Futuristic Fashion Photography

Future-proof your fashion photography skills with lighting master Karl Taylor.

Karl Taylor is renowned for his precise lighting control and simple but dynamic concepts. This image is no exception and you will learn from a master of lighting as he guides you through the precise lighting setup, props and ideas behind the shot. Also see how Karl carefully directs, encourages and works with the model to get the final result.

In this class:

  • How to determine the right level of light
  • Precise lighting — How to light key areas
  • Various modifiers and their effects
  • The importance of clear communication and creative direction
  • The importance of posing
  • Simple yet effective set creative
  • How to create layer within a set

Questions? Please post them in the comments section below.

Comments

    1. Hi, we didn’t do a class for that shoot as it was for a client and we were very busy but we did make a round up video of the shoot which you can see here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuo_HqLq-oo that particular shot I used an 11 second exposure in the dark while my assistant moved a standard kitchen light tube (i had an electrician wire it up) around the model. I had another assistant turn it on and off from the plug. Once the assistant had finished the swirl around the model and had exited the scene I then fired a burst of studio flash on the model to freeze her sharp. You’ll see this all happen in the video. If you have any other questions let me know, all the best Karl.

      1. Hello, Mr. Taylor.
        Regarding your answer to egyx’s question, I have a question: how did you manage two light sources of different color temperature (fluorescent light tube and flash) in the same exposure?

        1. Hi, I didn’t I just accepted the slightly green tinge that would arrive from mixing the light tubes with flash. This was acceptable because we didn’t need a perfect natural skin tone and it added to the ‘android’ look.

  1. Wow, The photos are great but the model was really good. Jumping in heels is not an easy feat and she did that gracefully. All in all, the whole production team was great and the photos were superb. I’m learning a lot.

    1. Thanks, yes Deborah is amazing and a real athlete in terms of jumping and balance! We tested slowly and carefully with her what was possible and only allowed her to do make jumps she felt confident to do.

  2. Awesome work. Always learn something. I can hardly wait to get back in the studio in my area.

  3. Karl – I am a new subscriber. I am loving the site. Anyway, in the absence of a flooter, what can we use to create that gradated circle in the background. I realized that the flooter is very expensive. Also, what do you call the material used for the scrim? Thank you.

    1. Hi Michael, you can use Honey comb grids in standard reflectors for a similar result. The scrim material can be found in our shop section.

  4. Hello Karl,
    Again a great video.
    Tell me if I’m wrong but it seems the final image is the one with the “not so nice left hand position” you noticed when pointing out this image. Did you shoot another hand position for the final image (perfectly matching it in PSP) or did you just pick up one hand from a previous image ?
    Congratulations for creating this image and specially to the lovely Deborah (or Debra), doing this great posing and jumping in those heels.
    Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

    1. Hi Gaurav, thank you, many different places. Films, books, art or other work or just ideas that pop into my head.

  5. johnleigh

    What a stunning tutorial and insight, those video camera angles and slo-mo really help to show the concepts and problem solving thinking and processes.

    This video also made me wonder about hybrid photographers and video guys out there and lighting choices – For non moving/jumping portrait and fashion headshots and portraits do you think flash still has a place in the future over LED panels/fresnels?

    1. Hi John, flash is more powerful, more light achieves greater depth of field as necessary. Flash also doesn’t blind the model and there are more modifier options with flash.

  6. Hi Karl, great tutorial as always, but the most impressive thing was Debra’s ability to jump in those heels, wow 🙂

  7. Karl…you are using HasselBlad which is an extremely expensive camera and is with mostly top end photographers..Most of the subscribers might be using Canons & Nikons…i wish these shots were taken with a 5D MIII…Its an awesome shoot…thanks for the training

    1. Hi Lal, if you look at all of the tutorials in ‘Light Source’ in the ‘Portrait’ section they were all shot on a 5d mk3, the resulting images are all great and I could have got a very similar result on this one with the 5d, the Hasselblad gives me better resolution, better tonal range but it doesn’t give me better creativity that comes from your mind.

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