Using gelled flash in the studio
Using gelled flash in the studio
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...BTS: Fashion catalog photo shoot in the studio
behind the scenes: Fashion catalog photo shoot in the studio
From a recent photoshoot in the studio for a fashion designer, Isle By Melis Kozan, I want to give a bit of a glimpse behind the scenes. Further below there is a short video clip that shows what went down in the studio. Nothing frenetic - the pace is calm and steady. As it should be when you need to get through a large number of items. Fashion catalog photo shoots are fairly straight-forward - the key is consistency is lighting and positioning. You also need consistency in the camera's viewpoint. There is no Art Read more inside...BTS video clip: Studio photo shoot with a model
BTS video clip: Studio photo shoot with a model
I've mentioned before how much I like to shoot with and observe other photographers at work. I recently got to hang out with my friend, Andy Foord in the studio while he photographed a model, Olga. The inspiration was a Vanity Fair style portrait - soft, yet with a hint of the dramatic. I watched Andy set up the lights and photograph Olga - during this I shot a behind-the-scenes video which I've posted below. It is short, and meant as a glimpse into the process, and as a way of seeing the lighting setup and see the studio. Instead of Read more inside...Tips on photographing dancers and ballerinas
Tips on photographing dancers and ballerinas
Photographing a talented dancer / model, Anna L Russel (Instagram ), in the studio, I wanted to think further than just sequences. Recently I have moved more to thinking in terms of larger projects or longer-term projects, even if just over a single photo session. I liked the results from the first few jumps Anna did - explosive movements within which she's momentally hold a pose before landing again. I don't know much about dance movements or what would be the perfect execution of a dance move ... which would then affect my Read more inside...Dramatic portraits: Hollywood Portrait Lighting
Dramatic portraits: Hollywood Portrait Lighting
Shooting for my portfolio in the studio with a model, Kimberly Jay, I wanted to create sets of feminine portraits that looked dramatic, and straddled the boudoir photography genre and had a Film Noir look to them. The classic look of Hollywood portrait lighting has long drawn me, and with a set of Litepanels Sola 4 LED Fresnel Lights (B&H / Amazon), it is a look that I am still trying to finesse. Other photo sessions where I have drawn on the Hollywood look: Lighting a vintage styled boudoir photo session (model: Read more inside...Headshot photography lighting setups in the studio
Headshot photography lighting setups in the studio
As with most photography, lighting setups and diagrams are more suggestions than absolutes. There are 'best practices' that will help you get constantly good results - such as getting enough light on the eyes so there is a twinkle. Okay, call it a catchlight then. Other than a few guidelines, there is a lot of flexibility in the style of lighting, and also the gear used. In the accompanying article, headshot photography lighting on location, I showed a few examples of how I varied the lighting while out on location. This depended on Read more inside...Positioning the light & posing
Positioning the light & posing
Before we even start, I want you to be aware that even though this photograph was taken in the studio with studio lighting, the principles here are exactly the same if we had used a large light source with a speedlight. Or of we had used a large window and the available light. So don't tune out because this is a studio photograph - this is all about the direction and quality of light ... and how positioning and posing your subject affects this. So let's have a look and see how this relates to photographic opportunities you might encounter, for the Read more inside...Headshot Photography – securing the tethering cable
Headshot Photography - securing the tethering cable
When shooting in the studio or a fixed location, it makes a lot of sense to shoot tethered if you want your client to give input on the photos. With headshots in the studio, I run a tethering cable between the camera and the computer. This makes it easier for the client to see the photos, and adjust what they need to. Of course, it is slightly redundant if you use WiFi to transfer the images from your camera to the computer. But for faster transfer of RAW files, shooting with a tethered cable still makes sense. Keeping the cable Read more inside...Lighting a white seamless studio backdrop
Lighting a white seamless studio backdrop
There are a number of variations on how to light a white seamless studio backdrop - but it all comes down to the same essentials. You want a spread of even light on the background, and a big swathe of light from the front. All of this with as little fall-off in the light as possible. We've covered this topic in previous articles, showing how it is done with speedlights ... Simple lighting setup with speedlights & white seamless backdrop (model: Anastasia) Simple lighting setup for home studio photography (models: Anelisa Read more inside...- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 8
- Next Page »