First couples session tomorrow! Any tips?

Stacylouwho · May 8, 2013

So I have my first couples session of some friends tomorrow. I have already scoped out the spots I want to take them. I just volunteered to take photos of them since they did not take engagements and only hired a photographer for the wedding. Plus I need to build my portfolio. They want to incorporate their dog into some of the shots also. There is one problem though, my friend told me yesterday that she wants to take some shots around a pool table ( she does tournaments and loves pool) I still do not have an external flash.. She hasn't said where yet so we might be able to reschedule those if they are up for it. Other than that I have some props, like some fake flowers, a chalk platter and a chair. Any tips for the session? Must have props.. or whatever.

Robin_Usagani · May 8, 2013

Tell them to make out on the pool table.

SquarePeg · May 8, 2013

I thought the poses used in these were very nice: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...try-engagement-session-very-texas-finish.html

Stacylouwho · May 8, 2013

SquarePeg said:
I thought the poses used in these were very nice: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...try-engagement-session-very-texas-finish.html

AWW!!!! Those are great! They have a little lap dog! Man.. I wish she could hold a sign!

frommrstomommy · May 8, 2013

I will say RELAX!! Seriously. My first time shooting for friends I was a nervous wreck and it totally reflected in my work. lol Take your time.. there's no clock ticking and don't be afraid to give direction!

Derrel · May 8, 2013

Good advice...relax...keep cool. Pool table shots might be difficult unless you have a tripod or other good camera support, and some decent lighting. I've played pool in taverns, billiard rooms, hotels, rec centers, bowling alleys, frat houses, and private homes...and the one thing that is often missing is anything resembling easy-to-work-with lighting. Buut...some pool rooms have overhead fluorescent banks, which cast a lot of light, albeit weird light. Maybe have HER standing behind him, as HE tries to line up a shot, since she might be the better player....that'd be amusing. Perhaps cross sticks and do a Star Wars, Revenge of the Billiard Cues takeoff/sendup. Shots from very LOW< with the camera on the table, and her bending over and lining up a break shot, or perhaps her lining up an 8-ball or 9-ball game-ender shot....I dunno...see what works.

You NEED light to work indoors. WHen the light is low, you need elevated ISO, and slooooow shutter speeds, and that means camera support. And, subjects that realize they cannot move too much. One cool classic pool shot is a foot of the table view, looking back to the head, as the player breaks the rack in 8-ball, or 9-ball, or straight pool, whatever. The camera is HIGH up, oriented vertically, and the rack of balls is at the bottom of the frame, and the player is leaned over and the shot is tripped as the cue ball is sent toward the rack of balls; the cue makes a white stripe down the center of the table, and the balls scatter. Can be done second curtain, with flash, OR "time exposure", like 1/2 to 1 second. The ISO level is critical on this...too low of an ISO, and the cue ball's path will not register...so, think 400 to 800 ISO, and f/5.6 with a SHORT focal length lens (16-18mm on DX_ at f/5.6.

Anyway...the pool shots might be something to try, and if no success, let slide until you're better equipped. A flash + second curtain synch and slow speeds can be wayyyy cool on billiards shots! Anyway, keep cool. Check the basics: lens clean, front and rear element. Camera eyepiece clean. ISO set to a decent level. Shutter speed high enough not to blur stuff. Figure out the right exposure for each scene, then shoot it, thoroughly. Work methodically. End the session in 30 minutes or so. By then they will be played out.

TimothyJinx · May 8, 2013

When I read the thread title I thought maybe you were a therapist. But then I remembered I was on TPF. Anyway, I am eagerly reading the great advice already given as I will be doing some couples sessions very soon.

Stacylouwho · May 9, 2013

Derrel said:
Good advice...relax...keep cool. Pool table shots might be difficult unless you have a tripod or other good camera support, and some decent lighting. I've played pool in taverns, billiard rooms, hotels, rec centers, bowling alleys, frat houses, and private homes...and the one thing that is often missing is anything resembling easy-to-work-with lighting. Buut...some pool rooms have overhead fluorescent banks, which cast a lot of light, albeit weird light. Maybe have HER standing behind him, as HE tries to line up a shot, since she might be the better player....that'd be amusing. Perhaps cross sticks and do a Star Wars, Revenge of the Billiard Cues takeoff/sendup. Shots from very LOW< with the camera on the table, and her bending over and lining up a break shot, or perhaps her lining up an 8-ball or 9-ball game-ender shot....I dunno...see what works.

You NEED light to work indoors. WHen the light is low, you need elevated ISO, and slooooow shutter speeds, and that means camera support. And, subjects that realize they cannot move too much. One cool classic pool shot is a foot of the table view, looking back to the head, as the player breaks the rack in 8-ball, or 9-ball, or straight pool, whatever. The camera is HIGH up, oriented vertically, and the rack of balls is at the bottom of the frame, and the player is leaned over and the shot is tripped as the cue ball is sent toward the rack of balls; the cue makes a white stripe down the center of the table, and the balls scatter. Can be done second curtain, with flash, OR "time exposure", like 1/2 to 1 second. The ISO level is critical on this...too low of an ISO, and the cue ball's path will not register...so, think 400 to 800 ISO, and f/5.6 with a SHORT focal length lens (16-18mm on DX_ at f/5.6.

Anyway...the pool shots might be something to try, and if no success, let slide until you're better equipped. A flash + second curtain synch and slow speeds can be wayyyy cool on billiards shots! Anyway, keep cool. Check the basics: lens clean, front and rear element. Camera eyepiece clean. ISO set to a decent level. Shutter speed high enough not to blur stuff. Figure out the right exposure for each scene, then shoot it, thoroughly. Work methodically. End the session in 30 minutes or so. By then they will be played out.

Thanks for all the good info! You were very helpful!

tirediron · May 9, 2013

Plan the shoot! There's nothing that will cause a session to go to Hades more quickly than lack of planning. Ask the couple to do some research and come up with some shots in styles they like and let you see them in advance so that you can plan lighting/composition/etc. Look at the various locations and write down a rough list of what poses and in what order you want to do. If things go well and the session winds up going down another road, great, but always return to the list, in short: "Plan the shoot, shoot the plan!" Great advice from Derrel on the pool shots; for the rest, remember to shoot wide (so that you don't accidentally crop any bits of people off), check, double-check, and triple-check your settings and shoot at least 3-4 exposures of each session.

Also, discuss clothing ahead of time; this will depend on the nature of the couple and location of the shoot, but I generally recommend light, brighter clothes that will coordinate with the venue, but stand out well (You don't want to be shooting in a park and have the couple show up in greens, or, as happened to me last year, DESPITE an, I thought, exhaustive discussion on the subject, the man showing up in black jeans and the woman in a white shirt...).

Good luck!

Stacylouwho · May 10, 2013

So I did the session yesterday. And it went okay but I am not really happy with the pictures. I had some turn out alright but I quickly learned I do not know how to adjust the settings yet in a quick manner. That is somethingI will have to work on... I guess with practice. We took a lot almost 400. I kept some photos for poses on my phone but everything went so fast I didn't get to use them plus they were almost an hour late so that didn't help. We didn't get to go where we wanted. And I tried to get some good shots of her at the pool table but I couldn't use my tripod there it was too crowded. So most of them are blurry. I will be discarding many. The whole thing was rushed. We are rescheduling for more next Thursday in the location we wanted. Hopefully that will go better.. I am going to try and have a flash by then. And they won't have anywhere to be next time.