Photographing a Teen Model - part 1

OK, if I gave you a digital SLR camera, a Teen Model with limited experience and a Studio... what the heck do you do next....

First thing you should do is stop panicking, because it can all be quite simple if you spend a little time in preparation of your Studio set-up, or requirements for a Location Photo Shoot at the beach, for example.

This is where we may be able to help with a few suggestions and examples in setting up your Studio Shoot or Location Photography and basically what you will need to get into action.

It's assumed at this stage, that you have some experience as a Photographer, however little that might be. For example, you know how to hold the camera, set the exposure Shutter Speeds and camera aperture f. settings. In other words you've moved beyond the 'point and shoot' mode setting on your digital SLR or film camera.

By the way, I'm not knocking the 'Auto' and 'Mode' settings, as for example, Canon, Nikon and just about all other camera manufacturers, have put a lot of thought into giving you a camera that is almost capable of handling any photo situation you throw at it.

However, when you are working as a professional photographer, you need to go back to basics and if necessary, be able to exercise full manual control over your camera settings, thus enabling you to have total control over your Photo-Shoot.

But with today's digital SLR cameras you can combine some of the 'Mode' camera settings with your own knowledge of manual settings on a Pro Photo Shoot.

Let me explain, when I'm shooting on location for example using Fill-Flash, I often set the camera to the 'Shutter Priority' mode and adjust my 'Hammer Head' Metz flash gun to 'Auto' setting and use a flash Ratio of (1 - 2). I'll explain that to you again in detail, a little late on.

First Part: Studio Shoot

In the Studio it's a different situation, as in just about all cases you are using your camera in 'Manual Mode' only.

If you are going to prepare a 'Studio Shoot' and for an in-depth write up on just that, please visit these previous links, first visit this page: "Portrait Head Shots". This will explain how to shoot a portrait and give you a clear idea on how to go about setting up your studio.

I also suggest that you read up on the following page, "How to shoot Fashion". This is a futher detailed explanation on how to set up a Studio Fashion Shoot, together with suggestions on how to get started as a Fashion Photographer.

The above two mentioned pages, have been written from my many years of experience in a Pro Studio and it's hoped that you might find the details you may be looking for, plus more advanced help and guidance in this field.

However, there are simpler and less expensive ways to get started on a limited budget and/or on a part time basis.

I have written a previous page about setting up your own 'Home Studio', with limited resources. So before I provide the link to this page as well, lets explain a few more details about doing just that.

I want to give you some idea just how simple it can be to set up your own 'Home Studio' and in fact you could use any spare room in your house, or even your garage.

Have you ever photographed a model and you find yourself scratching your head and racking your brains on how to get her to pose in front of your camera, now you can learn Posing Secrets and never be stuck for a pose again.

Lets talk about what's required to shoot in your proposed new 'Home Studio' and the Flash equipment you'll need to get going.

You'll need a two light 'Studio Flash' set up to start with, and although some professional photo studios use many lights, I know of a top Pro UK Fashion Photographer who never uses anything else but two studio flash units.

First you will have to set up your 'Main Light, or Key Light as it's sometime called. This should be placed to one side of your Model at about a 45 degrees angle, also at a height of 45 degrees. Make sure the light is not too high.

Your secondary light should be placed as a fill-in to your 'Main Light' and at the same height as the camera. This can be done in several ways, for example bounce the second light off a large white reflector, such as a large piece of white art board or a folding reflector purchased from your pro photo store, or set it at half power along side your camera, although you don't necessary get the best results that way. If you choose this way to fill-in your main light, you may need to defuse the light with tracing paper, for example.

Studio Teen Model © 2007/8 Roger Lewis www.Digital-Camera-best.com About the second Image: Shot in a Home Studio set up, using a Soft Box attachment and reflectors. The exposure was the studio flash, with my digital SLR camera aperture setting at f.16 and a shutter speed of 1 second. The long shutter speed allowed "Creative Blur" by the ambient light in the room. The Image was then minuplated in Adobe Photoshop to enhance the creative painting look. Or as I call it, "10 minutes of fun in Adobe Photoshop".

Or if your working next to a white wall on the side that needs to be filled in, try bouncing the fill-in flash off the wall, or even a combination of both.

The thing to keep in mind is that most rooms in your home may be small or of a moderate size, so therefore improvising is the name of the game for your 'Home Studio Photo Shoot'.

You will, of course need two light stands to support your Flash light heads and most importantly your 'Main Light' should be fitted with an Umbrella or Soft Box attachment.

An Umbrella is as it sounds, which has a silver lining inside, with your flash head directed into it, giving a soft indirect light on you subject. Some are constructed in translucent material with the flash head directed through it.

A Soft Box, is much as it sounds also, constructed in fabric with a silver lining inside and a defused panel at the front of the box, which provides a shadowless soft direct light. The larger versions Soft Box are often the preferred choice today of the Professional Fashion Photographer in the Studio.

The choice on which is best for the job is largely a matter of working experience and preferences, but both of these options for your 'Home Studio Photo Shoot' are ideal and after some experimentation you will obtain pleasant results.

There are basically two types of Studio Flash units; a) Floor Mounted, Power pack, where a number of flash heads, typically two, can be plugged into it, usually with controllable different power outlets or, b) Mono Block Flash Heads, where the power pack is built into the head of the Flash, also with controllable power outlets.

Now that's the basic Studio Flash lighting set-up. But if you happen to visit a large Professional Fashion Studio, things are a lot different. You may find huge Soft Boxes in use, often with an overhead soft box or boom type attachment and several other variations and the choice today is enormous with many specialist Pro Fashion Photographers having units built and tailored to their own requirements.

"Bowens" make a nice portable two light set, called the 'Bowens Esprite', which comprises of two monoblock heads, two umbrella attachments, two stands and a carrying bag. The flash heads both each have built in modeling lights, so your able to see the effect of you lighting as you work. Now you can be up and running and most importantly, PORTIBLE to any location you wish.

When I was working full time in my London Studio, I had an array of different units in use, with larger power pack units, but I have to say right now the Bowens Esprite units still go with me everywhere and I wouldn't be without them, as they are quite capable handling most of the work I do right now.

As you can see you need a two light set to start, but there is a cheaper alternative to getting started in a Home Studio situation and it's simply this, try to find second hand units from your pro photo store, keeping in mind a two Flash head set-up and you may be pleasantly surprised what you may find out there, as photographers trade in perfectly good units for the the latest version.

If of course your are already a Pro Photographer, perhaps specialising in different fields of photography, for example, still life or commercial photography, it's pretty certain you would possess some kind of Studio Flash Equipment however basic and you should be able to adapt that for shooting Head Shots or Fashion Photography.