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Lighting a white seamless studio backdrop

March 26, 2017 Neil vN 8 Comments

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...

Flash Photography: The difference between a grid and a snoot

March 19, 2017 Neil vN 7 Comments

Flash Photography: The difference between a grid and a snoot

We use grids and snoots to control the light from our flashes. We want to control how the light spreads, and we want to light only a part of our scene or subject. However, strongly favoring softer light when using flash, I don't regularly use grids on my flashes. The article on using grids with flash for a spot of light, had someone ask when I would use a snoot and when I would use a grid with flash. When in the studio, I would use the Profoto 10° Honeycomb Grid (B&H / Amazon) - it is made of metal  Read more inside...

Using the MagMod MagBeam kit for projection effects

March 17, 2017 Neil vN 6 Comments

Using the MagMod MagBeam kit for projection effects

The lighting pattern on the background here, is 100% in-camera, created with a gobo and a light-projection kit: the  MagMod MagBeam Kit  (B&H / Amazon). So no Photoshop going on here (aside from mild retouching of skin blemishes.) Even that little bit of a halo around Anastasiya, is part of the effect. In-camera. With the test shots, I noticed there is a brightening of the pattern in the middle, so I placed Anastasiya directly on front of it. A bit of serendipity that I took advantage of. Several articles on  Read more inside...

Studio portrait lighting ideas

March 14, 2017 Neil vN 2 Comments

Studio portrait lighting ideas

Shooting portraits in the studio has a challenge all of its own compared to shooting out on location - you are limited by the confines of the rectangular box that is the studio. You're also limited by your imagination of course. Part of the challenge is that when you photograph a new client, you have to shoot consistent with your style - that's why a client chose you - but at the same time, you have to bring some variety to the sequences of images. Even if it is just a slight tweak, I feel there has to be something else that you offer during every  Read more inside...

Using grids with flash for a spot of light

March 10, 2017 Neil vN 4 Comments

Using grids with flash for a spot of light

My preference is for softer, flattering light. When I use off-camera flash, I really try to use a softbox if at all feasible. It's easier to use in that you have leeway in how your subject is posed.  For with a smaller, harder light source, you have to be much more specific about posing. A bigger light source is therefore easier to work with when you shoot fast - such as at a wedding. But there are times when you just want to light up a portion of the scene, or want to specifically light your subjects. The photo above is an example. I am  Read more inside...

Tips on Wildlife Photography – go ahead and get out there!

February 25, 2017 Neil vN 4 Comments

My interest in photography as a teenager, was sparked by my love for nature and animals, and bird and wildlife photography. While you might not see much nature photography on the Tangents blog, it is very much an interest. For example, Frans Lanting is one of my photography heroes Vicki Jauron and I became acquainted via the Tangents blog, and I have followed her work for several years now, and have been consistently impressed by her wildlife and nature photography. When I asked if she might be interested in doing a guest post, she was hesitant, since she didn't feel she was on the level of  Read more inside...

Stella Pro 5000 & 2000 video light review

February 20, 2017 Neil vN 5 Comments

Stella Pro 5000 & 2000 video light review - continuous lighting kit

My friend Kevin, or as his friends call him, Kevin, brought along his new Light & Motion Stella Pro 225  3-Light Kit  (B&H / Amazon) to the studio for us to play with. The Stella Pro 5000 video light is powerful enough that you can use a softbox with it when shooting indoors.  Where continuous lights really shine, is in how they allow you to adjust your lights in a WYSIWYG way.  What you see is what you get - that's just how continuous lights work. That aspect makes video lights ideal when  Read more inside...

Profoto: How to use gridded strip boxes as the main light

February 10, 2017 Neil vN 18 Comments

Profoto: How to use gridded strip boxes as the main light

My favorite light modifiers when working with studio-type flashes like the Profoto B1 and D1, are gridded stripboxes. In the studio where I have space, I tend to prefer the larger Profoto 1’x6’ strip-box (affiliate). When I have to travel with gear, or work with kids, then the Profoto 1’x4’ strip-box (affiliate), is my preference. Both of them with a grid on them. That egg-crate grid on the front helps control how the light spills. This video explains how I use them as the main light, and what makes gridded stripboxes such  Read more inside...

video: Intimate male portraiture – two perspectives

January 30, 2017 Neil vN 8 Comments

Intimate male portraiture - two perspectives

This video clip and photo shoot are the results of a discussion with a friend, Cate Scaglione, one of New Jersey's best boudoir photographers. At a photography convention, the topic came up whether male and female photographers approach their subjects differently (whether male or female). My take on this is that there is such a diverse range in styles and skill levels, that it would be impossible to make any clear grouping on styles depending on the photographer’s gender. Cate believes this does have an influence. And from that, the idea  Read more inside...

Photo session – Intimate male portraiture

January 29, 2017 Neil vN 1 Comment

Photo session - Intimate male portraiture

The motive behind this photo session with Nick Mathews, is explained in the intro of the behind-the-scenes video clip of the photo session. One subject, one studio, two photographers and two different styles. We shot this in Cate's studio - she used available light, and I ended up using two Profoto B1 flashes (affiliate), and gridded stripboxes to control the light. The video clip shows some of how we directed Nick during the shoot, and as a professional model and actor, he was supremely easy to work with. With this article, I'd like to  Read more inside...

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