Secrets of my photo sessions
Each specialist always has his own personal action plan that defines the effects of his work. It doesn't matter if you are a graphic designer, gardener or internet creator. In this thread, I would like to talk about the subject of my personal schemes and secrets of photo sessions that I have been implementing for many years. With the passage of time and accumulated experience, I know what minor elements of what I do, I can constantly influence so that the effects of my work are better and better. After more than 7 years of my internet activity, I have created my own methods of activities that help create amazing materials for publishing on the internet. In this article, you will learn more about the organization of work during my photo sessions, about my secrets of proper posing for photos, which places to choose to create unique frames, what time is the best time for your photo sessions, and about many other key things during your photo sessions. Getting down to business - each of my photo sessions is planned a few days before its implementation. Depending on whether it is a photo session in the city of my residence or during one of my trips abroad. The key to a good organization of a photo session is a meticulously appointed action plan. Of course, a lot of spontaneity in this element is even recommended, but usually with me there is no problem with it. A good attitude during photo shoots is another key element to create good-looking photos.
I have several personal ways to relax the atmosphere and get in good spirits when taking photos. A good way is to play positive background music while shooting. Another, in my opinion, mandatory element is the preparation of a light snacks for the session itself. Small treats and a supply of cold water or lemonade work wonders even in the worst photographic conditions. The selection of places for photos is already at the planning stage of my photo sessions. Often, when I pass a convenient place for taking photos, I remember them immediately so that I can use it later during the photo session. Before the session, I make a list of places that I would like to use. The order of places is usually organized so as not to waste unnecessary time making extra kilometers when moving from one location to another. The time to move from one location to another is most often used for a quick reset and clearing the head in order to move immediately to a new place with the greatest motivation. When it comes to photographing photos, the whole concept for individual frames, poses, or the general nature of the photo is established at the stage of planning the photo session. If other interesting concepts appear in my head live, then I also implement them. Most often, several test photos are taken in a given place, thanks to which I assess the general concept, proposed posing for this frame, or the general layout of the scene.
Here, it is decided which concepts are discarded and which will be continued in order to make a perfectly realized shot. Depending on your attitude and overall well-being, one time it takes 5 frames to create the perfect picture, and other time it takes up to 30 shots. My main motivator in this aspect is thinking about the end result. This means that regardless the circumstances, my plan is finally implemented. For the variety of visualization of my person, I prepare a suitable set of clothes for each place before the photo session. I try to choose clothes so that they emphasize the characteristics of the presented location. I try to avoid creating contradictory and incompatible combinations. Depending on whether it is a local or away session, you should always take care of the appropriate logistics of the things needed to implement the session. Usually, everything is packed in a large travel bag, which is a permanent part of my photo sessions. Taking all the equipment with you (SLR camera, changeable lenses, memory card, spare battery, etc.), necessary clothes, cosmetics or snacks is the basis of a well-executed photo session. The volume of the bag is limited, so the items taken must be of the most needed category.
As I mentioned above, for a better variety of shots and presentation of my person, I often try to change my set of clothes that I am wearing at the moment. Depending on the conditions of a given place, such a change may be more or less problematic. It may sound funny, but this is often the reality of ambitious photo shoots. There are places where you are far from an apartment, car or hotel room, and in order to implement new frames, you need to change your styling. Then there is nothing else but to improvise and find a suitable, convenient place for it. This aspect can be very fun, but what is not done for nice and varied shots. It's time to discuss the subject of the locations I chose, which, in my opinion, are obligatory to be used in my photo sessions. When choosing potential places for photos, I usually look at their general arrangement, their aesthetics, cleanliness and the fact that there are not too many bright colors in the background.
I like to create my photos in subdued colors, consistent with the photographic filters that I previously designed. Based on my knowledge in the field of computer graphics, I understand well the mechanisms of the devices I use and how they "see" the colors in the photos or how they process them. Here I am trying to fully cooperate with their nature. For example, a filter created by me, which is also available for purchase on this website - "Blue Lagoon", fits perfectly with photos with a predominantly blue color, and a small part of the photo surface is occupied by other colors such as red or green, etc. In the case of a different filter - "Powder Pink" it is completely different. In this filter, it is best if the background of the photo was in subdued light colors (e.g. white, gray), and a smaller part of the frame was occupied by other colors, such as red, orange (e.g. the protagonist of the set). If the photo has its charm, but it lacks adequate cleanliness, whenever possible, I try to slightly reorganize the shot plan so that all unnecessary elements do not distract from the main person presented in the photo. We've covered many secrets of my photo shoots so far, but I haven't talked about time and posing yet.
So how is it with this? For many years of my work in creating photography, I have noticed that during the day there are certain hourly intervals in which we can get the best and friendliest lighting. As friendly lighting, I understand a photo that does not have the so-called burn-throughs, i.e. white spaces in which the camera did not register any information about the texture or color. A good selection of hours for our photo sessions will also avoid sharp shadows on our face or body. When the shadows are too intense, the figure simply looks less favorable.
In my opinion, the best time to take photos is in the early morning, right after the sun begins to appear on our horizon (around 6am to 11am), the last from 2 to 4 hours just before sunset, and the so-called golden hour at sunset. Usually, if my photo shoot schedule is quite extensive, when the sun is at its zenith (which is somewhere between 12:00 and 16:00) I take photos inside the buildings. Finally, I'd like to share my personal tips on posing for photos here. To keep my face looking relaxed, I use one key trick, which is putting my tongue on the palate, which allows me to get the most optimal expression on my face. To work better in looking at the photo, I often close my eyes for a short while just before the shutter signal, then open them. This allows you to reflect the natural look. When it comes to arranging your body for photos, there is one key element to remember - "keep your hands busy". Posing usually comes out most naturally when our hands are busy. It can be performing a gesture, correcting hair or clothing items, or performing some activity, e.g. holding a book. In order for this principle to make someone a habit, it takes a bit of practice.
Over time, however, our body will know how to pose to make everything look natural. Recently, fashion photos are also popular in social media, in which the protagonist simply walks. Everything looks as natural as if the photo was taken in motion, but the reality is completely different. The preparation of such a pose is usually done by performing a walking motion, after which the subject freezes in mid-movement, at which point the photographer takes pictures. This posing technique also takes some practice. On this page there will also be another article from me in which I will discuss the issue of photographic equipment and other devices that I use during my photo sessions. From here, I would like to cordially invite you to check this article as well. Finally, it is worth adding that the key to success, no matter in what industry, is the constant improvement of your skills.
