Lessons

Lesson Info

Groom and Groom's Family

Here we are, let's just assume we're outside the church. It's very, very simple. One of the biggest problems that happens in these scenarios is people have no idea how to photograph a guy alone or what to do with their family. You'll have fifty bride alone shots and to groom alone shots, you'll have forty family shots of the group bride and you'll have five of the groom. You have to put the same emphasis on all of it. It's got to be emphasized because remember the bride's family on the groom's family the groom's family is going to buy just like the bride's family, and that changes everything more than you could ever possibly imagine. So the idea is to keep it very, very simple. You wanna work off and understand the family dynamic. Now I already know going into this that there's a divorce, the brides grooms, parents are divorced and god is remarried, so I have to play that dynamic very, very carefully. I have to watch out to make sure that I never might make mom feel slighted and make s...

ure that I never put so much emphasis on dad's wife, that she's kind of self conscious to about it. The key here is to make them both feel important while making mom know that it's all about hard so I want to work that dynamic in someone the questions damascus all right, do you do mom and dad together? Of course I do. Mom and dad together. Am I going to do them hugging? I'm not going to do them holding hands. No, probably not unless ted that type. But if he's married to someone else and make zero sense when I do the shot off the groom, his mom and dad I'm not doing it for mom and god I'm doing it for the girl. I'm doing it for the bride. And also what happens if the broad groom's mom decides she wants that photo in the album? Guess what? Usually the groom's dad is going to do it. The idea is to create a cz many different possibilities as you can because it's going to create even mohr sales now, like we saw before, we put a lot of emphasis on connecting and bonding and all of that inside put a bride's family. We're going toe put that same emphasis with the groom. Another informal where I want to give them a little bit more of that formal type. Am I gonna have mom hugger son? Yes, I'm going dad hugging crush his son? Yes. Am I gonna have god's wife do it? Probably not. Unless it's a long time, if they were married ten, fifteen, twenty years, I'm going to find out that dynamic between them. But ideas again depends on the relationships between everybody and I want to make sure they're ok, because we know how testy a convey. I want to make sure that I understand the dynamics of the brothers, the sisters, all of that. And in this case, the groom has a beautiful young daughter, she six years old, so I want to get his many shots, as I possibly can of this beautiful young lady. But I have to be self conscious of the fact that self conscious. But I have to be conscious of the fact that she's only six years old, so I may only get one so it's important that if I don't get it at that moment, I'm gonna have to go back to it. And if I don't get it at that moment, I don't want to push it that moment and scare her. I want to make sure that I start to connect to her. On a level that allows her to feel confident just like if I was photographing a young child in studio so we want to be conscious of all of that so now that we kind of understand the dynamic where do I start first? Well the first staying when I get to the church I'm looking to do is go directly into my family dynamic I want to get the family out of the way that I want to go to the bridal party ushers and then of course to the groom alone and the groom alone I want to break into different elements not making him so traditional so boring and so plain so that's pretty huge what we've got to do but I want to do it quickly because remember I'm on ly starting about two hours before at the bride's home and I'm only shooting there for about forty five minutes then I got drive time and then on top of the drive time I get here I hope the groom's there and I kind of work right into it so now when I get to the church you see if kind of scouted out of location it's not great but I want to make sure quite simply that I'm able to work it out so that I have different lines I don't want to shoot into the dog bushes because if I shoot into the dog bushes things are going to start to go dark between the hair, the suit are going to blend in so I'm looking to shoot from a doctor will light area now at this moment, I'm ok because this huge cloud cover but right now, right now we're looking at it's about eleven thirty in the afternoon, which brings us sunlight to directly behind a building here. So I'm going to be using a fell flash because I don't have any light on and the light is kind of going towards the back and it'll be rim knighting I'm going to use a fill flash, it'll be off camera, I'll have my pocket wizards working their magic. I'll have the tt one with the a c three zone controller on camera, which allows me to dial up and down, and then I got my flex five going off and setting it off. I'm going to use one night he had the idea is to use it as a phil if I do that, I'm in good shape, so the first dynamic is I'm going to ask for the groom to come over with his beautiful mom. I'm gonna have the groom and his beautiful mom, please. Come on right over here. Now. One of the things you always got to be concerned about is if I'm going to shoot them on the grass and one of things I'll generally discuss with him before is I don't want her to be self conscious of her heels coming. And you guys are going to come right back. How you mom, I'm doug, nice to meet you. Congratulations. You look beautiful. Pleasure to meet you. You're going to come right back here by your handsome never mind. Just your son. Okay? We're going to switch it up just like that when a switch sides, if you would. Please. So what I'm looking for, ford. I don't want to shoot into the dock building now that the sun's not there, I could kind of change my angle up and bring you both right over here. You're gonna move over just a little bit. You gonna put your arms right around the back? You're gonna hold your hands together here in the front, very traditional forward. Both of them are in a v shape to the camera. What? Bringing mom's front leg in point you told it and turn your toe into your son other way good get a little bit of curve just like that my act so it you're going to kick your four foot forward to me, matt, just like that now in your heads and nice and close together. Now I want you to look at what mom's doing she's just leaning their head it's got to be a body lean, so we're going to turn your head. I'm going to touch you, okay? Just like that and you're both going to lean forward to may tilting lean forward. So now where do I set off? Might set up my off camera light? I need to set up my off camera light to go directly into the face through the body of a female, so I'm rather we got of course, keeping it simple leaning forward. They're looking at me and now, because this is a full liked image, mind you, mom's not really plus size and either is matt, but we're gonna work around here, they're leaning forward to me, guys, I'm going to move that off camera just a little bit because I want a little bit of that open background right there now by meter, the ambien here and states two hundred f eight I'm going bill, this is two stops under, so I'm going to set my pocket. Was it for two stops underneath the ambient light? So let's, take a look at what we're getting right here. Mom, turn your head slightly to the right. Beautiful. You're looking right at me and both of you lean forward just like that. I'll tell you what I'm said, I'm going to turn my camera on so I get my tether on give it one second there and you're both looking at me. They're centered, I'm in fairly tight eyes up here, smiling nice and happy and let's, take a look right now I'm at one sixty eight f nine I got just a kiss of light filling in absolutely beautiful, soft light, nice and easy, so the first one is a traditional, full linked image. The second one, I'm going to step in, increase my zoom to two hundred just like that leaning forward to me guys leaning forward, mom, chin down, turn your head to your right a little bit beautiful. Just like that you are doing terrific eyes up here smiling teeth don't move so now I've zoomed in I'm going to pull back and I'm gonna have them look at each other all I'm adjusting is my zoom I want to keep it as simple as I possibly can chin down just a little bit look at each other guys mom looking at his son turn your head all the way to him mom turned you had smiling like you know him having excellent now what I'd like you to do mom is give your son a hug you're going to squeeze your cheeks together looking at may you doing absolutely great hugs together looking to me here I want you to look at what mom did bomb has increased the body size by her position of hug by pulling a shoulder up. Matt did a great job because he knew to cover it up from the engaging portrait and then wean them forward again. This is easily filled if you don't have the flash, you could fill it with a torch, right? You could also go and fill it using directly with a reflector underneath, but again it's about creating depth for the first time what mom and son I'm going to add camera till I have my bracket it's already locked in at my forty five degree angle mom lean forward to may turn your head to your right beautiful just like that chin down a little bit mom leaning forward green forward mom nice and happy smiling right there we got our image now we're going to separate them out just a little bit I'm going to ask a groom to put his left hand in his pants pocket he's going to kick his left leg florid nice and mom and him we're gonna hold hands mom is going to kick her leg in a little bit getting sexy there and just separate from him a little bit or matt pull away from her and break could not bring you here and daddy saw it just a little bit off your body we want a little bit of separation just relax just relax right there a little bit of separation between handed body because we want to open it up so we don't make a look fuller again a full act image mom has to turn ahead to the right turn just like that mom well actually had a little bit can I ask you just to sweep your hair and you're right I beautiful perfect looking at me chin down mom nice and happy you're smiling teeth look in here excellent and now what I want you to do I'm going to change my kilt just a little bit and they're going to look at each other again leaning in close I'm cropping up from the waist up smiling out of mom wonderful again he's all one sixty eight f nine the flashes coming into two stops under it's barely noticeable soft easy phil notice the crop if you guys got the crop is going up and going up showing the entire sky now I've got enough mom here where I could start to make things work so what I'm going to ask for is could I have the groom's handsome dad he's on I'm going to ask dad when he comes over I'm going to just introduce myself because I probably we'll have asked the groom already what his wife's name is if I did and I'm going to go up how you storm dog nice to meet you congratulations what is your wife's name sir uh michelle are you sure? Good. Perfect so I'm going to do that because I never want to make mom self conscious about it again we talked about glasses this is him don't ask him to take him off unless the polaroids now mom keep holding hands with your son I'm gonna bring our groom in here what his dad I'm going ask them to hold hands good normally I wouldn't do the groom and his dad holding hands I have dad on the other side but they divorced do I care that a thirty year old is holding his dad's hand? I don't care means nothing to me. It's his dad turn your body sideways, matt kick you like floyd? Dad, hand in your pants pocket, turning it forward here. I'm going to need our beautiful miss michelle. You're going to be on deck. I'm gonna need you in just a few moments. Excellent. Everybody looking at may and now this is where you pay attention. If you're looking for me in camera, we see the car in the background. Don't shoot it because you're wasting time having toe edit it. Pay attention to your backgrounds. We don't want to see street signs. We don't want to see things growing out of her head. We waste too much time and post production because we're not seeing the frame. We have to see the frame and we have to get it right on camera. Looking at me. Mom, turn your head slightly to the right. And now, because the sun moved, I have a problem. So the difference between the professional photographer and the amateur is adjusting to the problem. I know that the sons there so what I need to do is step them over because god's head is becoming a different tone, so I stepped them into the shade, right, they're excellent point your front foot forward, everybody. That took how long to dio turn your body towards me matt mom bring your foot just turn your foot and ultimate on excellent matt you turn your body back but turn your head to me sir tilt your head how does it feel holding a strange man's hand back good that's like that here we go you're doing terrific mom chin down excellent looking right here dad, can you get in a little closer mom you doing terrific looking right here, guys smiling just like that we're doing wonderful don't you move so the first thing I got is my full like image because I kept them in shape nothing changed and adjusted now I go in for my close up so I got my three quarter close up from the waist up everybody smiling, looking terrific excellent. What I need right now is you're going to look at your beautiful mom. Mom, you're going to look at your son god, look at your son normally perfect. We go just like that. I haven't possibly look a mom, but who wants to do that? They don't know each other excellent just like that. Wonderful. Now what I'm going to ask them to do is you're going to step in close to your beautiful mom put your arm around her in the back you're going to let go of your son's hand holding hands here now, again, because they're divorced, I want them to be able to connect at step behind a little bit, sir. Coming close here, everybody leading a close. Mom leaning with your body lean forward, god lean in close here. If they were married, god would come right back here. I'm gonna need michele shortly and here we go. We're working it out nice and simple. I'm in a horizontal from the last one because I know it's a close up. I'm in tight looking right here. Two stops under smiling teeth. Excellent. Don't move looking at me here just like that. Stay there. You're smiling, you're doing terrific. I got my image. Mom, can you give your son of hugs? We should cheek together god give you son a hug, but grab his elbow notice where I have god grabbing. I have got grabbing on the elbow. I make a conscious remark for him to grab the elbow because I don't want michele gettin pissed at her new stud is grabbing mom, right? So we're leaving a close. You guys come down a little bit, dad getting close to you, son. Just like that. Will I do this with every divorced couple if they tell me that they absolutely hate each other, I'm not going to do it so now we're looking right here I'm going horizontal again mom lean forward turn your head to your right squeeze and happy squeeze excellent god, you're going to stay right there mom, could I ask you to step out real quick? Beautiful you're going to come right over here. You look absolutely gorgeous. I'm going to ask the beautiful miss michelle to please step in facing our handsome groom there you go. Beautiful. Do you notice how I scored her out taking your hands, having complete and total control of the situation while michelle just struts her crap in bill I got on the step mom, I got this way go. So, michelle, I'm going to ask you to remove your sunglasses please you can put them in your back and you're going to come in nice and close here to our groom and now god, you're going to go behind your beautiful wife now I don't know what the situation is at this moment but I know I would have found out ahead of time so what I'll do at this point is asked for everybody to put their hands at their sides. Gentlemen, hands in your pants pocket michelle going to turn your head a little bit this way god, you're gonna lina nice and close just like that everybody leaning forward notice I did not make her hold hands with him if I don't know the situation I'm not going to make it he could hate a for all I know keep the lights off going into the face again starting with the close up nice and happy michelle looking at may smiling don't move we goto a full like we just rotate that's why I love my bracket looking or idea smiling here eyes up here excellent don't you move dad, can you step out one second michelle leaning nice and close to the ground heads together michelle, turn your head to your right smiling right there you're doing great one now one there. Excellent, michelle you could step out. How long did it take me to take the image of the groom and his step mom? Seconds because I don't want to make bomb there, but my day changes right now if I ever see them walk up to each other and hug each other day just became a lot easier unless they see mom hugging going but a little you know what I mean? So we want to focus. Dad, can you step in next to your handsome son, please? I'm gonna ask you to shake hands with your son, put your left hand up on his shoulder now look, everybody does this shot, but they don't close it up, you've got to close it up in here and here to son his dad close that up get the shoulders and moving in get it nice and tight make sure the sun's out again looking at me that way good when your body's in together matt turn your head to me sir you turn your head to your right dad tilt your head into your son lean forward to may you do an absolutely terrific I start with the close up excellent. Now I go to the full a good now look at each other good. Excellent. How much faster can I do these now? Which going to dio matt put both hands in your pants pocket. Dad, put your left hand on his shoulder. Dad, put your hand in the pocket, point your right foot towards me and then I'll turn your head to your right. Matt, tilt your head to your dad meeting floor would look at me here absolutely terrific. The faster we move, the faster we shoot, the more they like us, the more engaged a r I could tell a story I could take twenty minutes go back and forth looking here you're doing terrific gatun down a little bit, sir. Looking at me here, you doing wonderful? I couldn't x for better smiling teeth don't you move just like that? I love it almost there perfect smiling teeth excellent now relax. I want you to give you some hug. Dad, give a hug to each other. Squeeze your cheeks together. Look at me, dad. What type of hug is this? Looking to merely forward before it squeeze your dad happy? Excellent. Doesn't matter, it's his dad it's his son. Of course it doesn't matter. Can I have my handsome groom? You're going to step out right over here. You're going to go over by your beautiful mom. Can I have the beautiful miss melissa? You're going to come right over here, matt, you go hang out with your mom. Notice? Where did I send him? Where did I send him? To his mom to get everything off setting it up. So, she's not upset. You're going to go on the other side. Please remove your glasses arm around each other, moving a nice and close. You gonna hold your hands together? Right? Actually will go here, cheeks together. Just like this. As you remember, with the bride and the parents, I stayed and shot a whole bunch of pictures of them. You think they're getting a whole bunch of pictures? No, I'm not making it romantic or anything like that. I'm getting the simple logistic pitches to sell one lean forward to me a little bit both ofyou perfect smile, dad, nice and happy now we go in for the close up just like that I'm moving forward I'm tilting to dad smiling absolutely wonderful, wonderful. Just like that. Excellent. You both could step out and now could I have the groom and his beautiful little daughter, ms mackenzie. So now my challenge begins. She six years old she's out here with me with these big things on top of it, she doesn't even know who died, so it makes it even harder. It's, a terrible day for them to meet the first time. Gonna meet your dad at his wedding just doesn't seem right now. What's happening in that scenario is have a couple things that have to work out. I have to make sure number one that I always make her feel comfortable. I have to make her feel like now. She's not ready, she's not ready for me. So at this point I could sit there and I can try and work with her and hope that someone gets it to me because if I get her near me that I could kind of play with her and make her feel it ease. If not, then I gotta play with it leader and keep pushing don't push the issue of trying to get the child right away because you wanted a warm up. If this really was her dad, it would be a lot easier because he'd be standing right next door. Simple and easy. But she's not ready yet, she's. Not in the mood, she's. Like I don't want to meet my dad yet. I want to meet him on my tell maurey and not tell I wanted to happen. You are the father, matt. Can I have my usher's one at a time, please. My best man will go last, so I move from one thing to another. And again, it's about knowing who everybody is. So I'm going to bring my usher's over. And just like I did with my bridesmaid. Hi, how you saw him, doug. Nice to meet you. Pleasure what's your name. Austin, you're going to come right here. You're going to meet the groom shaking hands in the middle. Put your hand up on the shoulder, austin no, look at what they did. They would've magically went into that. Let's, hang out of the bar dude with john shake hands in the middle, gentlemen put your hand upon the shoulder you put your hand on his hand, turn your back shoulders together moving nicely close austin rena costa matalin here. Lean forward to may just like that. Next usher on deck moving along at a rapid pace. Here we go. Just like that. Looking to me, gentlemen. Austin, stand up straight. Bring your front foot in if I really was shooting austin when I told you about noticing everything, the first thing I would ask him to do is remove his huge phone from his front pocket leading cause it's just like that. Don't worry about it. So cool. Here we go. That's great notes in the background tour of a key. Now you just broke it with a shot her? Now don't worry your coach not out like that. Pull it down. All right, austin, you obviously want to come over and touch your way. Go just hold on to us then. Nice work. Good. Shake it, it's here we go. The kick your front foot towards me, austin member said connection connection here we go looking to me guys who are still in a nice and close look at austin's jacket it's stretching austin, bringing hand to his right shoulder bring it in and now we need close austin turning a t right smiling guys happy teeth perfect austin you step out could I have our next dancer musher? How you sir? What is your name? Eric nice to meet you. I'm doug you're gonna go right there. You're going to shake matt's hand put your left hand up on his shoulder moving nice and close. We are doing so good. Put your hand on top of his head, lina nice and close. Nope. You're gonna put your hand on their lena koesterich looking at me oh, my god! What a height difference a man and his boy good. Relax for when it goes looking to me here, guys, smiling teeth. Excellent. Thank you very much, mr eric and I need all handsome best man. I go up to the best man I always try and greet him. How will you start, dog? Nice to meet you, what's your name ponds. Hans nice to meet you, sir. You're going to shake hands right there in the middle hands here. But we're going to do more than one shot of this because I want to build a page, put your hand up on his shoulder, hans, lean in close together bodies together hard you're going to stay there for just a few you're doing terrific here we go. We need close together heads together, guy smile in their first one is a close up smiling don't move, gentlemen. Just like that, you're doing terrific. Look at each other guy, stay there just like that. Wonderful don't move now. I'm going to change it up on what I'm going to do. Stay right there, guys. You don't have to look at each other. I'm gonna pull in now. I focus in on the hands, so right in there I'm going on the hands just like that. I start to take my detail photos. What I'm going to do is I'd ask cons, do you have the rings? Han ties, the rings? What I'm going to do is can you put your arms around each other and put your palms up good pitch arms around each other so right in here, what I'm going to do is put the rings in here, flipped the hands down and get a shot of the rings. You should going to do an extreme close up just like that. Relaxed, good. Now what? I want you to dio with action. I could do that. Hands in your pockets, hans, put your left hand on his shoulder. Good just like that make sure it's not up to much make sure that we try not to get any pulling the jackets a leaning in just like that hans turn your head to may now the first two I did all of those vertical tight shots so what I'm going to do from here is turn your head to me hans just a little bit looking here this time you serious gentlemen hans tilt your head to your left hans turn your head steer right looking radius serious guys just like that notice I have off centered them I have gotten rid of fifty percent of it on by getting rid of fifty percent I'm setting up the page in the album I'm building the page now from here can I ask all of my ashes to come on back? Can I have them right over here? How did you guys going to stay in the middle hand in your pocket? Lou close you're going to go right over here. Fine, sir eric you're going to go right over here behind our handsome groom. Gentlemen, you're going to point your front foot towards me. Put your front hand in your pants pocket good and what I need you to do eric, I need you to close up your jacket I need hans close up your jacket and the reason we close it up is because we want uniformity I'm looking at the heads I'm looking at the outfits I'm looking at the backgrounds and making sure now going in nice a kosher believes aboutem button open eric good put your hand on your pants pockets are point your front foot now hans coming close to alina cho storm turn your head to your right you're going to move in right there turn your body open a little bit tilt your head in turn your head to your rights are perfect just like that gentleman you looking at me and I said happy here we go we're working it here we go, gentlemen nice and happy looking here, matt I love it. I love it when you look pissed off smiling happy teeth then we got off first full length and then we go into close up smiling gentleman just like that. Excellent. Now we're going to start to change things up. Gentlemen, what I want you to do, everybody turn and face that way start like you're walking away can I have or two ushers in a fright? You're gonna pretend you're walking that way and a groom in the best man in the back you're going to go up front for me a little bit just like that? What was your name against him? Austin I'm sorry apologize you guys spread out to the site good no porcelain come right over this way you're going to look like you're the one man walking into a bush ok, we go now they start walking away kind of like the reservoir dogs I want you to have you're going to walk straight that way, gentlemen, broom and best man have animated conversation the other two just keep walking, go walking away staying there and we create our own moments. Stay there. Hold it! Excellent. Relax. We get one shot, we get it out of the way. Okay, so now we're again we're creating a quick story. We're creating them walking away simple cropping up. We're moving around now I'm going to bring my groom forward to may we're taking all our shots in here again you're going to come right in here just like this leaning forward. Guys, I want you to spread out austin, you're going to come over here. Hans, you're going to come over here on what I want you to do. Eric you're right back here just like that. So to make things, what are you doing? You know, not lean forward your knee like this it's got to be look, stand up straight with cool like g q and then lean forward you want to look masking like idea yeah, do I look fat? Way move over a little bit hunts moving closer or step you step one step forward good hands in your pocket for me eric move over a little bit this way, matt just like that stay there. Tilt your head to your right matt good just like that turn your head a little bit hunt's good austin turn your head tilt your head to the left eric you got it. You're the best one here. The rest of them are out of control. Good just like that stay there, gentlemen again off centering it serious guys no smile tilt your head a little bit. I love how you go from serious. They're very angry, eric nice job looking right here just like that sending him up excellent. So notice we have a depth to feel thing for you at home who can't see it there roughly between four and five feet back. So you separating on pulling forward? Although there are bridal party they all of their own custom individuals inside of that bridal party now we start to move around and look to elevate them and look to change things. I don't particularly like the next set of poses, but some people in certain parts of the country will like them I consider them corning they've been around forever, so I'll show them but my disclaimer at home is that I do not like them I do not do them so I need the groom and best man here guys on the edges turned towards each other turned towards each other hard just like that eric come behind him orson coming close I hate this but my dad taught it to make so I'll show it put your hands in the metal hands up in about teo it looks we did give us but I know people still do it. Yeah good that's their lean into the middle oh, my god, it doesn't get dumber and now he is one of the favorite ones I want to get dressed in formal wear just so I could have all my friends lift me up in lay me sideways this is always a cast favorite go right there laydown looks like you got the heavy part eric go right there like why people do this is beyond me and if you do it it's okay that's your thing I absolutely yeah good cause that's what we really want to dio good just like that. Relax now you could put him down here. Now one of the things that I always try to do is create different angles, different aerial looks of my set up now one of the things I do is I look at something like this I'm not really afraid of heights or afraid of different things, something to stand on or a chair now in that case my big bodies taken up like down so I'm a little bit limited on where I can go so what I'm gonna do right here is can I ask you guys to go down sort of like we did with girls would ask them to go down just like this leaning up on what I want you to deal but eric, I want you to go behind him good or stone go in the middle between them but come real close storm guys stay there just like that looking at me here now for this I have to worry with the flash of shadows so hans, turn your head now I need to bring eric a little bit forward because eric's behind him just like that on the key here and I don't want to tell look like they're kneeling so my crop becomes so important, so important so what I'm gonna do is move in turn your head, austin tilt your head austin looking right here guys stay there and get it up so it looks there now I'm already noticing I don't like austin because he's too deep he's out of focus now what I have to look at it okay is out of focus in the lens but I'm shooting enough nine is he really going to be out of focus on move over a little bit austin lean forward a little bit and your chin up turning now to your right looking right here I have to worry about son again real quick just like that no smile, no smile matic good, hold it! Relax so from here let's take a look I want to make sure the biggest thing is that I got the depth of field here got a nice career image. This will be a black and white image because I want to create strength now what we're going to do is we're going to try to rotate and go all the way to the front so we're going to take a nice slow walk if I can have some help from my end studio audience to bring this light over let me get my wise and gentlemen, you could hop up because again it's all about creating a different look so I'm going to move right over here and let's see what we got again this is a good dynamic to go into and the reason I could get away with this dynamic is it's simple. I can get away with it because I choose my angles I have to look at everything and really focus on what I want to see on what I don't want to see I need to look at minor details, so for instance I have things here that I don't really like that I want to get rid of it this point. What are they? Well, I don't like the white lines that parking lot, so I want tryto them as much as possible. Sit home thinking and why do you care about lines? Because you could just call them out. You can content aware, but that takes thirty seconds. And if you do thirty seconds for an extra five hundred images, it adds up, which means you have no life and if you're sending it off the pilot, that means you're spending money. Make life easy on yourself. I want to crop here, so I see the lines. I also see the handicap sign on. I see the fire lane sign, so I need to pay attention to exactly what I want now. One of the things I gotta look at here is how I fill, because if I shoot from an angle going directly up what's going to happen if I'm going directly up, I'm no longer shooting from dark to light. I'm shooting from light to dark, which is going to change everything could I have are handsome groom, please? So what's gonna happen right in here is going to come in here and I want to take a look and again, most people have trouble posing the groom so what? I want to look at it the dynamic I want to create and I realize this is my dad not dynamic right here, so I'm going to set up my angle here just like that course in your feet but deck here can I have my best man please? Ok, so we're gonna pull him up a little bit turned sideways to still little bit right in here let me bring you to the pole here just to make it a little bit easier right up your good perfect course should go up one step for me go up a little bit I'm changing it to be honest with you because we can't get us much poll is we need teo on the video crushed feet good hand into pants pocket just like that looking right here now what I'm going to do is bring our best man hard you're going to come in right here just like this and now we're all set from here okay, so can I have my other two ushers put your hand in your pants pocket for me actually hunts turn your head to your right hans, tilt your head a little bit, turn your head to your right looking at me over here a little bit. Matt, turn your head on now from here. I'm looking right here. I'm going to come in here just like that. You're going to be here. Put your hand up on the shoulder hunts. Eric, you're going to come right in here. Notice in here I'm going to go up with eric one leg just because of his height. So I have to worry that he's not towering over hand in your pants pocket or put ball tansen that put your hand here good. Just like that. Lean and matt, bring your hand down a little bit lower if we get to the other side hunts. The reason we're bringing hards hand to the other side is because we want to make sure that he doesn't get this poll on the same thing. What? Matt? Turn your body. So it was a little bit now from here, I set it up. Turn your body a little bit for me, matt. A little bit more. Just like that. Matt, let me see you put that hand back in your pocket because I'm getting a feminine stretch on you. Good. Here we go. Let me see you go up one more step, eric good, bring one foot up, one foot down. Now put that right hand on his shoulder let me move this out of the way and again the idea is I want to get the crop right here turn your body a little bit hunt good turn ahead hans turn your head for me, austin good just like that eric lean in close looking right here so now the key is I know that their face is almost all going directly here, so I want to go here but I really really need to make sure that I'm lighting into the face and bringing it under. So if I have a fatal light here I got to bring the senate at least f for two stops under as a phil that's key and it's super duper important so let's take a look right in here excellent looking at me, gentlemen, here we go. You stay serious just like that. Let me look at my exposure because it's clearly probably not going to be anywhere close to what it was before. Matt tilt your head to your right looking right there. Actually, I am close closer than I thought it would be right there on the edge you're looking at me serious gentlemen, look in here just like that we got a firing will already set with our pocket wizard for two stops under we've got a nice clean exposure we're in good shape now from here what we're going to do very, very simply is we're going to change our crop. Gentlemen, could I have you all look out towards the light, please. Good. What are you looking at? This like good look straight it decide here everybody just watched austin because he saw a spacecraft. What the hell are you looking at this night? Nice work, austin tonetti, right? But tilt your head to the left good chin down looking right out there now watch the angle that we change just like that. So we're going horizontal. We're gonna pull back just a little bit and take a look right above the exit sign. Excellent. So what we've done is off sent to them to the lower right quadrant of the frame using all of these lights. If this was a nighttime shoot, this would look spectacular if I was using my torch right with these of it so it works out great. So now what I gotta do, gentlemen, could I ask you to step out one quick second? What I'm going to do right now is I want to take my groom and bring him and guys, you stay right here, so I gotta know my edges I gotta know my edges, I know that the lights where I wanted to be, which is great, I know that technically though I don't want this in the middle of his head so I'm gonna bring him back right over here you're going to put your back against the wall looking straight on cross your feet good tilt your head to your right now keep your backside on the wall but lean the top ofthe accent crush feet again good clean off the top lean forward tilt your head a little bit but turn your body this way good nice relaxed here we go looking strong now from here I'm still lighting directly into the face which means I'm going to his face is in this direction right here if I do this wrong what's gonna happen I'm gonna wind up getting the light underexposed which is the last thing we wanted this point looking straight out towards me serious chin down so I'm looking at my crop right there making sure I get is much of the junk out like the door for uh the railing on the right looking there stay there there's my image so the first one is a vertical image I've cropped and cut them in half so what you're saying is that matters on the left side of the image at home with this whole tide open now from here I'm going to go from a vertical to horizontal image I want you to see how many different images you can get from this one spot turn your head a little bit to the left looking straight out over here turn your head to the left you bring his ice off camera chin down tilting your head to the right a little bit and now I'm going to change my crop I'm going to bring them horizontal out of the left side keep those eyes open you see that little blank there I know I need to go to a double noticed that all of my refinements are made with me where in camera on my looking above the camera um I looking underneath the camera by looking on the side of my eye is always and that's why I know when he closes his eyes and I know to do it another shot looking right there you are doing terrific stay there so he is looking out so watch what we dio just for the sake here I'm gonna pull it out you keep looking where you're looking I now have the light set up in a profile position don't I looking straight out? You're doing terrific absolutely wonderful I wanna watch because I had a window I don't want too much reflection coming back at me so what I'm doing there it's just like that I'm looking and seeing now look down for me, turn your head to your right and look at how a roti chin down I've created now all these different shots and have never once moved him from here. Look at what we can do, so I'm just going to go and I'm going to change the light looking down this is the wonderful thing about me using the pocket was its because I can move it all over if my exposures off, all I have to do is make my adjustment from my ese a c three zone control turning head butt a little bit more to the right sorry. Over here. Good, perfect. And watch what I do. I tilt to the right. Get your chin out looking straight out with your eyes. Matt, look straight out. Good, serious. And look at what a great shot. What I've done is tilted my camera horizontal on a forty five degree angle to the right and going up here. How many different shots did I create without ever moving him? There's gotta be questions, right? Got some for me. Always why'd you come over here so we don't have bad light on you, okay? Because you guys away too pretty to have bad bite. Thanks for looking out for us. Tag always got you all right. Several questions coming up, one of the questions that came up, which I thought was interesting is cs photo. Had asked are you speaking the same way you would you would to an actual wedding group they say I know that you're trying to be assertive and control the photos but is there ever a worry that the wedding party ills freaked out by the way how you speak all the time I speak all the time I'm a control however I'm a lot more sarcastic than ish generally I'm going to make fun of them I'm going to have innuendo and again as I said there's a fine line if I talk this way I'm assertive if one of my female audience members do it they're going to be known as something else again at the end of my doing anything insulting am I doing anything? They look at it you know what they say oh my goodness I cannot believe how fast you get it done do you know how many times over do other best photographer I have ever seen? I have never seen someone who knows every image no control do you think my clients ever asked me are you going to do that? What do they know? I tell them that day I want to know every piece of information that you need to know that you want this way the day of the wedding you don't have to think you know you have the very best doing it again this is my way my personality is not what I'm teaching what I'm teaching is opposing the lighting in the control factor, but the fact is do you have do I ever have a pores and what's coming next? So call me assertive some people say look he's arrogant know we start get person that you're ever going to know what I am is in control because in the end they're going to say, why don't you get those pitches? You wouldn't listen what are you talking about? I was listening I was doing everything you were drinking you ahamed and then they're gonna complain they're gonna go to the better business bureau then they're gonna go here twenty seven years over seventeen thousand weddings we have never had a complete with the better business bureau ever never been sued, you know at some would say look at new yorker us all he's thinking about being soon it's a complete ratio of less than point three tenths of percent it's about not giving what they expect it's about giving more than they expected. If you do that it's going to be good you could perceive me whatever way you want, but I guarantee if you're here in person there's nobody here who thinks I'm arrogant and there's nobody here who takes some forceful they just understand that I have a job to do and I have to get it done and that's part of the reason why I brought the question up because it might be different at home while you're watching, but when you're here the fact that doug is constantly talking never never there's no stopping to what he's saying and he is in control it doesn't, it feels it's like your true it's soothing, almost it's natural it's like that voice in your head because he has that thing during the reception, it's glowing wanted to come drink with us. Why don't you come dance? What else? Watch come eat with us, you know? Obviously I don't do any of that because usually have gone home and have someone finished, but but the fact is I never did those things when I'm working, I got to be focused on what I need to dio there are no excuses as to why I did not get a photo that could be someone's vast photo that they ever take. I have to get it do if you look at the images, do any of the subjects look like they're faking a smile? Do they look like they're in pain? Do they look like it's forced or they like? This is awesome disguising control and I guarantee you when I get off camera if you ask any of them, have you ever been in a wedding party what's it like with doug compared to everybody else they're like that was an experience you're passionate and they recommend people and that's how you've shot seventeen thousand weddings, you're also being in control people feel comfortable that they're not that I know what I'm doing and they don't feel uncomfortable in their own skin. I hear it all the time, it's always funny and a choice me crazy when I look on my youtube channel is something that seep it, but have you ever touched me like that? I pick your know you want it, you'd be like, wow, he's, making me look good, I feel good about myself, he's telling me that I look good, I feel myself looking better, I feel myself, I have confidence that I've not had before, it has nothing to do with people just need to lighten up and people just look for the wrong stuff. They look at things, they want to find negatives like I told you, there's plenty of negatives in that little dog room close it out, I'm not interested in a get rid of it, I'm not here to be negative, I'm here to make people look good that's my job, no matter what that's what you're doing and I appreciate you, I know we keep asking, we can bring it up to you to sum it up and people want to know sure goes down the chap board oh, that wouldn't this is the thing you're hearing in the chapel don't even need to be that my bride would never do that I could never talk to someone the way he's talking to someone I'd never tolerate it believe me it's not as forceful as you think I am allowed and the loudest person is generally the one who's hurt well let's move on to some of the other kind of technical questions okay so one is is when you had the flash I think it might have been even when it was over here but the question is is that this is from best shot? Is the flash usually placed in the same direction and angle as the natural sunlight? No because remember in this case especially not where's the sunlight was shooting in this direction away from you if you look right now two people at home the three of us look about it dad as you could ever look if you look I'm getting broad hit so my face looks full my eyes of squinting if you look at susan her our faces board if you look in counter she's got hot spots here and here so the video cameras shutting down and adjusting so no matter how much flash I put on here, I would have to be blast on with light we're going to do that shortly to show you how to get dept in the background but blasting but remember what I'm doing this is one key principle that you may have missed yesterday was shooting from doc till light so what that means is the lights behind that building and it's kind of hair lighting you will notice in all of my image is it looks like I have a beautiful hair like a rim like coming in from behind so with all of that I'm shooting into the light I'm always looking at the grass so what I'm gonna do is walk over here and explain in more depth if you turn towards me right now here is my edge if you look right on this back part of the grass here what's happening is the lights coming here and this is where the building cuts it off if I step back here I'm in complete and total shade so at home you saw an adjustment in the iris if I walk up here watch the hair watch the reflection you see it's spilling over that's the general idea is understanding where lights coming from so when it was here and I was here light was coming into the face remember our groom was here on what I did was when hans was on this side he turned his head to the direction of the light which means the light that I was adding and filling you want to put the subject in even clean light if you do that, the only thing you're doing is adding bill right now to make you to look anywhere near as beautiful as you are. I would have to blast you with so much flash doing it, and if we were doing a real production here in terms of trying to make them look good in this night, you would have a giant sill up above the videographers which would be cleaning the light off your face. And this case will go on his while this would be, and this is what you need to avoid if we look like this don't shoot here very simple, so we're feeling awesome. One final question before we keep going a thousand words, photography asked, what do you do about individuals who are sensitive to the light and can't keep their eyes open in the sunlight? I don't have that problem is much why you guys tell me you're not think about it because where's the light, the lights behind the lights behind his long as I put the light behind it's always the thing and remember, where do I have the eyes? If you remember by the end, the guy's going to tell you I always I'm looking at my hand, which is above the lens of the camera, because if I look at you, take a look I'm looking at you right here right now but if I look above you can you tell I'm not looking at you know what you see is that my eyes open wider rather than doing this it's just a matter of looking above trying to open him up but I got to keep him out of light sunlight is my enemy on the next question you're going to get is well what do you do when there's only sunlight because you're on the beach there's never just only sunlight because light always has a direction as far as I know the light has never been directly above me it's always coming from angula position o'clock position so that means if it's coming from here here I go I got perfect light on my face what you see right now is a rim light coming in and hitting me hard here if I turned my face you see it heading may this is now bright this is under this is over exposed this will be underexposed depending on what expose on but if I walk up and do this we don't have that issue is much anymore do we were starting to hit it here and here so we're adding at this point ah beautiful kicker light what does it say? We said it yesterday what is it you got to see the light not only do you see it you got to feel it okay great we're doing pretty good. We are so now let's, change it up just a little bit, because everybody wants to know. How do I get a blue sky? God, I want a blue sky, I want a blue sky. I want a blue sky so it's, very simple, it's, very simple. What you need to do at this point is change your approach, because if I know that the sky is two fifty eight f eleven let's, just give it because that's kind of like a sunny sixteen rule, isn't it to fifty eight eleven? I'm going to get a blue sky.