Overpowering the sun with Off-Camera Flash – What are my settings?
Overpowering the sun with Off-Camera Flash - What are my settings?
Teaching a class on using off-camera flash at a photography convention, I took a group of attendees outside on the street with two models. Then I stepped them through the thought-process in how to get to your basic, fail-safe, works-everytime settings for off-camera flash. We specifically looked here at camera and flash settings to match / over-power the sun. Regular visitors to the Tangents blog and those who have read my books on flash photography, should know the algorithm off by heart. There's a specific Read more inside...Behind-the-scenes video clip – Photo shoot w/ Ulorin Vex
Video clip: behind-the-scenes during photo session w/ Ulorin Vex
I've posted some of the images from the recent photo session in my studio, with Ulorin Vex - and here is the behind-the-scenes video clip. The instructional stuff will be in the related articles - this is more of a glimpse of the rhythm of the shoot in the studio. Read more inside...Studio photography – Using a big gridded strip-box / soft-box
Using a large gridded strip-box / soft-box for portraits
There seems to be a natural progression with photographers exploring off-camera flash and studio photography. After the initial umbrella and softbox, the next purchase is usually a beauty dish, and then other esoterica such as ring-flash. Personally, I'd suggest that one of the first light modifiers anyone should get, is a small or medium sized gridded strip-box. A strip-box is narrower than the usual soft boxes, and the grid really helps contain the light spread. So you now have the ability to get relatively soft light, but Read more inside...review: Manfrotto 1004BAC light-stands
review: Manfrotto 1004BAC light-stands
You'd think that light-stands are light-stands. They hold up studio lights or speedlights and any kind of light modifier. But what sets light-stands apart from each other, are the other features - such as portability and ease of use. I mostly use the Manfrotto 1051BAC / 1052BAC and 1004BAC light-stands. My review of the Manfrotto light-stands explains this. What I like most about them, is that they are stackable. They clip together in quite a compact set of light-stands. Easier to carry with one hand. The clipping-together feature also Read more inside...Bounce flash: Adjusting the black foamie thing as a snoot
Bounce flash - Adjusting the black foamie thing to be a snoot
During the day, as I photograph a wedding, I am continually mixing up the lighting, adapting and adjusting. It's part of the process of giving my clients as much variety as possible, and also just being flexible in adapting to the demands of the various locations. It's therefore a varied approach in using all kinds of light sources: off-camera flash, on-camera flash, video light and available light. It's part of the fun, and part of the challenge of being a wedding photographer - thinking on your feet. Of course there's Read more inside...Harder light sources in the studio – Flash & Continuous light
Harder light sources in the studio - Flash & Continuous light
With the recent photo session with Ulorin Vex in the studio, I played with variations of using harder light and using shadow as part of the image's composition. The first setup was similar to a previous photo session in the studio with Anelisa: smaller light = dramatic light. Ulorin Vex easily fell into poses well suited to this idea of using the shadow as part of the image's design. For this final image, I used a textured overlay to enhance the sun-drenched look. I also wanted to hide the texture of the wall a bit Read more inside...A wedding in Melbourne, Australia
Photographing a wedding in Melbourne, Australia
I was in Australia for the past two weeks, enjoying a rare vacation and time off. My wife and I spent a week in Sydney, and then a week in Melbourne. But the real motive in coming to Melbourne specifically, was Peiwen and Eric's wedding. I am hugely honored that Eric and Peiwen would have me fly in to photograph their wedding here. A lovely couple in every way, they were so easy to photograph and work with. It was just a pleasure. In fact, the whole experience here in Australia has been great. I am so excited by what we shot, that I had Read more inside...Wedding photography – Dealing with the DJ’s lights
Wedding photography - Dealing with the DJ's lights
As wedding reception venues and DJs are becoming more sophisticated in their lighting, there's now the added challenge of spotlights and lasers and other lighting effects that compete with the simplicity of just using flash. So how do you deal with this? You just deal with this. One way or another. You can either embrace the colors (as in the example above), or you can use flash to neutralize some of the wild color casts. Just how do you do that? Well, there's a little bit of homework at the end of this. Very often, I Read more inside...Window-light baby portrait photos
Window-light baby portrait photos - Liam
Any parent will know that the kiddo has a distinct personality from the moment it is born. For the photographer then, the ideal is to capture some of this personality. My own take on photographing babies, is that I want to forego all the props and accoutrements associated with baby photography you often see - the hats and such. While the toys are often necessary to keep the child's attention, I still like to photograph just the baby. Liam's parents were close by, getting his attention. I prefer that if anyone calls to him, that they do Read more inside...- « Previous Page
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