because that's what I can afford and have been using to try to replicate expensive gear. Other classes use thousands of dollars in lighting and Don proves you don't need that for excellent shots. I also appreciate his advice for directing your "models" and insights into his overall process. This class was invaluable to me as a novice. Thank you!
Joanna
I thank very much CL that I could see the wonderful material on the light in photography, in fact everything became clearer, Don you are the great teacher, great stuff, very interesting and fantastic lecture, very helpful ! Thank you one more time !!!
Student Work
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