Personal photography workshops & photo walks in NYC – models

When we do a photography workshop on location, what I want to teach and help nurture, is the ability to control our environment when we take portraits outside. We look for interesting and complementary backgrounds, or background which are complementary to our subject. We look for, or create great light for our subject. It’s all about the Direction & Quality of Light! We will use interesting ‘found light’, but what we really concentrate on, is creating flattering light with off-camera flash, or with video light.  Doing all this is especially fun when we are out in New York City, looking for interesting settings to photograph our models in. With the smaller  Photo Walks (4 people), or the Personal Workshops (1 or 2 people), it really becomes a fun way of learning more about off-camera flash, lighting and posing.

With this post, I want to show some of the results we get during the Personal workshops and Photo Walks:  Models @ the photography workshops

Here’s the beauty of it – this is all well within your reach. Even though we use the Profoto B1 with the photo walks, the techniques and principles of lighting and posing remain the same. You could use all that you learn here, when shooting with a speedlight. It’s all within your reach to get on-location portraits that look this good. We’ll go over the thought-process and approach in various scenarios to make sure you’re confident to make them work.

In that linked article showing some of the models we have photographed during some of the workshops, the images themselves link through to the relevant articles with more details about the specific photographs. So even now, there is something to learn.

Camera settings and photo gear used during this photo shoot

• 1/180  @  f/4  @ 100 ISO

• Canon 6D camera
• Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II
• Profoto B1 flash  (B&H / Amazon)
• Westcott Rapid Box 36″ Octabox  (B&H / Amazon)

For the photograph at the top, we had Claudia sit on a wall in Columbus Circle. Where the photograph started though, was in recognizing that with the longer end of the 70-200mm zoom, we could frame Claudia within that circle of the metallic globe.

For some, the highlights next to her face might be distracting. I love the look though. That circle perfectly frames her and draws your attention in.

So the photograph started with recognizing that we have a background here with potential. Then we add light. In this instance, a 36″ octal softbox, with the profoto B1 flash. Here it was the choice of the photographer who booked the personal workshop, but we could have done something fairly similar with a speed light. Oh, and your system doesn’t matter all that much when we do a personal workshop – I accommodate Nikon, Canon, Sony and Fuji. So if you are interested, but think your choice of camera gear is more unusual than generally used, let me know, and we can see how we can fit it in and help you become confident in using off-camera flash and in posing someone.

More info about the photography workshops:

• Photo Walks, NYC
• Personal Workshops
• Flash Photography Workshops
• Here are recaps of previous photography workshops, with testimonials.