Fashion Work in Miami
I just got back from speaking and teaching at a photographic conference in Miami, Florida, where I was teaching the art of Fashion Portraiture. My approach was to show photographers how to make women look amazing using custom lighting and posing that is specific to each woman’s face shape and body. I also showed how to do this under varying lighting conditions: in the studio, out of the studio, with a windows, with reflectors, with portable lighting equipment, and even in direct sunlight on the beach.
The trick is to always create a spectacular portrait with complete control of light, and to do it under any lighting condition, and still have it custom for that person’s face shape and body. Meaning great images anywhere…no excuses!
Here are some of the fashion portraits I created in Miami.
These first few images were created around the hotel using ‘other’ lighting techniques. These ‘other’ techniques that I was showing was due to the fact that the original lighting equipment that was provided to me, DID NOT WORK! But rather than waste time trying to dink around with the equipment, I went right into showing problem solving techniques, and how to still create stunning and correct lighting for the model in other ways.
These next two images are shown just as they were shot, with no effects! I was showing a very high-key style of lighting using some special equipment, and exposing for the final image.
Here are just some black and whites done in a very sassy and fun way.
These two studio images I was showing the use of shadow, color tone, and angles to highlight the eyes.
A very pretty and young high-school senior. A fashion approach works great with high school senior photography.
This is a model from the country of Malta. She has very exotic looking eyes and lips, so all of my images of her seemed to be closer to really show those features. I have a great one of her below of her on the beach.
If you notice in my photographic work, I ALWAYS light people so that their eyes pop, no matter the situation. Eyes are key to a great and emotional image.
Some images of a different model in direct sunlight, using docks and boats as a background. Busy backgrounds and sunlight are both very difficult. Both together are even harder. These images show that both of these can work really well if done right.
And then back in the studio…
And this next image shows just how fun it is to work with me. :-)
And the Maltese Princess again, but out on the beach. Later that day I showed photographers this image directly in the processing software, so they could see that this was shot straight…no adjustments at all! This was shot in direct sunlight on the beach with external lighting, and everything was set up manually — no auto flash, no auto exposure, no auto anything!
It shows photographers that we all need to be a technician and be more exact in or work, and that pays off in extremely difficult lighting situations like this — Perfect, right out of the camera! Being a technician means having the ability to forget the equipment and work better with the model for a more stunning and captivation expression.
And this was just a fun art image I created on the beach and then painted in front of everyone later that day using some specific tools that I sell to photographers.
Well there are way more images, but this blog entry is already long enough. This event in Miami was called AfterDark. It is an event that travels the country and I’ll be doing more for them in the future. If you are interested in attending this or any other of my photographic workshops, please visit my workshop site, BryCoxWorkshops.com to see my upcoming schedule.
