recap: photography workshop – Philadelphia (2009)
recap: photography workshop - Philadelphia (2009)
One of the final workshops for 2009, was the one held in Philadelphia in the prestigious Ritz hotel! Working inside the hotel and the surrounding areas, provided us with some stunning backdrops while photographing our models. Still staying with the updated format with the flash photograph workshop, if I am guided by the response by those who attended, then the workshop once again appears to have been a hit. I had a great time as well, and I am sure there will be a few interesting photographs surfacing again. Thank you again to Read more inside...fill-flash .. or not
whether to use fill-flash, or not
With the recent video clip where I showed some of how I work with a couple, during an outdoor photo session, several people commented on not seeing my flash go off every time I take the shot. And the question was, when do I decide to use fill-flash and when not. With the image at the top, you could see my flash firing during this sequence in the video clip. The light falling on them wasn't even, although the light falling on Jen's face was even. So I felt I needed to use a touch of fill-flash. Here I had flash exposure compensation set to -5EV Read more inside...editing an image to simplify it
With this image from the workshop in Seattle, we were working outside the hotel and the city scene there wasn't all that hip and urban. It was visually quite cluttered. So when I wanted to use this image, my first thoughts were to simplify it a little since there is a LOT going on in the background that doesn't add to the image and just detracts from our model Julia. The leading lines of the cars, overhead train lines and the pavement all do help to give a more dynamic composition .. along with Julia's crazy body angles. But the image definitely needed some work. Here is the image Read more inside...
bounce flash vs video light
bounce flash vs video light
With the recent posts on using video light for stills photography, the question comes up why one would want to use video light over flash. Two of the main advantages are that you see exactly what you're going to get; and also that video light gives a certain dramatic quality. With video light the fall-off to the edges of the spot is fairly abrupt. But it is exactly this quality that lends itself so easily to giving you that dramatic lighting. With the photo at the top, I use bounce flash to light the model .. and the entire scene. That's the Read more inside...bounce flash photography – short lighting
bounce flash example - short lighting
Having just finished the second of the two workshops here in Cork, Ireland, I feel unusually energized after the two busy days. Partly because the two workshops ran very smoothly, (courtesy of Liam Ramsell who coordinated these workshops), but also because I had two groups of genuinely nice people. On top of that, I am just enamored of the country and its people. I love it here! But back to the photography: The image above is of our one model, Noreen, and was taken during the practical session at a photography workshop in Cork, Ireland, Read more inside...Metering for off-camera flash? – start with the ambient light!
Metering for off-camera flash? - start with the ambient light!
In the tutorial on balancing flash with ambient light, various scenarios are listed in where we start with our camera settings. My advice is that we invariably have to start with the ambient light. That will anchor our decision to an extent, and will determine how the final image looks. This photo is from a photography workshop I presented in Birmingham, UK in 2009. In the afternoon session we used softboxes with manual flash to photograph the two models. And yes, the models did indeed stop the pedestrian Read more inside...recap: Photography workshop – Brighton, UK (2009)
recap: Photography workshop - Brighton, UK (2009)
I must say I am pretty amazed myself at being able to come to the UK to present workshops, and that there was such interest in having me come over. So here we are .. the first workshop just took place, and it was in Brighton, the well-known tourist and holiday resort. As usual, part of the program included working outdoors with softboxes and manual flash .. and for this we went down to the colourful promenade. The image above has our two models, Amy and Francesca, at the merry-go-round on the promenade. Some technical info about Read more inside...Video light portrait
A portrait of Amy, one of our models at the recent workshop in Brighton, UK. Here we used a single video light on her. I love the dramatic quality the light imparts, and how you can flag the light with the barn-doors to create a specific fall-off to the light in the background. The strong vignetting helps in giving it that dramatic look. In figuring out the direction of light, and how to place the video lighting, I am largely guided by way the shadow of the subject's nose is falling across her face. I then direct the model and the person who holds the light, to move slightly if Read more inside...
bouncing flash off walls outdoors for fill-flash
fill-flash outdoors by bouncing flash off walls
When I recently photographed one of my couples in Hoboken, we worked for a while in one of the colorful alleys. To lift the shadows a little bit, I used flash. However a softbox might have been overkill when just a touch of fill-flash is needed .. especially when there is a useful wall directly behind me. Read more inside...- « Previous Page
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