Learning Center

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.

October 07, 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!

September 23, 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.

September 09, 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!

August 26, 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).

August 12, 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?

July 29, 2024
3 min read

The Tiffany and American Express TIP

Approximately 50% of American households have a dog. That dog is more important than any of our kids – we all know it ;). I’m kidding – I think I’m kidding.

So….

Ask your next portrait client – with children - to bring the family dog. If they agree, you can always do a shot like the one below (or a thousand other...

July 15, 2024
2 min read

EVERYBODY IS A CELEBRITY!!!

Everybody is a celebrity! In fact – that’s truer now than ever before – because everybody is always taking pictures of themselves and sending it to their “millions” of followers! Remember, the younger generations want fame more than they want money (very foolish, by the way ;)). Anyway, I always treat my clients like celebrities AND photograph them like celebrities – even if I’m doing a free

July 01, 2024
3 min read

THESE BOOKS TEACH YOU HOW TO MAKE MONEY IN PHOTOGRAPHY.

Combined in these 5 downloadable books ARE MORE THAN 700 PROFESSIONAL ASSIGNMENTS – that made me a small fortune - ALL DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. I went from shooting at $8 a day (yes, it’s true) to licensing commercial shots at $100,000 a year (and shooting portrait sessions that went beyond $100,000 as well).

June 17, 2024
3 min read

THE PAT SAJAK TIP

In honor of my client, Pat Sajak, finally calling an end to his legendary run on Wheel of Fortune, let’s take a look at this shot of Pat that I made in my Culver City, California studio.

June 13, 2024
2 min read

Images of Darryl Strawberry photographed by Gary Bernstein.

GET THEM IN THE STUDIO INEXPENSIVELY!

Portrait photographers should get customers in their studios at the lowest possible price. Reality: Even if you’re not making a dime, it’s worth getting the client (and certainly family portraits or groups) into the studio…

May 07, 2024
5 min read

The Importance of Sequential Studio Photography

The key to making money in our business lies in creating images that the customer loves! You can’t sell it if you don’t shoot it! The key to making that philosophy a reality is that you must shoot a lot of images with variations because you will never ever know which ones your client will pick!

April 23, 2024
6 min read

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