This month at Boston University Center for Digital Imaging Arts I'm learning to work with fashion models in studio photography. This course, DP206, teaches us the rhythm of working with models, how to direct them and engage them to turn the shots we visualize in our heads into beautiful prints in real life. It puts together everything we've learned so far about about camera operation, studio lighting, portraiture, concept, and posing. Additionally, as the program emphasizes the use of Lightroom for digital imaging workflow, and Photoshop for retouching and compositing, this course also puts our full range of beauty retouching skills to the test.
...not that we really need to, because they are -after all- models. ;-)
BOOM!, there it is in living color. I'm especially proud of this one, and I think its my best image to date. You can check it out on Adobe's new Photoshop Express Gallery.
The models are real, both male and female, and our best images will go into their portfolio as well. This means lots of exposure to the photographers because every ad agency they work with will see model's portfolio, and if we're lucky, they'll want to know more about the photographer behind that great model shot. From the CDIA website:
Course Objectives:
Learn how to work with models . Students study uses of models in commercial and editorial images. The course covers types of models, and 10 steps to producing a model shoot . Students will shoot models provided by a top agency, practice lighting techniques, gather tear sheets to emulate, and formulate concepts . In the studio students will shoot models in three sessions on 4 sets (potential 12 shots) - evaluate shot images, edit images for model agency use . The final objective is to provide the models with usable images for their promotion by a model agency. This is a real work situation course.
Software Used in this Course:
For this class, we have the privilege of working with New York photographer Rob van Petten as the instructor. Rob's customers include Nikon, Kodak, Levis, Timberland, and many more top names. Rob is a Co-Director of Photography at the Waltham CDIA campus. From his Nikon Mentor page:
Rob Van Petten shoots fashion and lifestyle for advertising. His pictures are a dynamic play of models in motion against a strong colorful background. Metal texture, modern architecture, cosmic lighting and computer manipulation all contribute to the effects in these images. The use of light energizes the images beyond just illuminating the scene.
His current portfolio, NEAR FUTURE, is a colorful collection of fantasy future illustrations. These pictures tell a story, even if it's a very short story. They are whimsical future fiction. The toys are techno. The action is fun and fashionable. They are the moment when e-commerce and entertainment merge. He is contemplating this challenging convergence. He is currently accepting challenges.
Here's a couple behind the scenes snapshots of last Saturday's shoot:
P.S. - I'm tagging this "coldfusion" because this takes Model-View-Controller to a whole new level!!
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