Over the years, many have inquired about the process behind my photography.  My free crash-course photography workshop below is my way of answering this question by giving back to the photographic community and letting good peeps like you in on my entire process, theory and culture.  In less than 15 minutes of free video clips below, I am offering you a front row seat to learn my basic camera settings, lighting setup and compositional preferences- as well my take on the lost art (for some) of narrative in photography.  I have also included a behind the scenes video from one of my favorite larger-than-life shoots with Zakk United, not to mention a free Photoshop Tutorial from that shoot as well.  (My hope is to add other mini-workshops like this from other, more talented,  larger-than-life photographers in the near future.)

The most common question I am asked, is how I get my ‘look’.  It’s a fair question, but I think what they are really asking me is which Photoshop plugin am I using to get the HDR look/effect.

“And that is a bit like asking what kind of hammer you should use to build a house.”

Although I do have a post-production trick (or two) up my sleeve (all of which are revealed in my photoshop tutorials), I really want to help you grasp the idea that creating larger-than-life imagery comes down to a balance of core photographic principles.  There is no magic bullet.  There is no miracle cure.  Much like building a house, constructing (un)believable, larger-than-life imagery comes down to having the right tools- and knowing how and when to use them.

Consider this free online photography workshop a personal primer on how I achieve my “larger-than-life” look.

Enjoy!

By now, you should already know the camera basics: ISO, shutter speed, aperture and how they affect each other. In this free video, I offer insights for maximizing the basic settings to their full, epic potential.  I go step by step through how I set up my camera, offering general principles (not rules) for getting that larger than life look.

FYI, if you’re looking for a good beginner resource on camera settings, I know that Scott Kelby has some great resources to point you in the right direction.

It’s no secret that poor lighting can ruin a photo.  But moving beyond the basics of three-point lighting (the key, fill and rim), how can you make your subjects really pop?

This video gives a rough overview of my lighting style, offering quick tips on my general set up and technique.  This isn’t a ‘how-to’ by any stretch of the imagination, but I am confident you can grasp these principles and apply them to your own work (and by the way, I would love to see any samples of your work using the principles in this workshop!).

If you are looking for more in-depth teaching on lighting, I think Zack Arias has some good stuff going with his One Light Workshops -be sure to have a look around his blog as well.  And there is also another blog called Strobist you should check out cause its just plain cool.

From angles and lenses, to output sizes, composition and framing has plenty of variables. In this next video, I my thoughts into how a photo’s composition and framing influences the viewer experience. And for working with publications, I threw in a few tips and tricks on how to preserve your vision for your image when it’s in the Photography Editors hands.

I think the key to going larger-than-life is to make the image transcend reality through storytelling, while at the same time dancing a fine line of believability.

Samuel Coleridge called this the ‘suspension of disbelief’.  Mark Twain famously called it “a good story, well told.”  It seems simple enough. But telling a good story – the right way – takes practice and training.  You’ve seen it before- the technical aspects of a photo can all be spot-on, but the image still feels incomplete.

Something’s missing.

Abstract, still life and product photography are great- but that isn’t what we are talking about here.  We are talking about telling a story in your imagery.  Letting your picture ‘speak a thousand words’. Your work should reflect your personality, and your larger-than-life photography shouldn’t need supplemental commentary- your image should speak for itself (sign up to hear more advice like this in the free 20 min lecture series video.)

The Narrative in Photography video below gives tips and tricks for honing your skills in this elusive but crucial aspect of photography.  Harnessing the technical skill of photography and marrying it with creative storytelling can yield out-of-this-world imagery. Use this lesson as another key to unlocking more promise in your work. Go ahead. You can do it!

This narrative-heavy photo – complete with flashing squad car lights amid a police standoff at dusk – elicits an emotional response from the viewer, causing one to question, “Who is this guy? What has he done, and has he gone too far?”

It was only fitting that this photo shoot featuring loudmouthed Houston DJ Zakk United would scream “story.” As one of my most labor-intensive shoots, it required alot of behind the scenes planning and preparation, an extensive lighting layout, changes in weather conditions, and coordination with several entities, including a police department.

This “Behind the Scenes” video captures all of the planning and conceptualizing that went into this narrative-heavy photo shoot. Enjoy this ‘all-access pass’ to watch how I developed the concept.

Ultimately, the Photoshop editing adds the final touch to create the larger-than-life result. Instead of being a crutch, the post-production serves as an enhancement to an already interesting, properly exposed and well executed photograph.  This Photoshop tutorial will walk you through color correction step-by-step, as well as the lighting effects that brought the sirens, sunset and street lamps to life. The “HDR look” is not appropriate for every image, but here, the technique shines and brings the photo to life in a way that intensifies the impact of the right camera settings, lighting, composition and story.

Its a balance of all principles- not an overuse of one.

(Proceeds from my paid Photoshop tutorials go towards expanding this site through creating more content.)

If you have questions or comments please leave them below- I will get back to you!

- Taylor Gahm, Founder C+P

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