Lifestyle Photography in Detroit Mary DuPrie
Having a model holding a coffee cup is much harder than it looks. Having a cup with the right size and shape handle can make it a lot easier. I like a handle you can put your hand in, it keeps the hand looking softer.
This would be more of an intermediate/advanced technique for a model. It’s difficult for the model to see what I see from the camera side. To get the right softness and spacing is critical. To make it look real and not just a prop takes skill from the model. You really have to think about what you would do with a hot cup of coffee but at the same time fake what needs to be fake. It’s a ying and yang, you tell a model, make it real, but oh yeah, fake this part.
Camera right hand is not put in all the way, you want to see cracks between the fingers in at least two joints. Try and keep the knuckles from popping and looking hard and white. The hands should not dominate the cup, they’re suppose to compliment it.
At first it doesn’t seem all that difficult but the model soon understands the level of difficulty. Chose a model who has long sender hands with a beautifully shaped nail bed. I notice I can only shoot this with a few models, so chose wisely.
To give a sense of reality I make a real cup of coffee or hot chocolate. I want it to look like morning so there is very little makeup with just clear lip gloss. The hair is kept very loose and natural. This is a great look to add to a models book and shows her (or his) hands to a potential client.
I would not shoot this with a French manicure, commercial clients want an American manicure. Some client shoots will actually specify what color the model should wear. Two popular colors for commercial shoots are Ballet Slippers and Mademoiselle from Essie. The nail bed and tip should generally disappear in the shot, clients don’t want the hands to dominate over their products.
This seems like a very simple little image but in reality there is a lot of thought and skill behind it…just sayin
Michigan Lifestyle Photographers Mary DuPrie
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