Behind the Scenes of a Creative Portrait Shoot

Class Preview

Showcase your unique creative vision with exceptional portraiture that sets you apart from the competition and stands out to clients.

Introduction

Meet your instructor, photographer Catherine Asanov, as she introduces you to the types of portraits you’ll focus on in this class, ranging from classic beauty to stunning fashion to dynamic characters. She’ll also outline some of the lighting effects you’ll explore to create captivating, amazing portraits.

Testing the Light

Take a peek into Catherine’s studio as she discusses all of the different ways you can modify light, including using beauty dishes, grids and reflectors. Catherine will demonstrate the importance of testing — and adjusting — your light. Finally, Catherine will teach you how to find your model’s best angles.

Fashion Forward

Beauty shots are all about the face. Witness how wardrobe, makeup and accessories alter your subject’s appearance. Master the beauty lighting setup and learn how to adjust it to highlight your model’s best features. Catherine shares her tips for directing models and demonstrates how to experiment with color gels.

Capturing Characters

Colorful characters require bold, eye-catching photos. Meet Jeffrey Moustache, world-champion mustache grower, and observe how Catherine styles his wardrobe and mustache to create maximum impact. Understand how to light for bold colors and patterns and how quickly you can change a background just by changing the position of a single light. Examine how a zoom lens can enhance your photos, even if you’re just a few feet away.

Fun Portraiture

Learn to add movement and use strobes to freeze the action as Catherine harnesses the energy of a former Saturday Night Live cast member. Join her for the ride as she picks his zany wardrobe and adds confetti and shadows. Then watch as he unveils a few surprises of his own!

Shooting Outdoors

Head to the glorious beaches of Southern California for a high-fashion photo shoot. Learn how to scout a location, test the light and create warm tones, even on an overcast day. Catherine will show you how to quickly get different looks by just moving the model or your own feet. Shooting outdoors can be tricky, so learn tips for adjusting to the changing weather.

Post-Processing

Take your photos from amazing to unbelievable as Catherine shows you how to utilize the power of the Adobe programs Lightroom and Photoshop. Learn how to set up a hard-wired tether for studio shoots. Discover Catherine’s shortcuts and tricks for cleaning up an image, changing hues and even taking wrinkles out of a model’s clothes long after the shoot!