Ep 55: Jack of all trades: How to shoot under extreme pressure

Photo-Ep055-artwork

These days, many clients want a lot of bang for their buck. That is, they often want multiple looks in multiple locations – for multiple purposes. So how can you pull this off without going crazy?

In this bootcamp, we look at what happens when cafe owners want social media profile pics, a cover shoot for a chocolate aficionado magazine, lifestyle product shots, lifestyle talent shots, shots of the cafe in action, shots of the chefs, and food shots. All done in half a day! Gina and Valerie discuss how to plan for this shoot, what gear you’d need to bring, how to structure the day and much more.

#ginachallenge #pressure

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Show notes

Listener question

From Andrew Deagle (Queensland):

“Hi Gina I’m wanting to try taking some images like this one but not sure how I should go about it.”
a woman leaning against a wall at night with neon signs in the background

 

Shout outs to awesome members of our community

 

Above: Ronald Fritz’s fluffy toy, Yongnuo YN560 III Flash (power 1/16) and Yongnuo 560 Tx Flash Transmitter
Above: Ronald Fritz’s fluffy toy, Yongnuo YN560 III Flash (power 1/16) and Yongnuo 560 Tx Flash Transmitter

 

Above: Samuel Webster’s shot of Tuscany. After an October sun shower.
Above: Samuel Webster’s shot of Tuscany. After an October sun shower.

 

Japanese temples on the water by Sean Kelly
Above: Sean Kelly’s shot.

 

Above: Katy Mackenzie's shot of fresh snow in a pine forest, Vancouver BC Canada
Above: Katy Mackenzie, Vancouver BC Canada

 

Bootcamp: Entrepreneurs’ shoot

Johnny and Jane run a business that specialises in organic chocolate and coffee products.
They also have a cafe/homewares store.

They need:

  • social media profile pics
  • cover shoot for chocolate aficionado magazine
  • lifestyle product shots
  • lifestyle talent shots
  • shots of the cafe in action
  • shots of the chefs
  • food shots
  • packaged shots from the cafe

They are really busy and have only allowed half a day for the shoot.

Just to make things interesting: Jane is a plus size 5’ tall and Johnny is lanky and 6’6. The inner city office is only lit by flouro lights and has large tilt slab concrete walls
It’s raining on and off and overcast

Planning

  • cover and social media pics
  • lifestyle cafe shots
  • chefs
  • food, product, interiors and details

Gear

  • tripod
  • zoom lens 24-105
  • fast lens for low light
  • white card/small make up mirrors for food shots
  • reflector
  • fill flash + soft box
  • light stand
  • blue tack
  • small wooden blocks

Tips for plus size models

  • shoot full length to elongate the body
  • crop into arms length ways to give the illusion of narrower arms
  • wear block colours
  • long necklaces elongate the body
  • contrapposto pose
  • don’t crop mid body because this makes plus size look square and blocky
  • pose in s shape

Tips for interior shots

  • watch your verticals
  • use a tripod
  • shoot square into a room
  • use daylight
  • turn on lamps and downlights to add “life” to the room
  • shooting on narrow aperture will create starbursts in lights
  • people walking through shots at slow shutter speed also adds life to the image

Tips for food shots + products

  • give chefs plenty of time to create meals to be photographed
  • use flat soft daylight
  • large windows
  • plan ahead with chefs
  • pre test/light with dummy set up
  • keep propping simple
  • great food photography is all about the planning
  • select meals that are colourful avoid beige/brown food
  • mirrors and white card are great for fill light
  • use a tripod

Product shots need to be sharp vs food can look arty (shallow depth of field)
vs lifestyle product.

General Tips

  • get lots of detail images
  • shoot candid + set ups
  • shoot after hours when cafe isn’t busy
shot of a dog in a cellar door at a winery in Sicily
Above: I photographed this dog as part of shoot for a winery in Sicily

 

Lifestyle lunch image
Above: I used my Canon 85mm F1.2 lens for this lifestyle lunch image

 

women eating in a restaurant directed image
Above: In this image I gave each of the girls an eye line and something to do and then asked them to keep repeating it over and over again.

 

couple in a restaurant photo directed
Above: I gave this couple similar instructions and then asked the waiter to move through the shot.

 

lifestyle food image
Above: I photographed this “lifestyle” food image using daylight.

 

Above: Look for interesting textures and leading lines like this filler shot I did for Nigella Lawson's book launch.
Above: Look for interesting textures and leading lines like this filler shot I did for Nigella Lawson’s book launch.

 

Above: Another detail I shot for tomato farm.
Above: Another detail I shot for tomato farm.

 

lifestyle food with bike
Above: Lifestyle food with bike! I photographed this image in Morocco.

 

candid chefs
Above: This image looks candid but I set the chefs up and gave them specific eyelines and actions to repeat.

How to direct and pose like a pro

About Gina

About Gina

Gina Milicia is one of the most widely known and respected photographers in Australia. She is the master of capturing that ‘magical moment’... READ MORE

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