Episode 14 - Little Things Done Well: The Photoshoot
Audio:
Shownotes:
Actions from this episode:
Break it down - Look at the photography and work of others you’re drawn to. Maybe journal, collage or use some other way of seeing the patterns of what you like.
Reflect - Think about or feel your way through the small things that make your work unique to you.
Lean in - To your own preferences and way of seeing the world. If you’re not sure yet, look into what you like in the work of others.
Pick an area or detail to focus on - Pick something from this episode that you think will make the biggest difference to your photography.
Plan a test shoot - That allows you to play and explore with that area of focus.
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Episode Transcript:
Matt Korinek: So there I am, showing up to set, camera in hand, so nervous. Since I have no idea how the day will turn out.
No matter how much planning or prepping I’ve done, it’s the moments during a photoshoot that will either lead to great photos or terrible ones.
Do you get nervous before a photoshoot?
If you do or you don’t, today I’m going to talk about the ingredients that you’ll need to have a successful shoot.
This is the third in a 4-part series about great photography being made up of little things done well - and it’s going to be a big one.
Hey, it’s Matt
And welcome to the Photo Proventure Vlogcast.
A place for photographers to get better [up their game?], one action at a time.
Subscribe if that sounds like you, and let’s get into it.
So it’s shoot day, and if you didn’t do a good job in pre-production, you may end up in trouble like I was a few years ago.
I was doing a shoot in Sydney, Australia and was told that the location had large windows which I assumed would make for beautiful natural light. When I got to the location, I saw that they hadn’t lied, they were big windows.
But what they didn’t tell me was that all those big windows faced indoors. There was no natural light to be had.
The only thing I could think of doing is bouncing the light off the wall to create a larger softer source. That was a big problem because all I had was a little speed light.
And to be completely honest, the results were terrible. It was a tough shoot and I struggled mightily. It taught me the lesson to never skip location scouting, whether in person or asking someone to swing by to take some photos or even a 360-degree video or scouting via Google Maps.
Now even though I’m way better at pre-production now than I was then, it’s highly likely something still won’t go my way. The question is, how am I going to deal with those things.
That’s why I believe problem-solving is a key skill for any photographer to have. I spoke a bit about that back in Episode 5.
But of course this episode isn’t about preproduction either. I covered that in part 2 of this 4-part series.
Today we’re going to talk about the shoot.
Going back to the “photographer as chef” metaphor, just having great ingredients and tools won’t result in great photos.
Little things done well also applies to the techniques and flavours that I bring to the table.
Technique is my technical abilities. What I’m able to do with the tools at my disposal.
Flavour is my artistry or photographic style. How I choose to use those ingredients, tools and techniques to fulfil my vision.
If you’re not sure if you have a style, check out my episode on finding your photographic style.
Before we jump into technique and flavour, let’s talk about the other ingredients we have on set.
These are
Safety,
Comfort,
Environmental conditions,
the emotional states of everyone on set
And all of the little details.
Safety.
I’ll start out with safety, as it's always my number 1 priority. No shot is worth serious injury. Discomfort maybe. Tiredness probably. But nothing lasting.
For the most part, the most dangerous thing I do is climb on things to get a shot.
Or I’ll run beside the talent until I get cramps in my obliques. Perhaps only run photographers will understand that reference.
Basically, be smart and make sure everyone’s being safe. Because if people feel safe, you’ve got a foundation to make them comfortable.
Comfort.
Comfort is an often underestimated part of the shoot process. I know this might seem to contradict what I said earlier, but let me explain.
Discomfort is only acceptable to me if I’ve built a foundation of comfort first.
Once someone is comfortable and we’ve built trust, I can then ask for things that may end up being a bit uncomfortable. But instead of it coming from a place where the shot is more important than the human being, it’s the other way around.
Why is comfort so important?
Well, have you ever felt uncomfortable in front of the camera? How well did those photos turn out?
Seriously it's as simple as that.
If you want further proof, I once had a subject that literally forgot how to walk because they were uncomfortable in front of the camera. They were swinging the same arm and leg together, rather than walking normally with the opposite arm and leg are swinging. Luckily we were able to laugh it off and move on.
I’ve found that in most cases I can see someone’s discomfort show up in the photos. It may be that they’re stiff. Or that they lose a bit of life in their eyes. Or it could be how willing they are to try something outside of their comfort zone.
So how do I get them comfortable?
Well, a lot of it has to do with communication and building a relationships. But I’ve already talked about that in part 2 of this 4-part series,, so here’s what else can help.
Making sure that people on set have the basics is a good place to start.Food - because you need to fuel everyone
Water - because dehydration sucks.
Breaks - because no one can be “on” all the time.
And a bathroom - Because… well because.
But why stop at the basics? What else can you do to elevate the experience?
Maybe source their favourite snacks.
Or start out the day by offering to buy people a hot drink. Coffee is often both a comfort and a jolt of energy.
Have options of sparkling and still water just like a nice restaurant.
Maybe stock the bathrooms with nice toiletries and don’t forget feminine hygiene products!
And never forget to check in with people and create space for rest and refueling.
What else could you do to make the experience better?
Just like the photos themselves, little things can make a big difference. Showing that you’ve thought about the little things and care about another person’s comfort goes a long way in actually making them comfortable.
Then, of course, there’s the comfort that comes from the environment we are shooting in.
If you shoot outdoors at all, you’re well aware of the impact of the environment around you. And even in a studio setting, it doesn’t hurt to think about the conditions you’re all working in.
And environmental considerations aren’t just for photographers shooting people. If you’re a food photographer shooting ice cream, you’ll give yourself more time to work in a cool room. Butter will change its consistency and texture at different temperatures. Think about your subject and how the environment will affect it and the final look.
With human subjects, the environment is a critical ingredient because temperature discomfort can be highly detrimental.
I know that when my hands get cold, controlling my camera gets super difficult. If it’s boiling hot out, I’ll be thinking about getting relief rather than the creative if I haven’t had a break to cool down.
In both cases, I’ll focus on my discomfort instead of focusing on the talent or project at hand.
And although I may be able to layer up and down, the talent has to wear what the stylist gives them.
Often, brands are often shooting a season or more ahead of time. So the clothes the talent is wearing don’t match the conditions they're actually in, they match the season that we’re shooting.
I actually did a shoot down in Tasmania and it was a summer campaign during the springtime and it hailed on us six times in one day!
Each time we had to run for cover as the ice came raining down. Then when it blew over, we’d head back outside and start shooting at the ice pellets melted under our feet.
And not only does the weather change how people feel, but it can also impact other parts of the shoot.
In this case, I had to frame the shots in ways that avoided showed the ground until the hail melted. Also since the models were wearing shorts and tank tops, I also had to keep the talent moving in order to avoid goosebumps. Cause they aren’t very easy to retouch out in my experience...
And then there’s the crew. People who are uncomfortable will just want the shoot to be over. They’re more likely to compromise for mediocre shots.
Of course, a highly professional crew will tough it out no matter what, but wouldn’t you want them to be as comfortable as possible too?
Where I live the weather reports often change or are wrong, so make sure to have a plan of how you’ll deal with weather you didn’t plan for.
I learned this lesson the hard way on a different shoot in Tasmania. We were climbing Cradle Mountain and I had expected to have a cool, misty day so I left the sunscreen at home.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t even a wisp of cloud and nothing to shelter under, so I spent all day exposed to the sun. My forehead got so burnt...
I was miserable because I knew how much pain I’d be in later.
It’s one of those funny human traits that we tend to live in the future, or the past at the expense of the present.
So another ingredient to be aware of is the emotions that are brought into the shoot. Everyone on set will bring these with them, including you!
Each person on set will not only bring their personality to the mix, but they’ll also carry the emotional charge of things that have occurred recently or maybe what's going to happen tomorrow.
These ghosts of the past can impact a shoot positively or negatively.
And then there are the fears about the future. The most common of which are nerves.
They are often another ingredient that comes into play. Nerves can be paralyzing, or have the possibility of being transformed into excitement and add energy to the vibe.
Nerves can happen on both sides of the camera. I still get nervous before almost every shoot.
Since I experience the sensations of fear and excitement similarly in my body, I look at the story I’m telling myself about the situation. By changing my story I can often flip my experience of fearful nervousness into excitement.
Of course, I can do that work leading into the shoot. But if the talent is nervous, I likely won’t know until they show up on set. Their reasons for being nervous are as unique as each individual. But I have found some trends.
If I’m working with a movement expert like a personal trainer or a yogi. I always ask them to come up with a workout plan or flow ahead of time. Why?
Because a yogi in front of a class of 30 students can improvise on the spot because it's in their comfort zone.
But take out the 30 people and add just one photographer and suddenly their mind goes blank. It happens all the time.
As a photographer may be hard to understand why, but be compassionate.
If you want to know what it feels like, ask a photographer friend to take photos of you. You may find that you can relate better to what your subject is feeling, and potentially get insight into what and how to communicate with your subject to make them comfortable.
If your subject is comfortable, the stage is set for great photography.
Once the stage is set, it’s time to sweat the details.
See something in the background that you don’t like? Move it.
Do you need a clear background in a busy area? Ask people to stop for a minute while you get the shot.
Would a touch of wind give the talent’s hair or wardrobe a bit more life? Perhaps using your reflector to create a bit of wind may help create a better photo than using it as a bounce.
Try to have a stylist’s eye. If you see a bra strap that has flipped over, asking it to be flipped back is way easier than "fixing it in post”.
I could go on and on. What are the little details you look for?
Now even though I’d suggest you sweat the details, don’t let them bog you down either.
For me, if worrying about the details breaks the talent out of their flow - especially when things are really clicking - then it’s not worth it. I don’t want photos where everything in the frame is perfect at the expense of the photo’s feeling and the subject’s expression.
And of course, not all details are created equal. Some you can let go because they’re not important, or easy to deal with in post.
I can’t tell you what details are most important to you and which to let go. Prioritize the things that will allow you to create your best work.
Just remember that all those little things add up. I repeat: great photography made up of little things, done well.
Now let’s jump into technique, or what I can do with all of the tools at my disposal.
Technique is an area that most photographers worry the most, even though it's not always the most important thing to get better at.
It’s probably because back in the day, photographers needed a lot of technical expertise in order to even take a photo. As technology has developed, cameras do a lot of the heavy lifting, but for any photographer who wants greater control over their photos, then technical proficiency can be a huge difference-maker.
Since technical ability exists along a spectrum, figuring out where you currently sit is a good place to start.
Honestly ask yourself, do you understand light? Both natural or artificial [or even mixing the two together]? Can you shape it?
How do you approach getting correct exposure?
How do you capture the optimal data for your image?
Do you customize your camera settings and buttons to get a higher hit rate?
Do you anticipate the shot or just hit the shutter and hope for the best?
Are your shots in focus and blurry where you want them to be?
Oh man, I remember when I first started shooting fitness and action, I struggled HARD to get things in focus.
So how did I figure it out? I got into action.
I asked friends to be my subjects. I put myself into difficult lighting situations.
This allowed me to refine my technique and learn how to best use my camera to get the shots I wanted. It’s one of the reasons I always customize my camera settings so that I’m a more effective photographer.
Reading about technique can be helpful as it opens my mind to new ideas and ways of doing things. But at the end of the day it’s actually trying it, and learning from that hands-on experience that makes a difference. That experience makes me a better problem-solver in future shoots.
So think about what’s the one thing that, if you figured out, would make the biggest difference to your photos? Then focus on upskilling yourself at that one thing through learning and practice.
Once you improve in that area, you’ll likely find a new thing that’s getting in the way. So repeat the process.
And although the list of technical ingredients may seem never-ending, you’ll find that your photography improves one small step at a time.
Of course, photography is more than just technical problem-solving. Who wants a photo that’s technically perfect but is lacking in feeling?
The “more” that we’re often searching for is art and style of photography.
I’ll leave the details for another episode, but for now what are some of the little things that you can think about to bring your art and style to life?
The questions that lead you there may be as deep as:
What’s your purpose?
Why do you shoot what you shoot?
What do you want to communicate with your work?
What message, story, emotions or themes are you personally drawn to?
If that sounds like something out of your depth, then think about your style. To me style is just your art broken down into smaller, definable, aesthetic choices. Those that somehow impact what ends up in the frame and the moments you choose.
What types and depths of emotion and expression do you draw out in your talent?
Where do you place your camera and what technical choices do you tend to make? Those can be lens, camera or lighting choices.
What do you include and what do you exclude from your frame? And then how do you arrange elements within those four edges?
How do you like to use texture, colour or shape?
And of course most importantly to photography - How are all of the things in your frame lit?
Really, it’s all of those small things this series has been about. The little things, that when done well, lead to great photography. And not just great photography, but photography that’s unique to you.
Once the shoot is over, we’ll take our photos, season and garnish them with what we do in post-production.
And that’s what I’ll talk about in the next episode.
Ok - that was a lot. Thank you for getting this far. I hope you got some value out of it.
Just like I mentioned back in part one of the series, don’t feel overwhelmed. I think the best way to improve is to focus on one or two things that you believe will make the biggest difference to you RIGHT NOW.
So here are some things you can action between now and the next episode:
Break it down
Look at the photography and work of others you’re drawn to. Maybe journal, collage or use some other way of seeing the patterns of what you like.
Reflect
Think about or feel your way through the small things that make your work unique to you.
Lean in
To your own preferences and way of seeing the world. If you’re not sure yet, look into what you like in the work of others.
Pick an area or detail to focus on:
Pick something from this episode that you think will make the biggest difference to your photography.
Plan a test shoot
That allows you to play and explore with that area of focus.
You’ve probably noticed that doing test shoots often comes up as a potential action. And that’s because that’s where a lot of the magic and learning happen.
And now I’d love to hear from you:
What is it that’s most important to you on shoot day? What little thing makes the biggest difference to your photograhy right now?
Thank you so much for watching or listening, I really do appreciate it.
I hope you find some time between now and the next episode to try one new thing, and get closer to the photographer you want to be.
