Preparation is key – scout your locations in advanced to ensure quality photos!

What an amazing photoshoot! Melissa was a natural and I think we were able to capture some great photos. Let me know what you think! This series was taken around the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Always scout your location in advanced so there is no surprises the day of the shoot. Having a clear route and idea of what and where you will be shooting will ensure that everything runs smoothy the day of the shoot. The more time you have dedicated to capturing photos the better.

For this shoot, I decided I wanted a good mix of modern interior architecture and outdoor urban grunge. It's always a good idea to have a good mix of locations for each shoot to ensure the shoot as a whole is unique and memorable.

Scouting Bonus Tip:

I recently discovered the iPhone app 'MapAPic', a very useful app for scouting locations. The app allows you to geo tag photos and display them on a map for reference later. I found this extremely useful when scouting locations. I plan to use this whenever scouting possible locations in the future. It is a great way to store photos of potential locations as well as be a 'go to guide' when picking locations. The app is free and there is also a paid version. Check it out!

The model featured in this shoot is Melissa Freson, an actress and model from the Milwaukee area. She was great to work with and a real pro when it came to posing and nailing shots! Is it just me or does she look a little bit like Nelly Furtado? Here is a photo of Nelly for reference. ;)

Here is one of my favorite shots from the indoor portion of the shoot. Its amazing how much playing with color filters can change the mood of a photo. I could easily see this photo featured in a salon or a hair product ad. To capture this shot, I used a high shutter speed to ensure I was able to burst a high number of photos without motion blur.

Here is one of the portrait shots from the photoshoot. Never underestimate the power of a good photo crop. Cropping photos can change the mood and entire look of a photo. This photo was nothing special at first, until I took a closer look and effectively cropped for maximum impact. I also included the untouched version of the photo for reference. I notice many photographers go overboard with photoshopping models. Too much retouching can be distracting and taint the integrity of the shot. In my opinion, when it comes to retouching, less is usually more.

Here is another one of my favorite shots from the shoot. It's amazing how much impact can be added to a photo by simply adding a black and white filter. I also added a hint of blue to the photo to make it a bit more dynamic. The bottom photo is the original photo, the top is with the filter as well as photo retouching.

The next photo I chose because there are a number of tips and tricks that can be learned from the shot. Poses can make or break a successful photo. During this shot, I remember specifically having to adjust Melissa's shoes. I positioned her feet to highlight the shoes.

When shooting, especially if it is for commercial or fashion photography, keep in mind what you are trying to accomplish with each shot. This shot easily could have been ruined if her feet were positioned in a different way. Hand positioning can also make or break a shot. Melissa's right hand is perfect, however in my opinion her left hand could have been adjusted even further. Her fingers seem a bit 'cold' to me. To fix this, I should have adjusted her fingers so they were closer together. It may seem silly, but minor details like this can end up being a huge deal!

One more detail to keep an eye on is lines. 80% of the time I always adjust my photos to make sure lines are perpendicular or straight. If you look at the original, you can see the lines created by the steps are not exactly horizontal. Rotating and cropping the image makes the shot look more professional and focused.

Equipment Used:

Canon 70D
Canon 50mm f1.4
Canon 85mm f1.8
Adobe Photoshop CS6

These are just a few of the photos from Melissa's photoshoot. Leave a comment below if you would like to see more shots and commentary from this particular soot! You can find more of my work at www.radiant.design. I also am in the process of revamping my Instagram.

To learn more about me visit my online portfolio.