Dramatic portraits of kids – Lighting and intent
Dramatic portraits of kids - Lighting and intent
When photographing portraits of someone, we can only leave so much up to serendipity. Deliberate action produces deliberate results. While things don't always work out to plan, having a plan helps propel things in a certain direction. With that, we need to be able to pre-visualize the photographs we want. We need to shoot (and use light) with purpose. Even if you are just experimenting and playing with your camera and lighting, you will fare better if you have some intended result in mind. Always that question in mind - what is it Read more inside...review: DJI Osmo camera & gimbal
review: DJI Osmo camera & gimbal
For the birthday celebration of two of the members working for Modern Gypsies productions, a bunch of their friends were invited to help assemble a Chinese Dragon ... and then the group of us wove our way down the sidewalks of Brooklyn where we ended up at a night-club. This was also a perfect time to test my new DJI Osmo camera and gimbal (B&H / Amazon). The camera offers up to 4K resolution, and has a 3-axis gimbal for stabilization. The video clip above is a 3 minute long compilation of video footage that I shot with Read more inside...Featured in Professional Photographer magazine (PPA)
Featured in Professional Photographer magazine (PPA)
Perhaps, as you page through your February 2016 copy of Professional Photographer magazine, and you get to page 92, you may think to yourself, "Hmmm, these photos aren't half-bad!" ... then glance over to the intro on page 93, and .. oh yes, I'm featured in the latest edition of PPA's magazine! It is a huge honor that the editors at Professional Photographer approached me and wrote a feature about my wedding photography. The article concentrates on my approach to lighting, with a reference to the books I've written on flash Read more inside...Photoshop: Adding texture layers to photos
Photoshop: Adding texture layers to photos
Adding a texture layer to an image is a relatively easy way to enhance an image where there are large tonal areas that are even. That bit of texture can just be the bit of sweetening to make the photo more eye-catching. Of course, the way the texture layer is added, can be subtle or very noticeable. Your choice. I felt this dramatic photo of Claudia, taken in the studio, could use an extra bit of juice. There are different ways of doing this. Again, your choice. Here is how I (sometimes) add textures to photos: Read more inside...Using a gridded stripbox as the main light
Using a gridded stripbox as the main light
As I show in the video clip how to use gridded strip boxes as the main light, I love how I can flexibly shape the light falling on and around my subject. Specifically in the studio, I mostly use the large gridded Profoto 1’x6 strip-box (B&H / Amazon). It is simultaneously capable of dramatic light and soft light. Or an interesting combination of that. More than that, I can vary the interplay between light and shade, by how I swing the softbox around, or rotate it. I often do this while shooting so that I continuously Read more inside...Tangents – a 10-year anniversary
Tangents - a 10-year anniversary
The Tangents blog has an anniversary of sorts around now - it's been 10 years since I posted the first series of articles on flash photography. Ten years! Ten incredible years of consistently adding more material, and refining the existing material. In terms of longevity, this website surely has to be up there amongst only a few other photography websites. This is a little bit of a self-high-5 ... but it is also a really big thank you to everyone who has helped over the years, whether with advice or by posting questions, keeping this website Read more inside...Bounce flash off a dark ceiling
Bounce flash off a dark ceiling
A recurring topic on Tangents is how to bounce flash in pretty extreme situations. With a related article - bounce flash outdoors with a reflector - I showed some images from an event at a New York restaurant. I intensely dislike direct, hard on-camera flash. Yet, this venue had all kinds of corners, and no place to effectively place off-camera flashes on light-stands. The venue had an interesting ceiling. And with "interesting", I mean tough. The ceiling was dark, with black panels at different angles. Here are photos of the ceiling and walls, to Read more inside...Bounce flash outdoors with a reflector
Bounce flash outdoors with a reflector
There are occasions where you really need to work fast with flash - time might be tight, or it might just be too cold outside to linger. After photographing John's surprise 50th birthday party, John and Stacie and I went outside to Columbus Circle for portraits of the two of them. After the high of the party, I wanted to keep the momentum as well by working fast. And since it was mid-November in New York, it was nearly certain that the late night air would be nippy. I didn't want to use direct on-camera flash - I wanted that diffused Read more inside...Personal photography projects & goals for 2016
Personal photography projects & goals for 2016
While I was compiling my list of Best photography purchases of 2015, I went back to another post from a year ago - Personal photography projects for 2015 - and I realized I had done none of these. None. Zip. Mostly, it is that in the quieter winter months it is easier to plan these things ... and then as the new year progresses, work and commitments escalate. I simply ran out of time and opportunity to do these things - or became involved with other projects and events. Some of these ideas mentioned in the 2015 post, transpired Read more inside...- « Previous Page
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