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Shoot: Different Lighting Setups (Sand Box)

Lesson 31 from: Pose It, Light It, Love It

Clay Blackmore

Shoot: Different Lighting Setups (Sand Box)

Lesson 31 from: Pose It, Light It, Love It

Clay Blackmore

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Lesson Info

31. Shoot: Different Lighting Setups (Sand Box)

Lesson Info

Shoot: Different Lighting Setups (Sand Box)

John you just sit right in there on that store screwed it this way a little to hide that light yet this way you have the big store said on this one right there go to the right good good good turn this way a little bit good right there and just top hand down good right there ten down a dash right there beautiful look at that portrait of sean looking good now light looks a little high for me I'm going to bring it down it's funny women have taller torsos than men I did my holiday card with my wife and I had the photo shop myself taller of course I took twenty pounds off and liquefied too but uh nice shawn take a look all your hard work's paying off right? How could we do a kicker light bart go with that in the back and take the light off the background and use it as a strong kicker we'll let the background paper go a little gray all right right there and just leave it on that little thing there. Do you have the little grid spot from there there see what they have another shout out to a co...

mpany who's just getting started but I'm telling you here's a grid spot right here a gel you've got a bubble and you've got bounce cards so oh here's a snoop right here what you want to put on there grid what's the company called spin light three sixty in life out in new jersey awesome they came up and gave me one of his showing just try this at the cannon booth and I messed around with that is that this is pretty cool now the rogue is awesome because it's always in the side of a camera bag I'm going to encourage him to come up with a little case or something to carry him rather than the cardboard box that we bought him in but that's a nice little grid spot we can put jails weaken barn door it's a good thing on camera off camera so get in real close their bar right there you can plant that stand I think bart look right in me right here good. I like this moment when you just kind of looked down for a second undo your hands just put him on your knees and just look down right there look to the right sometimes we're looking for that frame inbetween frames tip your head to the right a little bit good turn and look back at me for a second year right there good right there. Beautiful that's nice taller in the back pose like lift refined elbows out a little bit I like the kicker you see it coming in there the files are looking a little light on the screen but they're looking a little better on my screen that's pretty pretty standard let me bring it down a little bit for you guys at home and I think this is gonna look a better at home you have a beautiful profile you know that hang on you make sure I get your face that's a good head shot so now goto profile when you face this way but keep your shoulders to me yep hands on your hips what you hit the paper with that all right so I would like don put the reflector in place for profile drop your left shoulder a little so you're gonna be right over here buddy also let me speak to the reflector a little bit see what you're doing here what you need to be doing is grabbing this light like we did in the morning of day one and then we did in the afternoon a day too and the afternoon of day one in the afternoon of we've done it every time I go to work and the way I learned this there was this guy what was his name? I forgot oh monti and he said that was for you jennifer uh right here I want this a sandwich can you guys at home see what I'm doing? I'm sandwich in the light and I'm gonna go like this now what is this like going to dio loop shadow? I'm just I'm just pretending I see a loop shadow there and then here I'm going to catch the light and open it up all right that's it this line underneath we might not need it might hurt this picture kill that one in the back the grid spot or throw it on the back wall yes they wrote on the wall good real carefully don't let don't let a break alright good and your eyes up a little higher eyes to the left of dash a little more right there that's enough I'm sharp it's hard I'm focusing on the front I all right tip the top of your head to the right fold your arms nice and tight like we've been doing yep there we go to tuck the top arment right there and I just relax your shoulders turn your shoulders too may I wantyou more square to the camera yeah right there nose to the right little more tip the top your head to me right there that's a great shot now let's give him clamshell lighting so bart you're going to take the light off the stand right there and you're gonna hit his knees with it you could just stick it on this stand right here don would you hold this right there so that one and now this is our main light right there clamshell you could have just laid it on the floor whatever whatever and then I'm gonna put you with one of these beautiful ladies you take your pick has that we're gonna put faces close together all right now I'm gonna take the picture but I bet it's monster lighting let me take a look look at may and I don't think the main lights quite positioned yet either turn it off I think that we need to take that one from below and we need to kind of go like this with it go over here they go right there you got it come around here I got sorry two people can do this no problem the main light this looks gorgeous this looks really good I just had a good looking guy we get it here we go so this light here is coming right over the top and this light here it's gonna hit the chest there you go buddy right there beautiful looking to me turn square to me you put pretty petite also good fold the arms again it's pretty comfortable looking confident looking tip you head to the right good look at that eyebrow come of you sexy guy come on let me see this smile that's good I got that frame right there when he looked down laughing I got you buddy come over here and bacon just joined this guy this is beautiful. You're tall enough to go behind him I'm bringing you because you guys have already warmed up today can you just kind of hug your neck a little from the back from this side and sean lower your chair a little just sit all your weight on it first yep and just lower down a little bit right there good and I just kind of lean into him a little you might be a little too low now so spread your feet yeah there you go right there now let's get in there and make this happen beautiful right there and can you come forward a little bit because you guys were kind of off the lights so come this way with the chair look at that nice head shot here we go beautiful beautiful uh man I hope the people out there a gap or watching I want to do your next campaign. How about that what's the other one the kid's clothing let's go crazy tommy hilfiger I don't know put your backs together like this just kind of like that oh yeah look at that huh? This is where we get the ideas these magazines sean turn your nose back yeah, right there shawn's chin down a little bit good right there I love it come on laughing now someone guys all right, I'm gonna do ten shots there's one do something else too now since sean can't give me the wind how about don I need a little stream of wind in there if you didn't have to blow up like that don you kidding here we go we're doing all right everybody feeling good all right train's rolling all right here comes the wind machine and beautiful here we go how about I just go like this honey we're like this on this you know yeah just like that yes come forward a little bit I can't see it that's it right there yes don shawn you lean back a little yes right there I love it I love it I love it yes yes yes how about hug his neck if you guys were dating or something this is the boy they were getting married I'd get this wedding with this shot right here come forward a little bit ambika and tip your head to the right good come forward a little bit more your elbows a little too pronounced can you hide that elbow right there that you're in the picture barton you're in the picture his shirt his shirt come forward a little ambika important tip your head to the right good now go on the other side for me and begin and just same kind of thing one hand on his shoulder right there how about let's switch let's let her sit and both of you go around this way and just go like this a little yeah right there yeah right there that's good wow that's gorgeous that's good that elbow is getting me right there. I'd hide the elbow right there put the elbow yeah, right there. Yes! Oh look up at him like that again hold it my camera's not firing hide your right hand put it on her show your right hand on her outside children the hand just put the hand on outside children now look up at him like that right there laughing all right now let's move the stools and let's get down on the paper we're going to roll in the hay a little bit. Okay, how about and make a lay on your back right there and then you stand over here for second put your feet over there in your head right here and then put your head more over this way turn your face to me a little I don't know nobody saw this yesterday but I showed a video of a children's shoot and I laid the mother and the baby on a sofa and I said this is the best light on campus the sun was coming here I did this with my wife in my own son and I put the umbrella teo soften the sun my big parabolic which I didn't think about that get that out of there we'll do some parabolic and I took the picture the sun's here the parabolic here and what happened the picture all the light was coming from underneath and where should the light come from from above why? Because god let the whole world with one light the sun we take five lights and we screw it all up but what I'm saying is true what I'm saying is the light needs to be coming from above so I'm laying and become closer to the window where the light's coming from above okay, so I took the picture and they're facing this way but when the picture came in the video their heads were over this way because I switched it pull out the big umbrella to we might use that here in a second just lay back all right? I want a stylist to get in here, play around with me anybody? How about uh okay, you know what? I'm going to turn caitlyn you're gonna be my stylist come on in here and why don't you just get some of these flowers and just kind of put him around here and way have some real stuff here that we bought last night. They smell so good. Yeah, you and the paper is getting a little bit tired for me. What can we put it over there? Why don't we put black under her like this one right here? When I say time I'm trying to just give you a variety variety, you know, it would be easier what we could do the black white background here let me get this under her hair first thing on your back right on there that same thing you know I could have done that that's beautiful look at that now bart that light is gonna have to be right here you hold this with your right and left and you put in your hands like this sorry you doing okay you're making me look good hope you got that on mike good all right cameron how we doing over there we got another girl to photograph beautiful red hair when I see red here I think green because green's the opposite of red so I bet you're favorite color to wear is a dark green blouse see why it makes your hair look better so when we photographed you we might use dark green that's one light you can see it one light let's take a look at the screen ah man all right you guys help me I'm just you guys I'm doing all the work around here what the heck can we do to make it better hand does bother me that her hand should be more like like this yes and your finger long right finger and bring bring those flowers by your cheek right there yes turn your face to me a little bit more good right there all right now that's broad lighting do we like it she can get away with it she does have that face we discussed it's a little bit round and that means the light should really be coming from under here let me just think about it you stay there and I'll come up around this way watch this cord roll your face back to the right again take that out look right here right now don worry or how about I need a hand from somebody we got bart take the light here and put it right there just take it off the stand take your time that knob right there you got it that knob right there, huh? So now bart's going to be a main light so I'm going to speak to this light is being minus two so what? I'm sorry minus two why it's a film like that zero and you know what's neat about teo I'm shooting the thousand eyes oh at one twenty five five six if I goto eleven it'll look exactly the same in fact I would use teo and say you know it's too bright pull the light back click pull it back more quick pullback mark it never changed because that's how tt l worked it goes out it sees the sub it comes back and shut your camera for the right time it's good people like that I don't I'm a feat in distance guy it's a little hot pull it back so I've learned how to use it you compensate right so we just compensated we just took this light down to minus two and this light's on zero so it should be perfect right there come on down if I can do that menu all right, I'm gonna go to portrait and I'm on flash balance now knowing that we're getting the perfect exposure bringing in as close as you can park right there even more right there look over this way look right here. Go up higher bart, go up higher there and come down yeah, I'd like to have amanda over here and I need a hand this head watch this and because heads like this can we get like, a weight bag or a tennis shoe or something to get up under her head? You know, just a little prop a water bottle is fine right here. It's shouldn't you'll never see it that might work it's a little big the water bottle will hide under there better so you're gonna lift up your head and we're gonna lay that underneath you like a pillow there you go. So very important because she's going like this what that turn your face like this more and then look up here right there turn your nose to the left a little more to the left I just want to see where I'm at that looks good right there can we, uh I like it scoot down this way a little bit good right there after this segment, I'm coming back with a little shoot through technique where I'm going to actually put the plexiglass over the top and I'm going to use a one to lens at one too I don't think I can do that with speed lights I don't know if it'll go that week be fun to try but I'm going to open up wide open to see that so turn you turn your face a little more and just look at me right there perfect all right let's set up and I'm gonna drag this out take that light stand and can you flip over to that side the light's better shooting into the light this way I just saw that when I came out here now put your knees on that side and you lay in your tummy right here for me you got that? You flip over to your tell me as well, here we go here light back you're gonna scoot this way little and I'm gonna put this thing up plus one to see if it works the way I said now both of you on your tummy flowers aren't important yeah there we go and look back to the camera and you're going to slide them, make it to the window more to the window more right there and then hook your left arm under his armpit you guys look at may how about a wind machine don I'm tearing you up here but one of you anybody give me a little wind in her hair looks so good can you go down real low under him and monica bring their silver reflector forward so it does the job bart flights going to hit it and you can throw this out of your way here this just soft beautiful right there can you get your elbow behind and begin your whole arm right arm all the way behind her no sean you and I come in there close right there all right the fans barely in the picture pull your hands in tight tighter yeah right there and big pressure cheek right up to him a little bit that's beautiful right there uh pretty alright the reflector show me where it goes well I was hitting his shoes all right monica it's got to be right over here catching this life put it in front of his hip on the stand look look at this look at the picture how tired I am so if you could bring it right out here in front of his shoulder in front of his shoulder yep yeah exactly don you want help with this reflector you think you're going you got it you can see it you can see the light now turn it open it to him a little bit more dying to help you help your classmate well it's gotta open up a little bit now watch what's happening on this reflector everybody open it open it open it watch me watch me push it down you know what you're really catching bart's light so really you have to visualize his eyes like yeah and don can you move the water bottle you guys look at me there I see it can you go lower and bigger and you go lower lower right there I see a light trap and that your shoulder can take care of it shawn you see what I did to get rid of that light trap even more shoulder back there there you go now pick your shoulder up a little your shoulder right shoulder closing in there you go come on, come on, come on. We got it her nose to the right a little bit more good laughing teeth guys you're getting married you're getting married can you flip on your back and look up at him to see what happens just flip on your back and then you guys just stay right in there and you just put your hands under her head and just look at look at each other that's good right there good, good, good look down how about put your cheeks together both of you look at me look at me right there good. How about come around upon his back? I don't know I'm just doing things I do all the time that they work and then I want to do some solos of an beacon I think I want to go black background I want to go something background put one knee on each side you weren't here yesterday you're just gonna lay on him I want you to know one knee on each side of him and your tummy on his back your chin in front of his ear and you go like this sean with the right hand sean right there yeah like this shawn under your yeah that's it just laid out on him yeah parallel put all your weight on them I want you to hurt him. Yeah, arms under his armpit you're so light I'm not gonna hurt him right there, guys gosh is that gorgeous look at this shawn's chin down a little bit right there come forward pulled the hair off your eye a little bit the lightning's that come forward bart a little more flat a little flatter jerry you're pretty busy there but bring in the black white you gotta katherine uh uh just that white black background. Yeah, yeah, I just want to show you how quick we can change this picture good can you get on one side caitlin of this and you guys fly that in behind him go behind the boom arm now, kalen she's got that? I think you could kind of lean it against the boom arm can you get some flowers and put them way up here out of focus like in a vase? How about those were kids up there see him up on the table? You got a monica right up there. Monica, look up there on the table, those orchids I want him about four feet and front of their face and we're just gonna lay him down where bart right foot is all right. Come in here for a second. Amanda, please. And amanda, you come on your knees over here and you hold the orchids and then I'm gonna add you to the picture going unease and now flip the orchids like this. Now let watch mele um, into the picture yet that's good. Now pull him towards you, amanda, and and lower them down a little bit and pulling towards you a little more and a little more and then down a little more I'm just saying down a little more, can you can you I don't like the orchid to pull them out for second we'll do something else with him your wrist watch this at home everybody know keep it like it wass here's what we're going to everyone watch this picture I'm gonna take my time all right, this picture right here it's gonna get better when you've been your wrist in yes. That's gorgeous shot here, your elbow add a little bit more your right elbow. Right, so it lowers you a little bit right there. Beautiful away. This is good. I love it. Chin down a little more. Can you guys kind of look at each other a little bit? Just a little little smile. Come on and be good. Come on, you're going to marry the guy. I love the guy. I love the guy right there. Look back at me, guys, both of you right there. I've been shooting all of this stuff like I'm in a dark room I'm gonna open up now to a sixty eighth of a second and that's going to bring in all the ambience. You can see my exposures and you'll see that we've been shooting like we're in a dark room now I'm going to go a little brighter. The bottom of that monica, that that black background can you guys bring it closer? Just kick it up there a little bit. You khun there you go right there. Amanda, lay on your tummy and you lay your hand down mandy's gonna put her head right underneath your chin right there yep, and get underneath him, but no on your tummy that actually look kind of cute on your side just do it again on your side and slide into the picture get underneath him now he's got to come up a little higher good, good good raise that raise the boom on somebody way have any hands left you want this why would I do this picture but I want to start fresh with you your children they don't know right? The big knob stand just looked on raises stand well, slow steady uh look at this this is great this is great. I'm gonna have to tell you guys that I'm just plan now I'm just having a good time this is good stuff let me see what the pictures are looking like they're looking at a bright when I took my exposure up you know what the camera I like it better in the dark room I'm going to go back to one twenty five can you get underneath him and look at me that's good right there that's cool in fact go a little more and so that shawn's chin can get on your ear yeah, right there. Good will that work that's good right there. Yes. Uh shawn your right hand like this maybe I don't know can you do it go a little bit lower from amanda yeah, right there that's good right there, man. You lucky dog, you how about late flip over them and they kind of look up at him? Yeah that's good right there that that works. But andi look a look back at me, everybody our sean pull your elbow back your right elbow and slowly put your cheek on a un amanda come down low. Yeah, now you got to get your chin in the nape of his neck keep coming right there and your chin over. I don't know what kind of statement I'm trying to make here right here looking at me guys, this could be an ad. I think so if I'm making we'll just come forward a little bit good and you can come this way a little bit a little bit more time. Become more right there. You have not laid down in there right there. Good right there and we could get your chin right in there right there. Your hand under your cheek right there. It right there. Okay, come off a bigger come on, shawn, let me just do a few portrait of amanda in here, okay, bart, put those orchids you hold them this time they're real real workers, aren't they lay on your tummy over here yes, keep scooting this way, turn the fan up a little more flip over this way so your legs are here in your body's here now turn the fan brighter I just put those work it's in front of your face this flowers look through them at me right there can you open them up and you'll have a like a little place to look through it right there a little more wind a little more power right they're beautiful right they're beautiful right there a little taller let me say yes yes beautiful tip your head that way a little tippy had more moved your left a little before make the light more clamshell are they messing with you the fan turn the fan on for a second over the top bit take your light underneath okay yeah this reflector take the big knob right there and go lower next knob next knob down no no no no no no watch me that knob right there yes no yes undo it and put it right underneath part's light I know that fan didn't do too good does it? All right the fan really drives her eyes out all right now just go with no fan put it right up underneath ernie but rested on her need on put it up on ernie on top of me now looked on go like this now bart you hit that big time all right tip your head a little bit more chin down, open up their stuff a little bit more get a little closer right there and now I just shake your hair good right there chin down okay I think we're getting the picture I want to do one of the set up was full the blackout I love it I love it I love it can you come over here and go behind the paper and just kind of come through that paper stick your head in there but you're gonna be the main light you now stand tall and open it up a little bit you'll be a kicker light bart and that went down there can get her to that top slip of paper can you pull it behind your head there behind yeah I just can't hide in there somebody hold these orchids under her chin for me you know I think I went back to j peg so when I go black and white these are black points put him right under her chin and we do this fast someone gave me the wind come on, quick we got we're on break time we're taking everybody's this is red bull time right here we go love it chin down all right we got a main light way we've got a kicker light can I get a light under the chin? What do you guys what do we have left? We have that little light back there on the grid is that it? Well, with bart's got it barts got the light on me don wanted give that to done and don go right here and hit her hands with it that's it you're ready good don hit her hand at beautiful I feel like the white papers trying to shut me down and it's making the picture looked a little underexposed let's say it's good all right mike turn that music three stops brighter and I want to give it to her and just hands up shake the head yet right there come on mike where's the bose speakers put those flowers right on her cheek can you touch the flowers hold one yeah good good good tip your head back to the left who's got that spray bottle that little spritzer you haven't kalen chin down right there uh no we're going to say that I was gonna spritz your face little but look at the portrait looking beautiful they're looking very flat very pretty bart the white black black white background where is it just come tuck it behind the c stand twenty seconds and I'm out of the shot I'm just gonna hide the background all right here he comes here I come to say the day I would switch it around go go black one I was going to go white butt bart surprised me and I like it she's got dark hair there we go put it in front of the stand that you're trying to hide that stand in front of the stands don't worry we're insured kick it in here. We got one to you and I love it leaning in there. Bart. Uh, I hate to say it, but I'm gonna flip it to white. I like it. But you know, the whole key is is a white white on white. We're coming on the stretch here, he's. Got it. Someone give aren't there he's got it. Just hold that light. Look at that profile. I just saw something beautiful. Chin up. Looking this way. All right? My class has to know profile lighting by now. So the feel like comes way out. You chin up, hide. Keep the light on her face barred from the window so tuck it way back. There you go. Right there. They're going to put those working behind her face. Turn your nose to the right. Yeah, right there. All right, lower that work its way down. Put him in front of her chin under your chin. Come on, now. Lean back. Lean back, chin up right there. Turn your nose to the right. Tip the top of your head to me. Just like that. Beautiful. Uh, this is it. This is going to be the shot on the cover of creative live tomorrow night, I could tell you right now. Tip the top of your head to the right lean out so I can see your full head lena don't turn your shoulders forty five to the front yes hey where'd we learned that that little spike a paper can you push it push it back jerry there we go turn your shoulders to me more your nose to the right nos to the right chin up a little now everyone take a deep breath and just pause tipped the top of your head to me wherever you're looking look to the left a dash chin up a little chin up turn your nose to the right right there don't move right there eyes wherever you're looking can you look to the left a dash right there a little more to the left eyes to the left your pupils more more keep going keep low right there too much egyptian eyes chin up scent of a smile turn your nose to the left I didn't see the picture come in to the right I'm sorry to the right to the right jerry just reach it we got it push all that hair off from behind your neck I want to see that clean profile hide it on there we go right there, stick your neck out just like that because hide the flowers lower lower lower right there tipped atop your head to me a little bit turn your nose to me a little bit make that makes it work is the complete background monica's just put him behind her face right there. Lower lower! Come on, everybody okay? Can you reach up with your right hand and just holding or conforming? Yep. And put it right up to your cheek. Chin up, turn and look at me. Look at me right there. The main lights got to come in here. You ok? I am too, because I think we're done for this section chin down and way got it done. The sandbox that's class that is awesome. And the biggest question in the chat rooms during this session? They loved it by the way, they love that you're shooting in black and white, teaching so many great techniques. But the lighting setups that you have is so achievable for folks at home because so many of us worked with speed lights and these air all speed lights correct always were three speed lights. I think maybe four. I think at one time you had before you had two of the main lights you had on rapid boxes that with those light modifying that just the best, best invention. You know, the only thing wrong with the rapid box is I didn't think of it first that's, why and how many inches that across I would say that looks about what? Sixteen, seventeen sixteen inch rapid box there also wondering that was this thin light three sixty background really happy with it, it's right here and I'll tell you the guy did a skype call with me and I was so busy with clients and getting out here to seattle you have to let me show you what this will do and he showed me all the gadgets it's an amazing light spin light and he puts diffusers box is pinning all kinds of grid spots. I love it. Yeah. Have you had a whole box of little modifiers when that and then the other last speed like that you use had a it was like there you go, the bender is the bender. Cool. Well, if you see me in a wedding this saturday night, this is probably going to be on the bag on the light. You know why? It's just in the bag. It's you know, it's easy to carry and I love this. You could bend the light around, you can have fun with it. You know, you could make a snoot out of this as well and just do like a you know, spotlight on the face, so yeah, we made it, I think the lesson is solid that it doesn't matter if you're by a window a pro photo on f j westcott. Spider light or a cannon speed light six hundred or in a q, b or a norman, it doesn't matter. It's all posing, lighting and loving.

Class Materials

bonus material with purchase

Clay Blackmore Top 10.pdf

Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

Clay Blackmore is the real deal in portrait photography. The guy is a bundle of creative energy and technical mastery. I took portraiture with Monte Zucker, and am glad to have Clay now as his successor. This concepts in this course are the rudiments. They'll never change, regardless of trends and fads. Clay is also very likable and fun to watch work. Keep your ears peeled for every word. When Clay points out those many little details, they all count. Love the course, and have a ton of respect for Clay. He's a portrait master, and a great guy. What else could any portrait student hope for?

Rosina Ortwein
 

This a wonderful class. Clay has worked w/Montey and brings a supreme knowledge to photographers who want to learn more. His skills are creative and insightful with a modest personality. This is an amazing class that comes with a great price.

Tom Lokos
 

Of all the courses I have purchased without exception this is the best. Clay is an excellent teacher. When he speaks he is saying something and not just talking. He explains his lighting techniques in great detail while demonstrating them . He is clear, concise and fun to listen to. You will learn how to pose individuals all the way to large groups, while learning the correct way to light them. All this while being entertained by one of America's great portrait photographers.

Student Work

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