16. Making Your Own Backgrounds
Table of Contents    Next Lesson

If you are a little handy with tools (or know somene who is) the sky is the limit to making your own props and backgrounds. Last year I saw a styrofoam photographic set in a catalog that I thought looked pretty cool. It was really cool, but I felt $10,000.00 might be just a little bit above my budget. Actually it was about $9300.00 above my budget so I decided to build my own.

The gears are styrofoam that I cut with an electric meat carving knife, the I beams and truss is plywood. The seniors love it (as do I!)

Oh yes, one more thing; the company that used to sell the set that gave me the inspiration to build this set went bankrupt. I guess I wasn't the only one that didn't want to spend $10,000.00 on a photographic set!







Table of Contents    Next Lesson





Benji's Book Posing and Lighting

My full color 8.5 x 11 inch glossy 44 page book on how to pose and light the high school senior girl is in my hands are ready to be shipped. It has 44 different poses in it, including head and shoulders, waist up, 3/4 and full length poses. Twenty six poses are shown without a prop, most of the rest of the poses are with chairs that can be bought locally in a second hand furniture store (or new!) I also show a steel "school" chair that I have modified, and I've included instructions how to do it. Four pages of lighting diagrams and five wide angle shots showing the entire scene, then the actual close up shot of that same image so you can see just what the heck the rest of her body is doing to get that great close up shot! LOTS of posing and lighting tips in easy to understand language. Poses for the larger gal as well as the size 6 senior are shown. This is a "lay flat" book that you can show to your client and let her choose what she likes thereby eliminating poses that will not sell.

Benji's Video Photographing The High School Senior in the New Millennium

Over 45 minutes long and jam packed with lots of good instruction on posing and lighting for the high school senior girl. How to get beautiful indoor lighting for head and shoulders portraits, 3/4 length and full length poses. All of this and lots more are covered, most showing exactly what I do to get the shot. I show in several of the images what problems will crop up when YOU attempt this pose and what you need to do to correct it. The exact placement of the lights to get these shots is also covered in detail. Outdoor poses are covered also. Perfect exposure quickly and easily whether you are shooting digital or film. This is the instructional video for you. You have already experienced my easy to understand style of teaching in my tutorials found here and several of them are included in this video also.

How to order:

  • The book is $39.95 plus $5.05 shipping by USPS Priority Express Mail. Non-United States delivery $55.00
  • The DVD is $40.00 shipped (via USPS express).
  • Pay Pal to: ben@sonshinestudios.com
  • Credit card orders call 260-820-0047
  • Money order or checks mail to:

    Sonshine Studios
    109 N. Main St.,
    Bluffton, IN 46714
    USA

  • Satisfaction guaranteed.
  • Contact Benji at ben@sonshinestudios.com