Tangents

photography tutorials, reviews & workshops

tangents photography blog
learn : discuss : share
  • Tangents
  • Tutorials
    • Flash Photography
    • Wedding Photography
    • Studio Photography
    • Posing People
    • Understanding Your Camera
    • Exposure metering
    • BFT
    • Best Photo Books
  • Reviews
    • Sony
    • Nikon
    • Canon
    • Fuji
    • Profoto
    • lighting gear
  • Workshops
    • Info: Workshops
    • In-person
      tutoring sessions
    • Online
      tutoring sessions
    • Workshops in
      New Jersey (NJ)
    • Workshops in
      New York (NYC)
    • Photo walks in NYC
    • Studio Workshop
    • Video tutorials
    • Workshop results
  • Books
    • On-Camera Flash (revised ed.)
    • Direction & Quality of Light
    • Off-Camera Flash Photography
    • Lighting & Design
    • On-Camera Flash (1st ed.)
  • Projects
    • Two Perspectives
    • B&W Infrared
    • Vintage lenses
    • Time-lapse photography
  • Info
    • About
    • Contact
    • My Photo Gear
    • Books by NvN
    • Join us on Facebook
    • Acclaim
    • Success Stories

using multiple speedlights with high-speed flash sync

December 6, 2010 Neil vN 56 Comments

using multiple speedlights with high-speed flash sync

This photo of Angelique, our model, was taken at 1/8000 @ f2 @ 100 ISO. Yes, an eight-thousand-th of a second.  The accompanying wide aperture (with an ultra-wide angle lens), gives a unique look to the image. The shallow depth-of-field and high shutter speed are mutually dependent effects in shooting in bright light. Working with a fast shutter speed, brought us into high-speed flash sync (HSS) territory. Do keep in mind that this shoot was more of a technical exercise to work through the settings and see how the flash behaves  Read more inside...

off-camera fill-flash in bright sunlight

November 19, 2010 Neil vN 29 Comments

shooting in bright sunlight with off-camera fill-flash

This adorable kid looked at the camera briefly because I was singing to him.  Kids are devious little creatures. They know when you're calling them and will purposely ignore you.  So you have to be crafty too in getting their attention. Of course, you have to be ready for the moment ... and shoot a lot. Sometimes that Decisive Moment is to be found in the edit. The photo session was from 12 noon to 1pm. So the sun was high overhead. We're often told that the sun directly overhead isn't the best time to take photographs.  While  Read more inside...

Photographing on location: Photo permits in Hoboken, NJ

November 17, 2010 Neil vN 45 Comments

Photographing on location: Photo permits in Hoboken, NJ

Photographing a model in Hoboken can be complicated. A few weeks ago in October, a friend and I arranged to photograph Kerri, the model shown here. My friend had just bought a Nikon D3s and some serious glass, so I thought that instead of me just telling her about the camera's functions and settings, it would be more interesting to hire a model to photograph. Then we get to play with the new toys, and get some photos. More fun than just being lectured by me. So the two of us picked Kerri up along the way to Hoboken, to shoot  Read more inside...

tips on posing people / working with a model

November 10, 2010 Neil vN 23 Comments

tips for posing people / working with a model

So you have a great camera and lens; and someone who is willing to be photographed and willing to work with you; and you have a great idea for a setting or backdrop ... but now what? Posing your subject is something that can be quite intimidating to a newer photographer.  The pressure is now on YOU to create magic .. or at least an arresting image. Leaving everything up to the model or your subject to do, or for them to come up with ideas ... while you just click the shutter, makes you just an owner of a camera, and not a  Read more inside...

photo shoot: haunted fashion (using video lights)

October 13, 2010 Neil vN 10 Comments

photo shoot: haunted fashion (using video lights)

The previous time I photographed Anna was at a pin-up photo session. I had the opportunity again to photograph her and other models again last night ... but in a completely different style and setting this time. The Valley Hudson Click group arranged a Haunted Fashion theme for this photo session.  Read more inside...

fire performer at PDF

October 8, 2010 Neil vN 8 Comments

After I was so thrilled with watching and photographing the fire performers at their wedding, Katie and Nathan managed to get me a ticket to the PDF event this weekend. Due to work commitments this weekend, I was only able to visit tonight (Friday), and take in the activities and spirit of the event, and chat to random people. Magical. Of the fire performers (and other participants) I photographed, I really liked the few images I got of Nichole .. and thought I'd show them here as a small glimpse of the event. Shot with the Nikon D3, using the Nikon 85mm f1.4D lens 1/125 @ f1.4 @ 3200  Read more inside...

pin-up photography

September 23, 2010 Neil vN 21 Comments

pin-up photography - white on white

I had the great pleasure last night of attending a meeting by the Hudson Valley Click - a lighting and photography group in the Hudson Valley area of NY. The motive behind their meetings and photo shoots is to bring photographers, models, makeup artists, hairstylists and fashion designers together on monthly themed events. All designed for learning and portfolio building. My friend Peter Salo invited me to the 50's style pin-up photography session that was held last night in Sandy O'Shea's studio.  (Sandy, thanks for allowing us to create  Read more inside...

pin-up style photo session – Jessica – a hot day

September 22, 2010 Neil vN 16 Comments

pin-up style photo session - a hot day

Continuing on with the pin-up series with Jessica, we decided on the concept for this session as 'A Hot Day'. Skimpy summer holiday clothing; ice cream; a fan (with the blades made whirly in Photoshop) .. and incongruously, one of my cats walking through the set, looking for attention ...  Read more inside...

photo session – Modern Gypsies – something about a violin

September 12, 2010 Neil vN 13 Comments

For the last in the series of photo sessions with the Modern Gypsies on this day, we ended up here ... launching two girls in costume, onto the East River inside a giant ball. It really did make sense. And you may ask yourself, how did we get here?  Letting the days go by ... No, really, how did we get here?  Read more inside...

photo session – Modern Gypsies – PinkMan

September 10, 2010 Neil vN 6 Comments

Pinkman!  More from the recent extended photo session with the Modern Gypsies.  After the photo session with Martin on stilts, we moved to one of the many colorful areas in Brooklyn where we started with Dread Eye. Working in the same spot, Michael Saab fitted his character, PinkMan! out with jumping stilts. Absolute lunacy! Working in such bright light, I thought the best approach would be to cross-light the sunlight with off-camera flash ...  Read more inside...

  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 9
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • Next Page »

categories

Articles & Tutorials

  • • About myself & this site
    • Books by Neil vN
    • Best photography books
    • Black foamie thing
    • Photographers’ success stories
  • • Flash Photography Techniques
    • Natural looking flash
    • Flash + Ambient light
    • Dragging the shutter
    • Bouncing your flash
    • On-camera flash outdoors
    • Exposure metering
    • Flash exposure compensation
    • Bounce flash examples
    • Which is the best flashgun?
    • Flash brackets
    • Off-camera flash photography
    • Flash photography basics
    • Using video lights
    • Flash photography tips
  • • Photography workshops NJ / NYC
    • Models @ photography workshops
tutorials:
flash photography
Photography
Workshops

All rights reserved. Copyright © Neil van Niekerk 2025 · Customization by The Traveling Designer

Copyright © 2025 · NvN on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in