Yeah, about that🤣 by the time you hit 7 mill you'll improve for sure. Like you said, you are on 95%, and those last 5% can still use some work! Keep it up!
Five years ago I retired after 30+ years as a photographer and graphic artist. Since retiring I have done virtually nothing besides occasional drawing and my creativity has gone downhill. This video has made me start thing about doing some photography of my five year old grandson. I’m starting to get excited again!
I absolutely appreciate your transparency in this. Knowing that "someone like you" can still get rattled or distracted, yet fully understand what to take away from it for next time gives comfort to those of us (::raiseshand::) who may feel similar nerves a little more frequently. ::grin:: Thanks so much for sharing.
I love this video and the fact that you came off as real and unpretentious adds a great deal of authenticity to your story, especially since I can relate to your experience. I was to record Academy Award winning actress Celeste Holm for a television PSA. I carefully positioned the lights and set the ratios. We set up the camera and had the sound properly adjusted to the point we'd tweak it to her voice level. Then I went to Ms Holm and asked if she was ready for the recording and she said: "I will be when you set the lights properly." Gulp! Then she said "I want one soft light directly over the camera." So naturally I quickly rearranged the lights. By this time in her life she was older and that single soft light diminished the age that was apparent in her face. And it was a great learning experience for me.
Thanks for sharing the frames where you DIDN'T get what you wanted - underexposed, too warm, whatever. Like so many of us, I beat myself up about the frames where I screwed it up. You created amazing portraits of Keifer, without a doubt.
Pete! First of all... This portrait is iconic. Not only for yourself but Kiefer as well. It'll be viewed as an iconic image of him forever. Big congrats sir. Your comment about the fog not showing up made me got me thinking! I find that when shooting with fog, if the scene is heavily lit from the front, it tends to wash out the image without showing the depth that fog can provide. I would recommend adding a black negative fill/chop beside your key light to prevent that light from spilling into the room and then use a light from the back/side of the room to light the BG and space. Backlighting fog always adds a ton of texture and reads as fog/haze a lot cleaner than when front lit. Food for thought! Hit me up if you want to chat more about lighting! It's been my passion for many years. In Toronto as well! Cheers man and congrats again on this career milestone!!
Man….i have been in such a creative lull and slump lately, but this video is making me pumped and needing to blow the dust off my kit and go record and shoot! This…This is why I started following you and started my journey! Inspiration to the max, my dude.
Pete you did great man! That 5% you referenced is something that will always happen. I’ve been shooting for years and it happens all the time. I would say it’s more a matter of us being so obsessed with getting the best out of the shoot. So rock on man!
Peter, I just wanted to thank you for this great video explaining how you went about the Kiefer Sutherland portrait. As many ahead of me have commented, your style and honesty has been refreshing and so helpful. And when you explained that you even changed the warmness of the light, after spending a whole day prepping, I felt vindicated for those times that I did the exact same thing!, I too am a great fan of Kiefer. Great job and thank you for this video once again.
This is such a valuable breakdown! Sharing your insights and techniques like this really helps the community, and it's always fascinating to see how a shot comes together, especially with a subject like Kiefer Sutherland. Super insightful and informative-thanks for taking the time to walk us through your process. Keep up the great work!
Love it!!!! Kiefer might be your hero, you’re definitely mine. Love the inspiration you have for everyone. My photography might not be the best, but man do I learn a lot from your videos.
Love all your videos but this has so much more of that element of early PM videos than other of your recent videos. Even though they have been great too. More of these!
This was the most entertaining portrait breakdown I’ve ever seen. The way you combine storytelling, entertainment and teaching is just next level You are such an inspiration Pete 🫶🏻
Thanks for sharing your approach, preparation, and reflections. A agree that a thought-out plan, test shoots, and setting up a solid scene is key in a high stress situation. The less you need to problem-solve on the spot and the more time you can spend focusing on working with the “talent” (and quite the talent in this case) and building rapport, the better the result in the end. Also, I hope you keep making these “breakdown” videos for key shoots in the future! Thanks for sharing!
I actually loved the warmth. It was more inviting and cinematic in my opinion and I think you nailed it!!!!! ❤ an accident that made it even more amazing!
Peter, The first video was awesome! To see you go total "Fan Boy" over being able to shoot THE portrait you have wanted to take forever was so cool. I had seen the Rolling Stone cover you had hanging in some of your other videos and wondered if you had taken it, so hearing the story about it filled in that question in a very fulfilling way. You're excitement over the shoot was infectious and the fact that one of your buddies, knowing that was a dream shoot for you and was able to make that happen, shows that you have some really good friends and speaks well for you as being someone who they think really deserves to get that shot. I am very new to photography so in this video the technical details from the shoot and your style of story telling really is helpful on planning and the way to think about what you want out of the photo you want to make, ...not take. Take it from a 62 year old OG from Texas, " Don't be afraid to tell your good friends you love them every time you leave them and always keep them close!"
Man, your videos are just the best. You are such an inspiration, Peter, and have such a unique voice and personality. It really is inspiring just to watch you. Thank you for everything that you do
I think this is my favourite video you've made to date. The passion of the subject, your process and learning what you did. Great stuff. More like this, please :)
Peter, I don't think I've commented on any of your videos yet, but I've been watching you over 6 years after a friend showed one video of you, ever since then you are the one person that still keeps my excitement going with photography, coffee and life. You are my role model, I don't normally say this to anyone. Hope I can be close to how you are one day.
Fantastic video! Really good to see the top-down drawing of the light sources and all the pre-planning. Of all your videos I've watched, this one is my favorite!
I love this shit. Peter, you are the reason why I recently bought a Pentax K1000 and just started shooting. I'm 19, and film is definitely not part of my time, but I love how it looks. True inspiration
Oufh!! These last videos … we have really missed the photographer McKinnon, good to see him back and at it, this is some next level storytelling and *doing* photography making these stories, loving it :)
*Not gonna Lie your Story telling on How, Where and What is AMAZING. Your Skillz with Camera's is Amazing. I'm not much into Photography but MAN watching people with Skillz such as yours is just Really Fun to watch. It can help me in my Journey into Videography that I've been doing for a bit*
Peter I am watching this while at a buffet restaurant in Chinatown London UK. Stay blessed and successful and keep up the great work. Currently doing street photography with my Nikon D5500.
I think that adjusting the light temperature worked out well. I know that your test shots were very much more your signature style, and I get that, but I think the warmth compliments his skin, the hat and the overall tone of the image. Congrats on the bucket shot!
i’m late to The Kiefer Sutherland show, he just got on my radar this year with the Designated Survivor. Now I’m also watching 24. I love this guy! Dope shot! I like that you are honest about high pressure photography. I would be lying if I said my butt hasn’t puckered during my high end shoots.
@PeterMcKinnon Wow! Kiefer! So cool. He was the voice of Ford ads for so long, and you’re a Ford truck guy. I was lucky enough to write music for three different Ford F-150 television ads that ran nationally in Canada around 2005, and the voiceovers were performed by none other than Kiefer Sutherland. You’d have been what, 20 years old? Maybe you saw one back in the day.
You nailed it. That is why you're Peter McKinnon!! You say, "I'm Peter McKinnon", I just captured my dream image. Goals are there for a reason. You met yours. But you have so much more to offer. Your next great photo goal, I'm not kidding, is of you. Do the greatest self portrait you have ever made. Something you would hang on your own wall because it is so cool, and was done so well. Do it!!
I actually like the warmer tone. Your images are pretty good, you wouldn't guess you only had 5 minutes. As a portrait photographer I know connecting with the model and getting them to be comfortable enough with you to be themselves can take some time. It's the most difficult part as you can't really prepare for that. You managed that perfectly!
I can’t tell u how much a love this video! Questions I had about the original were answered here. LOVE the concept of “breakdown” vids about previous vids, very helpful. Also, would love a latte next time I’m in the shop 😊😊😊
Im a super try to life color balance but tbh I LOVE the warmer look that you did with the film when you changed the light a whole lot more, tbh made it WAYY better. that places is made for warmer tones
Thanks Peter for sharing how you got the shots: the video is awesome and the photos are amazing, I like a lot the Widelux ones. And of course Kiefer Sutherland is super cool!
Dude i love this type of video, definitely wouldn‘t mind that becoming a series 🤙🏼 And yes, if the opportunity comes: please do another shoot with Kiefer Sutherland, can‘t find the words to describe those photos.
Back in my day before digital cameras it was done using a polaroid back on a Mamiya RB, that gave time to talk to the subject and let everyone relax. A couple of polaroids took at least 2 minutes before viewing to adjust the lighting, then rattle through 2 rolls of 120. That was it. Then take the film to the lab and pick up the next day. Good times.
I love the final version of the portrait with a warmer tone. But I wished that you showed more of the background as yours friend’s shop instead of the bar like scene. I think it would be more of a memory for all the people.
your a big inspiration Peter! my big dream is also to meet Kiefer one day, and maby take some photos of him :D he is one of my all time favoritt actors :D Thanks for sharing this with us :D
AlTIGHTY. Whats up with the audio haha. I've noticed the last few vids that in certain talking shots, it sounds like someone has pitched up your voice a bit lol. Example: 0:33 Normal. 0:40 Pitched up.
