Jason Christopher, LA Commercial & Fashion Photographer Bio

I recently shot for Nina Canacci.  They are a high end couture  prom gown designer.  It was a three day shoot at 10 hours each day.  We shot over 200 gowns with three models.  I have never talked about stamina because it’s just something that a photographer must have and I assume all photographers have enough stamina to shoot for a long period of time.  However the other day I was talking shop with a colleague of mine and he mentioned a friend of ours that would never be able to last 10 hours, never mind three days in a row.  Now that is not a good thing.  I mean let’s face it, any catalog shoot or advertising shoot is going to be a long day.  There are exceptions of course but the majority of jobs are 8-10 hours.

In this video you can see how hard I work and I think most photographers do work hard.  You can see my intensity.  I have a game face and I make sure that game face is on from the moment I step on set to the wrap of the shoot.  Photographers must have mental, emotional and physical stamina to execute a successful shoot.  We are the leader.  Everyone on that set looks up to us.  If we show any sign of weakness or uncertainty, then we have just lost our shoot.  The good news is we can get it back.  Grab the bull and come out like a lion in the second half and I guarantee that you will get your set back.

For this shoot I walked on the set and the first thing I saw was racks and racks of gowns.  Instead of letting that intimidate me, I remembered why I am in this business, and that is because I love women’s clothing and I love to capture the beauty and style of fashion.    So I greeted everyone with a big smile and looked over the gowns and got to work on lighting the set.  This was an easy set up.  One 6 foot silver lined umbrella to create a soft shadow on the BG and two strobes to light my white BG.   Some of the gowns were very light and were made to flow with the wind of a dancer.  It is a models job to put on a dress or outfit and know what to do with it.  It is the photographers job to know what the fabric is capable of and make sure the model is “working” the gown or outfit.   In the video you will see examples of this.

So sit back and enjoy the video.  I hope you have many questions that I will be happy to answer.

Nina Canacci Prom Dress Shoot By Jason Christopher Photography from Jason Christopher on Vimeo.

This is a behind the scenes video of a catalogue shoot I did for Nina Canacci couture prom gowns. We shot 250 gowns in three 10 hour days.

Ok so Day two of my private photography work shop with Kevin started off with looking over the images on my large monitor and critiquing when necessary.  Kevin will admit he was amazed at how often I pointed out little things that could ruin a photo.  For example, every single little tiny detail matters especially when it comes to the hands.  Experienced models know how to place their hands and make them look soft and pretty as they use them to pop a collar or rest them on the hips or running them through their hair.  However, an inexperienced model often develops the “claw” look.   This is when she might pop her collar with her hand and grab it with her palm facing out and her fingers bent so that her hand resembles a claw.  This is a major no no and so is palms facing camera.  Now I know what you’re going to say.  Sometimes you see models in magazines with their palms facing camera.  Well so what ?  Does that make it right ?  No it doesn’t.  I could open a Vogue and point out at least 20 mistakes that a model made in her shoot.  My God I have seen hundreds.  Don’t get into that way of thinking that just because you see it in a magazine then it’s ok.   So I told Kevin that when a model gives you the claw, it’s your job to point it out and have her correct it.  If you are shooting an experienced model it is still your job to point out a mistake and correct it.

Going over Kevin’s images I also pointed out things like the bottom of the shirt is folded up or  a bracelet was sitting too far up on the arm or the bra strap was slightly showing.   If you had a wardrobe stylist on the shoot it would be their job to watch  for these things BUT he or she might miss it and it is YOUR responsibility when looking through your viewfinder to look at everything before you click that shutter.  We also went over how he directed the model and he did a great job.  Many photographers get intimidated by the model and are afraid to direct them.  The reality is the model expects you to direct them and it is your job to direct them.  Overall Kevin really nailed some great shots.

Next thing we did was talk about how to find jobs and market yourself to potential clients.  I also went over how to approach agencies and obtain models for free test shoots.  Putting together a team of make up and hair is another step in the process and I showed him how to establish a good solid team.  By this time the make up artist and the model for the second day arrived.  Again Kevin observed the make up artist and this time he told her how he would like the make up to look.  He also used this time to get acquainted with the model which is a great time to break the ice.

Kevin wanted to learn a bit of glamor photography so in this case the make up is going to be different as well as the hair and wardrobe.  So we picked some outfits for our model to wear and we started to light for our first set up.  I showed him how to incorporate flair into his images and also how to use smoke for a cool effect.  I have a small fog machine that is great for this.  This image shows the result from our first set up.

When looking at this image remember that flair is real and shot in camera, NOT done in post.  As Kevin kept shooting he is constantly giving encouragement to the model, directing her expressions and poses and keeping that photographer to model connection flowing.  One bad habit I had to break Kevin of was looking at the image on the LCD after every single shot.  That is a surefire way to not create that connection and IF you have created that connection it will break it instantly.  DO NOT LOOK AT YOUR LCD .   I turn mine off after I know I’ve got my lighting set the way I want it.  It’s no different than shooting your first few Polaroids and then shooting until your next set up.  Kevin eventually took her off the stool and shot some fabulous poses in true glamor pin up style.

This image has it all, great expression, the wind blown hair, great make up, great styling, great lighting.  It’s like cooking a stew, all the ingredients have to be there otherwise the stew won’t taste just right 

This is another clothing change we did.  Kevin went in tight on this shot and you can see how beautiful the make up and hair is as well as the edge light on HER left shoulder and arm.  That strobe is doubling up as a back light for the smoke and to also provide a nice edge light.  The model’s expression is really what makes this photo, all the other stuff just accents it and adds that special touch.  It’s important to not over use the bells and whistles.  By that I am talking about the edge light, the smoke etc.  In any photograph you make, the expression is what will sell the photo to the viewer.  To dig into the model’s soul and extract her inner most thoughts and capture them on film is the magic that happens when the photographer and model are in sync with each other. This cannot just happen.  It takes many many shoots and much practice shooting with a variety of models to nail that skill.  I provide you with the psychological tools to give you a head start and start creating beautiful images.

The second part of our day was spent learning how to shoot on location with reflectors and a speed light.  Using the sun as your friend and combining it with a speed light can get you very nicely lit images.  I also taught Kevin how to use the hi speed sync mode for his flash and also how to deal with the model who has to deal with the elements you encounter when shooting outdoors.  If it is summer then you have heat.  If it’s winter then you have cold to deal with.  Models don’t have much fat on them and they can’t wear a heavy jacket.   They still have to pretend they are in a fabulous mood even if it’s 40, 50 or 60 degrees outside.  By the same token if it’s 100 degrees outside and they are tired and sweating, they can’t just pour a bucket of cold water over themselves.  So you the photographer must make her feel like she is doing just fine and keep her interested and excited all the while making sure your technical details are correct as you watch the sun go down faster than a speeding bullet lol.   Not as easy as it sounds.   This is one of Kevin’s images from that outdoor session.

This was shot with the model facing the sun.  How did she keep her eyes open and not squint ?  I held a 60 inch white convertible umbrella up to scrim the sun.  Kevin also used his flash to add some snap to the shot.  By using the high speed sync mode he was also able to hold the blue in the sky behind her. By this time it was getting breezy and cold.  The model doesn’t show it at all.  Kevin did a great job talking to her and keeping her focused.

The shoot finally ended and we went back to go over the images.  Kevin learned a great deal of information, more than I shared with you here of course and had a great time.  He was a pleasure to work with and a wonderful person.

This is where the photography  workshop takes place.  I show you how to set up an in home photography studio with very little expense.  It’s also a huge write off !  If you would like to know more about my private one on one photography workshops please call or email me jason@jasonchristopher.com.  You may also view testimonials and information about my private one on one fashion photography workshops here.

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Recently I had the opportunity to go to Nashville and shoot an up and coming country singer  named Hannah Bethel.   I got the call and was thrilled !  I LOVE Nashville !   The people are friendly and the state is just beautiful.  I also love country music.  Now I have been to Nashville several times but never in the middle of the summer. Well living in Southern California my whole life I’m used to heat , but dry heat.  It was sooooo hot and humid in Nashville that I couldn’t keep the sweat out of my eyes while I was shooting lol.

So the next step to this project was talking to Hannah herself  and throwing around ideas for her EP cover, back of the EP  as well as press kit shots.   Even though I had been to Nashville before, I still don’t know the surrounding areas and locations like I know the locations here.  So that meant obtaining some location shots and having them emailed to me.  Once we decided on the concepts Hannah had someone go out and just take some shots with a point and shoot.  So I get the shots and the locations are beautiful.  We got some nice green field locations, a really cool flowing stream, a straight long road lined with wild flowers etc.  My imagination started over flowing with ideas.  The only problem was that even though I knew what time of day the shots were taken, the shoot was still about a month away which means the location of the sun in relation to those photos was going to be different.  But that’s ok, that is something you work out when it’s time for the shoot.

I also had to use my imagination to visualize where Hannah would be placed in the shot.  This is where I want to stress how important it is that what makes a good photographer is not just his or her lighting skills but that they have that sixth sense of being able to “SEE” the shot before you shoot it.  That cannot be taught. Having an inner eye is a God given talent and you better be able to tap into it if you are going to be successful. But I had no idea what time each different shot would be taken and where the sun would be at that specific time.   It’s not like I could just call Hannah on the phone and say I’ll be right over to do some test shots so we can figure out how we want each shot to look.  So that made this whole process a bit more difficult.  But again, that’s ok because I knew I was flying into Nashville a few days early so I would use those days to go with Hannah and check out each location and note where the sun is, how the sun affected her, where the shadows would fall etc.

But before going out to Music City there was much to be done.   Hannah sent me photos of the clothes her stylist got for her.   I needed those photos so I could put the whole scene together in my mind and also make sure that the shots were designed around her music and her personality.  How did I get to her personality ?  I talked to her on the phone alot of course, looked at her Facebook page that had just regular photos of her in her daily life and I spoke with her manager.  I also listened to some rough cuts of the songs.

So now I arrive in Nashville and am slapped in the face with hot, sticky air lol.  We started our location scouting and to my shock the locations in the photos that WERE nice and plush with green were now brown and dried out.  The beautiful flowing stream was pretty much dried up and the wildflowers were pretty much non existent.   Alllll the planning of the shots, all my ideas and excitement went right out the window.  Well as you can imagine I was just lovin the situation at this point lol.  So I did what a photographer can only do in that situation.  I changed gears and scouted more.  I planned my ideas based on other locations that I liked better that even though were dried out, they had other characteristics that I could use.  For instance, an old abandoned barn, a long dirt road, etc.  I just changed the whole theme of the shoot and adapted as best I could.

Let’s move on….. I went to each location at different times of the day over the course of a couple days.  Now we get to the shoot day.  Living in Los Angeles the weather never changes in the summer. It’s just hot with no clouds.  Well as I was about to experience, Tennessee is not at all like that.

Big puffy white clouds roll by covering the sun every 5, 10, 15 min etc.  So I set up my first shot while Hannah was in make up and hair, the one with Hannah standing in the middle of the dirt road and everything looks great.  Hannah comes out of make up, I inspect every detail on her face making sure all the lines are clean and eyelashes don’t have any dried clumps of mascara ( my BIGGEST pet peeve) and tell everyone it’s time to shoot !

As I am shooting sweat is pouring down my face as I wipe it away every couple of minutes.  I’m drinking water like crazy.  Now the clouds begin to do their thing and cover the sun almost as if they are playing a trick on me.  Covering the sun, I wait for them to roll by.  They roll by I get off one frame and here they come again.  This went back and forth and I just had to succumb to the fact that the clouds ruled in this part of the country lol.  So eventually I made it through that shot.  I got some great images.

One thing to remember is not only do I have to be aware of the clouds, the sun etc., but also I have to consider and not forget that I have a subject / Hannah in front of me that is wearing make up and is hot and needs direction.  Remember, she is not a model or an actress so I am also directing her through all of this.  Not easy but….. fun !

We move on to the next shots and finish the day in the studio.  So this was a different kind of shoot in many ways.

1. I was shooting in another state.  I had to plan everything without actually being there.

2. I was shooting a singer, not a model or actress as I am so used to shooting.

3. I was working out in the elements of a totally different kind of weather pattern.

4. The locations I had chosen and planned to use totally changed and I had to choose different locations and re plan everything.

The major point is that as professional photographers we must be able to adapt to ANYTHING.  And in order to be able to adapt we must know our craft like the way we breathe.  This only comes from years of practice and patience.

Below are some behind the scenes shots and finals.  In all we shot five different looks.

Recently I had the pleasure of giving an interview about my  style of fashion photography and a  recent advertising shoot I finished that was challenging and fun.  Matt Haines, a photographer himself  has a wonderful photography site here, called me and asked me some great questions for his photography blog called Fashion and Light.

You can read the interview about my advertising shoot and the challenges it presented as well as my career and how amazing my fashion photography team is as we work each shoot and plan everything from set design, to make up and hair, lighting etc.  Casey Robinson my make up artist is also interviewed.

Matt shows you some photos from the ad campaign and the great behind the scenes video shot by Drew Maw.  Read all about this great fashion shoot here.

And as always any questions or comments are always welcome !

Thank you everyone for making my blog so special.

I just received this from the videographer.  This shoot was back in Dec. 4th – 8th 2008.  The client was Deliverance Poker. This was shot at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in a really nice hotel room. I used Profoto strobes with grid spots, Chimera soft box’s and my Canon 1DS.   Enjoy !

Fashion Shoot for Deliverance Poker from Jason Christopher on Vimeo.

In December of 2008 I was flown to Las Vegas to shoot an ad campaign for Deliverance Poker. I spent 4 days photographing many different scenes and situations with beautiful women among the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas. I had a great time and was driven to each location in a huge limo which I admit was cool. The fashion photography was different than what I normally shoot but that is what my client wanted and that is what they got.

My assistant shot some photos of me shooting that I thought you all might enjoy.   This was a shoot for NXS Hair Extensions.

Los Angeles photographer Jason Christopher

NXS Hair Shoot

beauty photo campaign

Beauty Model

This model is from Ford Model Agency.  For this shoot I kept it simple. I used just one small umbrella above and a medium silver reflector by Photoflex.  I placed a strobe on both sides of the background with a yellow gel.  The yellow gel combined with 18% gray paper gives you an olive color.  In the end though the art director decided they didn’t like that color and in post they had the retoucher just make it white.

I thought I would share these with you guys.  There aren’t many shots of me in front of the lens.  This was a shoot for a lingerie company.  We shot at the Bissell house in Pasadena.  The former owners were the Bissell’s of the vacum cleaner company !  It is now a bed and breakfast.

thinking about the shot

setting up the shot

Shooting on a ladder

And this would be one of the final images used in the campaign.

Fashion lingerie campaign by Jason Christopher of Los Angeles