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Session 5 – An Actor’s Photo Session

We’ve spent a lot of time on the techniques for photographing women…

Let’s talk about sessions for the male of the species…and specifically the needs of actors and models.

Again, these images were made with basic lighting and basic (and inexpensive) photo equipment and my ever-present Denny backgrounds, posing stools and C-Stands.

30 December, 2024
6 min read

Session 4 – Publicity Session for a Singer

The series below was made with two spots (one on the face and one on the hair (with barn doors to gobo possible flare)) and a silver reflector on the floor in front of the subject (who is lying on the floor). I used small digital cameras each with a zoom lens with automatic exposure and auto white balance and auto focus. In reality, the sheer act of capturing a quality image today is so simple, that the only thing left for the dedicated photographer is to learn technique and learn to work with the subject. It is for that reason that technique is so important. It is the barometer that separates you from the millions of others who are out there trying to do the same thing.

16 December, 2024
4 min read

Session 4 – Publicity Session for a Singer (Part 1 of 2)

A pretty young singer had just moved here (to LA) from Philadelphia. So, let’s talk about business for the moment since this tip and all my suggestions (at their highest level) is about transitioning from simply doing snapshots of your friends that are made with cell phones 90% of the time, to making sophisticated marketable images and hopefully making some good money with your camera (or your cell phone for that matter).

02 December, 2024
5 min read

Session 3 – Advertising Campaign for Cosmetic Company with a Retail Location

As professional photographers, we encounter many situations where the client and nature of the shoot demands a vast quantity of images in a short amount of time. For a number of years, I did the principal photography of the major fashion designers for a very large apparel show called MAGIC. I was literally shooting a different outfit and model every 10-15 minutes—and each image had to be right on. So, in the final analysis, you can’t phone it in.

18 November, 2024
4 min read

Session 2 – A Session for a Young Model (continued)

The look and facial modeling is always controlled by the key light or main light (so moving the reflector in and out simply affects contrast and fill meaning the lighting ratio).

04 November, 2024
3 min read

A Session for a Young Model - Going into the Studio

I don’t shoot without professional makeup, hair and styling. This is a given—etched in stone—part of the expenses i.e. it is essential and critical. Get the best you can afford—and in a test situation—it should just be an exchange of services. You get the talent for free, and they get the limited use of your photographs for free.

21 October, 2024
5 min read

A Session for a Young Model – A North Light Session

Let’s open with an image I made of legendary actor Charlton Heston. It was made with one light – very similar to the lighting I used on the model (the last shot in the article) in my last column for Denny. Notice that I often use of a small silver reflector to fill the shadows just slightly (so they don’t go jet black without any detail), and secondarily, the reflector (depending on the angle) adds additional catch lights to the subject’s eyes to give the photograph more life. Subtleties are the key.

07 October, 2024
6 min read

Some Quick Tips… Starting with a classic image of Sophia Loren.

The photograph of Sophia Loren was shot for the cover of Good Housekeeping Magazine. On this particular two-day shoot with the lady (in Culver City, California), we produced probably a half dozen magazine covers and personal shots as well. For this shot, I used one light placed at 11:00. Sophia is sitting on a Denny Mfg. adjustable stool. 2 lights illuminate the background—each at 45-degree angles. The white background is about 4 feet behind her. There you go!

23 September, 2024
4 min read

Some Quick Tips… Starting with a Classic Image of Elizabeth Taylor.

I made this photograph of Elizabeth Taylor for part of an advertising campaign for Passion Perfume. Celebrities, however, just like the average business executive or the busy housewife have only so much time for photography. So naturally, since the tough part of the session is always in the lighting and setup, I went in close and produced several headshot portraits of Elizabeth at the same time.

09 September, 2024
5 min read

Only YOU Control the Purpose of the Booking! Part 3

“Ordinary people” love feeling like models and movie stars—so it’s your job not only to make them feel that way, but to capture them looking that way!

26 August, 2024
3 min read

Only YOU Control the Purpose of the Booking! PART 2 of 3

Our couple booked a formal portrait session (it could have been a formal bridal portrait for that matter). Once we got the hero shot (the money shot) in the can – meaning we captured a quantity of good images showing the couple with formal poses (which was the purpose of the booking), we transitioned to a fashion look (a more editorial look).

12 August, 2024
2 min read

Gary Bernstein's photograph of a man and a woman.

Quick Tip: Only YOU Control the Purpose of the Booking! PART 1 of 3

I heard a radio commercial yesterday where the announcer said “…You’re in the business of selling products. Did anyone ever teach your salesmen how to sell???” The company was offering sales training…

We, photographers, are in the same business. We’re selling products as well—a product of our art and vision (so first, we have to create an appealing product (!)), but, additionally, did anyone ever teach you how to sell?

29 July, 2024
3 min read

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