A series of photos from the archives - a studio photo session with one of my favorite models, Claudia. I reposted these photos on my Instagram account, as a quiet celebration because Claudia has decided to re-enter as a model after a hiatus of a few years.
When I use models during workshops, it is with the intent of teaching lighting techniques. There is also the strong underlying message that posing and lighting are interconnected. With that, there is a to-and-fro interaction between the model and myself (and the people attending a Read more inside...
video: Creative studio portrait session - two perspectives
Continuing with the loose theme of 'Two Perspectives', I invited my friend Dave Block into the studio during one of his visits to New York from Seattle. The concept behind the initial Two Perspectives video was that I get to meet upwith a fellow photographer, and that something might be revealed in the contrasting styles and ideas during some kind of photo shoot - hopefully informative and of wider interest. The 1st video was the intimate male portraiture shoot-out with my friend Cate Scaglione. The 2nd video was with Tracy Read more inside...
Shooting in the studio with Brian and Anette to do promotional portraits of their band, Cut Like This, this one sequence was really fun to shoot. The images directly out of camera had impact already with the swath of blue light against the wall. The lighting is fairly simple - I used a gelled flash to get that color effect. The flash, a Profoto B1 flash (B&H / Amazon), was bare, with just the turquoise gel taped over it. The main light (to camera right) was one I often use when I want that interesting combination of soft light Read more inside...
With this portfolio shoot, we wanted to end up with sequences of photos that looked different enough - as if they were taken at different times, and even different locations. In between, Heather would change her outfits as well. We ended up with four distinctly different setups - two of which used studio lighting, and two which used available light only. With the two setups using studio lighting, the easiest way to make the lighting look different, was to use a big softbox or one setup (for softer light), and a gridded stripbox for another setup (for more Read more inside...
Studio photography lighting tips - your first time in the studio
Since I make my studio here in NJ available as a Photo studio rental space, I frequently meet newer photographers who would like to dabble in studio photography a bit, but don't have much experience of working in a studio. Sometimes they have experience with off-camera flash on location, or with a small home studio - and they would like to try out working in a larger studio area, using a range of studio lighting gear. (Btw, aside from some continuous lighting, the studio flashes are all Profoto. There are reasons for Read more inside...
Flash photography - Changing the background color with gels
One of the biggest challenges when working in a studio, is that you're essentially shooting in a plain rectangular box. When photographing portraits, the two obvious ways out of that is to create an interesting (or complementary) background, and then to create interesting (or flattering) lighting.
The lighting itself need not be complex. For this series of portraits of Olive, I used the gridded 1' x 6' softbox. By swinging it horizontally or vertically (or diagonally), I can change the way the light falls on my subject Read more inside...
One of the sequences I photographed of Anelisa for the video clip of a photo session in the studio, was to create this kind of sun-drenched flared image. I wanted it to look bright and airy and summery.
There was a studio flash behind her to (partially) create the flare. I had to keep adjusting my movement just so that the flash-head wouldn't be entirely hidden, or entirely revealed.
There was a total of four flashes used, and the pull-back shot shows their positioning. Read more inside...