Creating dramatic studio lighting with Profoto A2 flashes
Profoto has created an entire system of portable lighting with accessories around their Profoto A2 flash (B&H / Amazon). I had the rare opportunity to connect again with one of my favorite models, Erin Leigh Pribyl, for a photo session in my studio. Even in this short video clip, you'll get a sense of her personality. With this, I wanted to create dramatic portrait lighting with a hint of the old Hollywood Glamor lighting, but with color instead of B&W. In this video is a glimpse of how I built up 4 Read more inside...
I had an interesting headshot photo session in the studio this afternoon. The brief from the company was oddly specific about which #Profoto light modifiers need to be used, and the power settings and angles and position, etc.
As it would happen, when they contacted me and sent over the brief, I was all, "Sure, I have all of that." Because, you know, I do.
I'm always keen on reverse engineering photos anyway, to figure out the lighting -- but in this case they made it easy with the diagrams and notations.
The company is Read more inside...
Studio portraits - different setups for different looks
As a kind of “inaugural” photo session in my new studio space, I asked my photographer friend, @ClaytonReynolds, if he’d be willing come in to be photographed. I liked the way Clayton's confidence and natural charm comes through in these photos. We used 3 different setups for 3 different looks. From the simplest of setups -- just window-light, to a more complex setup using a spotlight with a gobo. There are two pull-back shots if you're curious about the lighting configuration.
This photo above is a favorite way to quickly Read more inside...
Dramatic portrait & headshot lighting in the studio
Working with the Profoto Spot Small (affiliate), I wanted to create portraits for my portfolio that showed a more dramatic light for portraits. I think these could even be used as secondary headshots in a portfolio. For this photo session, I had actor / model Andy Peeke (Instagram) in the studio. He has the cheekbones for this!
For other results from the Profoto Spot Small light modifier, also check out this article: Dramatic studio lighting with the Profoto Spot Small
In adapting the lighting setup Read more inside...
Dramatic studio lighting with the Profoto Spot Small
For portrait photography, soft, flattering light is easy to work with. You can more easily pose your subject compared to when the light source is small. Also, it is more immediately flattering to you subject. You have to be really specific in how you pose and position your subject when you use a harder / smaller light source. This is true whether you use available light or studio lighting or off-camera lighting. For example, much of what I do with on-camera bounce flash, is to create directional soft light from what starts out as Read more inside...
A series of photos from the archives - a studio photo session with one of my favorite models, Claudia. I reposted these photos on my Instagram account, as a quiet celebration because Claudia has decided to re-enter as a model after a hiatus of a few years.
When I use models during workshops, it is with the intent of teaching lighting techniques. There is also the strong underlying message that posing and lighting are interconnected. With that, there is a to-and-fro interaction between the model and myself (and the people attending a Read more inside...
video: Creative studio portrait session - two perspectives
Continuing with the loose theme of 'Two Perspectives', I invited my friend Dave Block into the studio during one of his visits to New York from Seattle. The concept behind the initial Two Perspectives video was that I get to meet upwith a fellow photographer, and that something might be revealed in the contrasting styles and ideas during some kind of photo shoot - hopefully informative and of wider interest. The 1st video was the intimate male portraiture shoot-out with my friend Cate Scaglione. The 2nd video was with Tracy Read more inside...
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...
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 momentally holds 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 timing Read more inside...
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...
